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Starchy Foods and Resistant Starch: Are They Beneficial for Your Health?

Did you know that certain starchy foods like potatoes and pasta can be beneficial to your health by promoting weight loss, improving blood glucose control and lowering cholesterol... But it’s not just any starchy foods, it’s specifically those that contain resistant starch...

Resistant starch is not digested in the intestine. It is a type of dietary fiber that is soluble and highly fermentable. Thus, because resistant starch is not digested and absorbed into the small intestine, it is able to reach the colon, where it is fermented by intestinal bacteria, and produces short-chain fatty acids which can offer a range of health benefits. It can therefore be classified as a prebiotic.

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 Health benefits of resistant starch: A review of the literature

Starch is an essential source of energy for the human diet. Resistant starch is the portion of starch that is not digested in the small intestine and is fermented in the colon by microorganisms, resulting in the formation of short-chain fatty acids, which may be associated with some metabolic effects.

 What Is Resistant Starch and Why Is It Time to Eat More of This Carb?

Never heard of resistant starch before? Join the club. Here’s the deal on the carb that goes the extra mile.

Articles of Interest

How Does Resistant Starch Work?

As resistant starches are increasingly studied, researchers continue to find health benefits associated with their consumption. Many of the health benefits of resistant starch are also common to oligosaccharides and fermentable fiber.

Resistant Starch May Speed Weight Loss and Improve Health

Good news for carb lovers: There's reason not to shun carbohydrates—even some you may not think of as healthy. That's because certain foods provide what's called resistant starch, or RS, which offers some of fiber's benefits.

Resistant starch: What is it? And why is it so good for you?

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 may lead to some unique health benefits. To get the most from resistant starch, choose whole, unprocessed sources of carbohydrate such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans/legumes.

Resistant starches and health

It was initially hypothesized that resistant starches, i.e., starch that enters the colon, would have protective effects on chronic colonic diseases, including reduction of colon cancer risk and in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Recent studies have confirmed the ability of resistant starch to increase fecal bulk, increase the molar ratio of butyrate in relation to other short-chain fatty acids, and dilute fecal bile acids. However the ability of resistant starch to reduce luminal concentrations of compounds that are damaging to the colonic mucosa, including fecal ammonia, phenols, and N-nitroso compounds, still requires clear demonstration.

What Exactly Is Resistant Starch And What Foods Have It?

Resistant starch resists digestion by human enzymes in the small intestine, kind of like fiber, explains Morgan Porpora, RD, an NYC-based nutritionist. As it ferments in the large intestine, it functions as a prebiotic that feeds the good, health-promoting bacteria in our gut. Some bacteria are considered good for your health is that they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which provide many benefits, she explains.

What is resistant starch, and how does it affect your health?

It differs from regular starch, which provides the body with sugar when digested.

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GI Society

Resistant starches are carbohydrates that do not break down into sugar and are not absorbed by the small intestine. Similar to insoluble fibre, they pass through most of the digestive system unchanged, usually fermenting in the colon. By decreasing the pH level in the colon and assisting the body in increasing its production of short-chain fatty acids, resistant starches help to create an environment in which beneficial bacteria thrive.