The power of resistant starch: what it is and how to eat more!

Not all carbs are created equal, and resistant starch is one that your gut bacteria absolutely love. Resistant starch is gaining popularity in the field of nutrition. It’s gaining hype alongside probiotics and prebiotics for maintaining a healthy gut. But what exactly is resistant starch, and how can you include it in your diet?

Resistant starch

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion. Instead of being broken down in your stomach and absorbed by the small intestine, it passes through undigested to the large intestine, where it ferments and feeds the trillions of microbes in your gut, helping to support a healthy gut flora. By passing through the small intestine, this means it doesn’t contribute to blood glucose levels, making it a good option for diabetics and prediabetics.¹ Studies have found that diets including resistant starch help with blood sugar control² and increase feelings of satiety after eating. This can make you feel fuller for longer, which can help with weight loss.

As the bacteria in our gut ferment resistant starch, they create short-chain fatty acids, more commonly known as postbiotics. Postbiotics may not be as well known as probiotics and prebiotics, but they are just as important! Postbiotics are proven to have anti-inflammatory effects on the gut and microbiome.³ Some of the most prevalent postbiotics include butyrate, acetate, and propionate. Butyrate is particularly important for its anti-inflammatory properties⁴, while propionate has been shown to lower inflammation in the body and improve immune support.

Resistant starch in foods

Incorporating foods with resistant starch into your diet can be easy, as many are readily available and affordable. Studies have shown that consuming as little as 15g of resistant starch daily can be beneficial.⁵

It is worth noting that if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or are prone to bloating, some of these foods listed below are more IBS-friendly than others. It’s recommended to slowly and gradually introduce these foods into your diet until you find a tolerable level. If bloating or discomfort occurs, reduce the quantity until symptoms no longer persist. Remember to note the suitable portion size for future reference. Be sure to drink plenty of water to prevent digestive discomfort.

Resistant starch can be found in everyday food staples, such as nuts, seeds, beans, bananas, and plantains. It has also been discovered that cooking and cooling some foods transforms certain carbohydrates into resistant starch. These starchy foods include rice, yams, potatoes, and whole grains such as oats and barley. An easy way to increase your quantity of resistant starch is to allow these foods to cool before eating them, with some research showing that for several days after cooking the percentage of resistant starch increases.

Let’s take a look at some of these foods in more depth –

Bananas

Green, unripe bananas are an excellent source of resistant starch. As the banana starts to ripen, the resistant starch changes into simple sugars, such as fructose. Both green and ripe yellow bananas are great sources of healthy carbohydrates and provide other nutrients such as vitamin B6 and fibre.

Potatoes

Despite their reputation as a basic starchy carbohydrate, potatoes are full of resistant starch once cooked and cooled. Swapping out your warm buttered spuds for potato salad is a good way to maximize resistant starch. If you reheat cooled potatoes, that resistant starch stays as it is and doesn’t convert back to its original state, making potatoes a great food to cook ahead of time!

Oats

Overnight oats are a simple and tasty way to include resistant starch in your diet, as heat during the cooking process can reduce the resistant starch content. Rolled oats are a great option for making overnight oats, as they’re packed with fibre, protein, and vitamins such as iron and magnesium.

Rice

This staple food is thought to feed over 3.5 billion people, nearly half of the world’s population, making it an invaluable source of resistant starch worldwide.⁶ Cooking and then cooling rice increases the amount of resistant starch, with a 2015 study showing cooked and cooled rice had 2.5 times more resistant starch compared to freshly cooked rice.⁷

Beans

Cooked and canned beans are good sources of resistant starch, with the highest levels being found in white beans and kidney beans. Cooked and cooled beans contain more resistant starch than freshly cooked ones, with nearly half of the total making up resistant starch.

Looking to include a little more resistant starch in your diet? Check out this tasty Chocolate collagen overnight oats recipe.

Questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays for bespoke advice on gut wellness.