Its taking me a while to understand the relationship between metabolic syndrome and high serum triglycerides. But in the mean time I can talk about my plans to experiment with Resistant Starch. In theory, I can eat some carbs with out spiking my glucose and improve my gut health.
What is Resistant Starch?
Resistant starch is a form of starch that remains undigested in the small intestine, allowing it to arrive at the large intestine mostly unchanged. This characteristic enables it to function similarly to fiber within the body. There are multiple varieties of resistant starch, and they can be derived from a range of sources, including:
- Type 1: Found in whole grains, seeds, and legumes, it’s physically trapped in the cell walls of plants, making it difficult for digestive enzymes to access.
- Type 2: Found in raw potatoes, green bananas, and some other starchy foods, this type of starch is naturally resistant to digestion due to its structure.
- Type 3: Created when certain starchy foods (like potatoes, rice, and pasta) are cooked and then cooled. The cooling process changes the structure of the starch, making it more resistant to digestion.
- Type 4: A chemically modified starch, often used in processed foods.
- Type 5: Found in some high-amylose foods (such as certain varieties of corn), and may also resist digestion due to its specific molecular structure.
How to Create type 3 Resistant Starch
Producing resistant starch mainly requires modifying the structure of starches to prevent their digestion in the small intestine. Below are the fundamental steps for generating resistant starch:
1. Choose the Right Starch Source
The initial step involves choosing a starchy food that has high starch content, such as potatoes, rice, pasta, green bananas, or specific grains and legumes. Various types of starches can be utilized based on the intended type of resistant starch.
2. Cook the Starchy Food
Cooking is an essential part of the process. When starch is cooked—such as by boiling rice or potatoes—the starch granules take in water and expand. This initial cooking makes the starch more digestible in the small intestine. However, simply cooking does not produce resistant starch; it is merely one step in the overall procedure.
3. Cool the Cooked Food
After cooking, cooling the food is an essential step. When starchy foods are cooled after being cooked (for example, after boiling potatoes or pasta), the starch molecules undergo a process known as retrogradation. In this process, the starch molecules re-crystallize and develop a structure that is resistant to digestion. This cooling phase is what transforms regular starch into resistant starch.
- For example, after cooking potatoes, refrigerating them overnight increases the formation of resistant starch.
- Similarly, cooking rice or pasta and then letting it cool in the fridge for several hours or overnight can also increase resistant starch levels.
4. Reheat
Some studies show that reheating foods that have been cooled after cooking can still retain a portion of the resistant starch created during the cooling process. However, reheating doesn’t have the same effect as cooling on its own, and the amount of resistant starch may be slightly reduced.
5. Consume!
After cooking and cooling, the starchy food can be eaten as part of your meals.
In theory, this process increases the amount of resistant starch in foods, which can provide benefits like improved gut health and better blood sugar control. I’ll give you a report after my 14 day experiment.
Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian or nutritionist. This is simply my interpretation of what I’ve read regarding the subject. I could be correct or incorrect in some, if not all, of my interpretations. If you need additional information, I’ll include links below.
Resources:
Fuentes-Zaragoza, E., et al. “Resistant Starch as Functional Ingredient: A Review.” Food Research International, vol. 43, no. 4, May 2010, pp. 931–942. Accessed on 29 Jan 2025
Giulia Enders, et al. Gut : The inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ. Vancouver, Greystone Books, 2018.
S, Sonia, et al. “Effect of Cooling of Cooked White Rice on Resistant Starch Content and Glycemic Response.” Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015. Accessed on 29 Jan 2025
