Resistant Starch: Your New BFF
Carbohydrates are generally classified into three main categories: sugars, starches, and fibers. You’ve undoubtedly heard of starchy vegetables and non-starchy vegetables. Particularly if you’re on a low carb diet, you are likely avoiding starchy vegetables for fear of gaining weight. Most of the carbohydrates in a typical diet comes from starch in breads, pasta, potatoes, and rice. I eat foods from this group daily and if you want to, but avoid them, I hope to help you out if you aren’t already aware of “resistant” starches.
Starches have a more complex structure and are digested more slowly than simple sugars; this results in a slower elevation of blood sugar levels. The processing of different starches differentially impacts blood sugar levels; more processed foods, like white bread, pasta, and rice, that have been stripped of components like fiber, break down quicker and have a greater impact on blood sugar levels. This is a key reason to restrict consumption of ultraprocessed foods. All digestible carbohydrates are broken down into sugars - it doesn’t matter if it’s a sweet potato or a cookie; “sugar-free” carbohydrates are a misleading misnomer. The fiber component of carbohydrates, however, remains largely undigested in the small intestine; it passes into the colon - not the bloodstream - where it does beneficial things.
Starches are categorized based on how quickly they are digested: there are more “complex” starches that are rapidly digested and “simple/refined/processed” carbohydrates that are more slowly digested, and then there are “resistant” starches, which is classified as fiber as they too largely resist digestion in the small intestine, passing into the colon and serving beneficial purposes. Replacing “normal” starches with resistant starches helps attenuate the blood sugar response of a meal.
You can transform a portion of the starches you eat into resistant starches simply by cooking them, cooling them (ideally overnight) and eating them later. For instance, if I make pasta, I make a large batch, eat some of it, but save most of it for leftovers to be eaten later.
Not only can resistant starch help improve insulin sensitivity, help normalize blood sugar levels, and support a healthy weight, but it can also positively impact gut and colon health. It feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut, and creates compounds (including short-chain fatty acids) which support the lining of your stomach and can help reduce inflammation.
To the extent you’ve been avoiding starchy carbohydrates for fear of weight impact, you may want to give resistant starches a try. Basically, the simple act of pre-making certain carbohydrates and eating them later may almost magically allow you to proverbially have your (cup)“cake” and eat it too.
If you’re interested in learning more about this topic or more evidence-based tips for a healthy weight, you can read more about it in my book, “Eat the Cupcake, not the Cake.”
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