Most of the carbohydrates in our diet are starches. Starches are long chains of glucose that are found in grains, potatoes and various foods. But not all the starch we eat gets digested. Sometimes a small part of it passes through the digestive tract unchanged. In other words, it is resistant to digestion.
Resistant starch is a type of starch that isn’t fully broken down and absorbed, but rather turned into short-chain fatty acids by intestinal bacteria. This can lead to some unique health benefits. When choosing our resistant starch, go with a whole, unprocessed source of carbohydrate such as, (AKA. fast carb, to those that coach with me) whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans/legumes.
This type of starch is called resistant starch, which functions kind of like soluble fiber. While most starches are broken down by enzymes in our small intestine into sugar, which is then absorbed into the blood, we can’t fully absorb all kinds of starch. Some starch — known as resistant starch (RS) — isn’t fully absorbed in the small intestine. Instead, RS makes its way to the large intestine (colon), where intestinal bacteria ferment it.
RS is like fiber, although nutrition labels rarely take RS into account. RS can also improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels, reduced appetite and various benefits for digestion.
Resistant starch is actually a very popular topic these days, and I’m trying to find out more information on it as we speak. I made a new recipe for my kiddos this weekend, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Muffin Bites, get the recipe here.
Here are some reasons to jump for joy over RS:
1. Stay Full, Longer
Like high-fiber or high-protein diets, resistant starch can keep you feeling full for longer. Considering the low-carb diet obsession, you may have been tempted to cut out starchy (fast carb) foods completely, but healthy high-starch (fast carb) foods can actually help you lose weight, cut cravings and boost energy.
Tip: Here’s what you need to do to get the most bang for your buck if you choose to use potatoes and rice:
Step 1: Boil the potatoes or white rice, then…
Step 2: Let the potatoes or rice sit in the fridge for several hours to cool.
It’s the cooling that is very important as it allows the resistant starch to expand within the food. So baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and so forth just won’t cut it. Other highly recommended options include: unripe bananas, and legumes.
2. Boost Mineral Absorption
Another exciting feature of resistant starch is how it improves absorption of minerals. Vital minerals like calcium and iron are commonly bound up in foods, making it hard for the body to absorb. Also, these are two minerals that are often deficient in a person’s diet.
3. The Bathroom Reasons
As if all of the above are not beneficial enough, resistant starch can also improve bowel function.
Bowel irregularity, constipation or diarrhea can often be improved by adding resistant starch to the diet. Remember, resistant starch isn’t broken down by the small intestine, therefore when it passes to the large intestine it serves as food for all our good gut bacteria.
Four Food Sources of Resistant Starch
There are four different sources of resistant starch which are grouped according to their sources:
Type 1: is found in the fibrous cell walls of grains and seeds.
Type 2: is made up of raw starches—potatoes, green bananas and some legumes.
Type 3: foods get their resistant starch from the cooking then cooling process. This includes sweet potatoes, rice, yams and some whole grain breads.
Type 4: is man-made or chemically produced. This form is typically used by food manufacturers who add it to processed food items.
Here are some ways to get more RS into your diet:
- Add 1-2 tbsp of organic green banana flour into your water or smoothies.
- Add small amounts of green banana flour to thicken puddings and non-dairy yogurts.
- Add slices of green banana to morning smoothies
- Mix at least 1 daily serving of cooked legumes into salads, soups or have as a side.
Need a recipe to increase your resistant starch? You are in luck, try this one!
Get the Organic Green Banana Flour on Amazon today!