Despite their bad reputation, can the carbohydrates (carbs) in one’s diet be made healthier? There is a carbohydrate form that helps nourish the “good” bacteria in your intestines and provides other potential health benefits. And it lives up to the hype it has been getting.
Starchy carbohydrates are often viewed as dietary villains, but one type known as resistant starch has been getting a lot of attention as a possible means for better blood sugar control and a healthier microbiome (good bowel bacteria). Found in grains, root vegetables, and legumes, they have health-boosting properties of a prebiotic fiber, with a lower impact on blood sugar than does a typical starch. Even more intriguing: a simple cooking technique can boost the amount of resistant starch in potatoes, pasta, rice, oatmeal, and other starchy foods one eats.
What are resistant starches? They are made of long chains of glucose (sugar) molecules, linked together by chemical bonds that the digestive enzymes break down into glucose. Ordinary starches are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream that causes a swift rise in blood sugar. But true to its name, resistant starch resists digestion in the small intestine—and “travels mostly intact to the colon. But true to its name, resistant starch resists digestion in the small intestine—and “travels mostly intact to the colon. That means the glucose tends to be absorbed more steadily, and blood sugar doesn’t spike as high. Some research suggests increasing intake of resistant starch may lower blood sugar and insulin levels, especially in people living with diabetes or obesity. While in the colon (large intestine), resistant starch also becomes food for the beneficial microorganisms in your microbiome (the population of healthy microbes that inhabit the gut. In turn, these “good” bacteria produce anti-inflammatory compounds that help nourish the cells lining the gut and may also help regulate blood sugar and bolster immunity, among other health benefits.
Many of us fall short on resistant starch—and overall fiber intake. While there’s no official dietary recommendation for resistant starch, many experts believe that Americans’ intake—estimated in a 2020 study to be about 4 grams daily for a 2000-calorie diet—is probably low. The study’s authors suggested 15 grams as an adequate daily intake goal. Resistant starch contributes to one’s daily fiber intake, which most people need to boost, so choosing foods that naturally contain some resistant starch can help bring one closer to the daily fiber goals. Starchy foods tend to contain more resistant starch when they’re unripe or uncooked; for example, green bananas have about a third more resistant starch than yellow ones (see “Food sources of resistant starch”, below). For context, the USDA recommends a daily goal of 25 grams of fiber for women and 38 grams for men before age 50, and 30 grams, respectively, for women and men 50 and older. But most Americans only get between 10 and 15 grams per day.
Try this cooking trick: When you cook a starchy food, heat causes its starch granules to swell and become easier to digest. But if the cooked food is allowed to rest and chill (think potato salad or overnight oats), the starch molecules reorganize into tighter structures, converting some of the starch to resistant starch. The results vary widely, depending on the food and how it’s cooked, chilled, and stored. For example, chilling a cooked russet potato could increase its resistant starch by 39%, compared with only an 18% increase from chilling a cooked red potato. Should one try the cook-and-cool technique? There is little harm if one tries to eat well and is committed to a healthy lifestyle. But it’s not a green light to load up on potatoes, rice, or pasta. That’s the “what can I get away with?’ mentality we want to avoid.” Instead, think of the cooking method as one tool among many to help manage the blood sugar. It’s much more important to focus on the whole eating pattern rather than a single food, so one should try to get a variety of plant foods daily.
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