Today’s blog post was coauthored by by two third-year UBC Dietetics students, Yasmin Alachkar and Nicole Fancy. In this article, Yasmin and Nicole explain what resistant starch is, and how it impacts your blood sugar. They’ve also included some tips on how you can add foods to your diet that contain resistant starch. Thank you Yasmin and Nicole!
What is Resistant Starch?
Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that is resistant to digestion – hence the name! Instead of being broken down into glucose (a type of sugar) and absorbed into the bloodstream, it passes through your stomach and small intestine undigested. The undigested starch is then fermented by bacteria living in the large intestine. The amount of resistant starch varies among carbohydrate containing foods, with beans and legumes being the highest source.
What is the Benefit of Eating Resistant Starch?
Normally, after eating a meal, our blood sugar levels rise. When blood sugars are too high, for too long, health problems can occur. Prolonged levels of high blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance and potentially damaging effects. High blood sugar can be damaging to our blood vessels, kidneys, nerves and eyes. As we age, our body’s ability to manage blood sugar levels decline. While there are many factors that contribute to high blood sugar and insulin resistance, making adjustments to the food we eat is one way to manage it.
Since resistant starch isn’t broken down into glucose, foods containing it have been shown to decrease the rise in blood sugar after a meal. In addition, they are associated with a decrease in insulin resistance due to their indigestible properties. The portion of starch that is fermented in the large intestine also contributes to good gut health by increasing the number of beneficial gut bacteria. In addition, many foods high in resistant starch are also high in fibre, which helps with blood sugars, can reduce cholesterol, and helps feed gut bacteria. Eating foods containing higher amounts of resistant starch in place of refined carbohydrates is one way to help manage blood sugars.
What Foods Contain Resistant Starches?
There are four different types which can be:
- Naturally occurring in foods like legumes, whole grains, and seeds
- Found in unripe foods like green bananas
- Chemically modified for use as food stabilizers or thickeners
- Created by cooking and then cooling certain foods such as pasta, potatoes, rice and beans
FUN FACT: The cooking-cooling process changes the physical structure of some starch molecules, making it impossible for digestive enzymes to access and break them down. Once these types of resistant starches have been formed by the cooling process, reheating the food again will not destroy them.
How to Include Resistant Starch in Your Diet
- Overnight oats. Uncooked oats are high in resistant starch (unfortunately, the cooked-and-cooled method does not apply here). To make soak 1/3 cup of large-flake oats in 1 cup of your favourite milk (or milk alternative) overnight. Customize to suit your preferences by adding nut butter, fruit, nuts, seeds, or coconut.
- Try a green banana in a smoothie. Okay, green bananas are an acquired taste for sure, but you might be able to make them work for you by adding to your favourite smoothie recipe.
- Batch cook (then cool) your rice or pasta. Cook any rice or pasta needed for a dish the night before you plan to eat it, cooling it completely, then use it the next day. Just re-heat as needed.
- Make potato salad. The amount of resistant starch in potatoes also increases once it has undergone the cooked-then-cooled process. Mix baby potatoes into a cold potato salad to enjoy alongside your favourite main dish.
- Eat your beans! Beans are a very versatile item that can be added to many dishes to incorporate more resistant starch. For example, white beans can be added to smoothies for creaminess, incorporated into a dip, salsa and spread or used in the soup recipe below.
Try my Roasted Tomato, Wild Rice and White Bean Soup!
Takeaway
Adding foods containing resistant starch in place of more refined carbohydrates is one way to help manage your blood sugar levels. In addition to helping with your blood sugar, you’ll get the added benefit of feeding your gut bacteria.
Have you tried foods with resistant starch before? Let us know in the comments below.
