The microbiome is a mysterious and powerful force in one’s overall health. There are many factors that influence the health and variety of bacteria in the gut. Whole foods, high fiber foods, low saturated fat intake, adequate sleep, stress management, and daily exercise are all factors in developing and maintaining a diverse microbiome that will help to balance one’s hormones, mood, and blood sugar. But there are some superstars that seem to have more impact than others. One of these superstars is resistant starch.
The impact of Resistant Starch
Recent studies have looked at the impact of resistant starch on the prevention of many diseases including diabetes, colon cancer, and obesity. Their role in preventing these diseases may have something to do with the impact on gut health, particularly related to butyrate production from good bacteria. These factors can influence satiety and metabolism, colon health, and hormone balance.
Ten percent of Americans suffer from diabetes, 42% of Americans are obese, and colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in America. All of these diseases have some component that could be related to the microbiome. Resistant starch may not be a panacea but it could be an important building block that, in combination with other factors, could lead to better health.
Part of how RS works is by stabilizing blood sugar and providing fermentable fiber lower in the intestine. Because of this impact, resistant starch can lower insulin spikes after a meal and lead to less food intake in the next meal. This is called the “second meal effect”. This in turn can help people to feel more satiated and eat less, ultimately leading to weight loss.
But it doesn’t stop there. In terms of cancer prevention, this study showed that notable markers for colon cancer, such as pH, decreased with a high resistant starch diet, in a manner of 4 weeks! RS helps create a healthier environment for the microbiome so the good bacteria thrive and produce the metabolites our body prefers.
With these impressive health reasons to include resistant starch, the question is, how to do it, and how to do it simply.
How to add more resistant starch to your diet
Eat green bananas. I know, they taste starchy and dry when they are green. But the easiest way to get around that is by using them in your smoothies or Nice Cream. Peel them when they are a little green, freeze them on a tray, and then transfer them to a bag in your freezer, so they are ready for your next smoothie.
Cook and cool your pasta, rice, lentils, beans, and potatoes. The simple act of cooking and cooling a starch actually rearranges the carbohydrates into resistant starches.
This is also the reason behind the second meal effect that is seen in this study when eating beans and whole grains. The combination of fibers and resistant starch in beans and whole grains has been shown to create satiety that impacts the next meal.
Add Overnight Oats to your breakfast menu. Eating 1/4 cups of raw oats has 4.4 grams of resistant starch compared to only .4 grams in cooked oats, so you will get 11 times as much RS when eating uncooked oats. If you are not a fan of overnight oats, you could try Muesli, which is basically raw granola. You can easily make your own with raw oats, chopped dried fruit, seeds, and nuts. If you prefer to buy premade Muesli, make sure to avoid brands with added sugars. Additionally, some people like to add a small scoop of raw oats to a smoothie. If you like a thicker texture to your smoothies, this is a good option.
Supplement with Resistant Starch Products. With research showing the importance of a healthy microbiome, more and more companies are jumping on the opportunity to provide supplements that feed the microbiome. Ultra High Resistant Starch made from green bananas, or Hi-Maize Resistant Starch are two products I have come across.
Hi Maize RS can lead to better satiety as seen in this study. The study found that participants ate significantly less in the meals following ingestion of 48 grams of the resistant starch.
At the time of this writing, Honeyville only carries the 50 lb bag which is overkill for most of us. However, they have carried a 5 lb bag in the past, so hopefully, they will restock that in the future.
These supplemental starch products can be added to a glass of water, a smoothie, your overnight oats, or even into baked goods. When baking with it, just be sure to keep the ratio around 1:6 for starch to flour in order to maintain the taste and texture of the original recipe. So if your recipe calls for 3 cups of flour, you could add up to 1/2 cup of the resistant starch. It might take some tweaking to find the happy spot. Just imagine eating cookies and cakes made with resistant starch- you could almost call it health food! haha! At least your microbiome will appreciate the effort.
