Potato Starch: What You Need to Know About the Product and the Risks of Consumption

Potato starch is gluten-free, which means it can work effectively as an alternative to plain flour. Potato starch is a starch derived from potatoes. Once dried, the starch takes on a light powdery consistency similar to flour and is a common ingredient used in several recipes.

To make potato starch, a person mashes raw potatoes, which separates the starch grains from the broken cells. The starch is then cleaned and left to dry. After drying, potato starch acquires a white powdery consistency that resembles flour.

Potato starch is gluten-free, which means it can work effectively as an alternative to plain gluten-free flour in some recipes.

Uses of potato starch

Potato starch is a common ingredient used in a variety of recipes. Potato starch can not only be sprinkled raw on top of food but also in the ways described below.

Thickener

One of the main uses of potato starch is as a thickening agent in various recipes, as it absorbs water effectively.

However, high heat can cause the starch to break down, meaning that it will not be able to absorb moisture properly, which prevents its thickening effect. Therefore, it is best to heat the starch gently and gradually add it to the sauces.

Recipes that use potato starch as a thickener include:

• soups and sauces
• pie fillings
• gravy
• stews and casseroles

A gluten-free alternative to flour

Since it does not contain gluten, potato starch can be a suitable gluten-free alternative to flour in baking recipes.

However, too much potato starch can give baked goods a dry, crumbly texture. Therefore, it can be used in baking recipes along with other starches.

Common baking recipes that use potato starch include:

• muffins
• quick bread recipes
• gluten-free flour mixes

Frying food

Potato starch can serve as a suitable coating for fried foods. It can coat foods such as chicken, fish, or vegetables before frying.

A coating of potato starch can give the food a golden and crispy outer layer during the frying process.

Benefits

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body. There are three main types:

• sugar
• starch
• dietary fiber

These carbohydrates are found in a number of plant and dairy products. If a person does not heat or cook it, potato starch contains a starch called resistant starch.

The small intestine does not digest resistant starches, meaning they work in the same way as dietary fiber. Resistant starches travel to the colon, where they begin to ferment. During the fermentation process, these resistant starches feed the friendly bacteria present in the intestines.

There are several possible health benefits of consuming resistant starches in potato starch, including those noted below.

Potato starch may improve insulin sensitivity

Some studies have shown that resistant starch may increase a person’s insulin sensitivity. This type of starch is found in raw potato starch, which can be sprinkled on food.

In a 2012 study, overweight men ate only 15-30 grams (g) of resistant starch daily. They showed increased insulin sensitivity than participants who did not eat foods with resistant starch.

Increased insulin sensitivity may play a role in reducing the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

However, it is worth noting that female participants did not experience the same results as men in this study. The researchers call for further studies to determine the reason why.

Potato starch can improve digestion and colon health

As a resistant starch enzyme, it feeds healthy bacteria inside the colon by converting to short-chain fatty acids. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that is produced during this process and plays an important role in colon cells.

Butyrate can reduce the level of inflammation in the colon, which can help reduce the risk of developing a number of digestive problems. Theoretically, it can reduce the risk of developing inflammatory processes in the intestines and colon, including

• inflammatory colorectal cancer
• ulcerative colitis
• constipation
• diarrhea
• Crohn’s disease
• diverticulitis

However, most of the research on butyrate and resistant starch has been conducted with animals, not humans. Therefore, more human studies are needed to determine if these benefits translate to humans.

Resistant starch can improve weight loss efforts

A study conducted in 2017 found that eating resistant starch helps people feel full after a meal. During the study, participants ate 30 g of resistant starch per day for 6 weeks. This reduced the number of hormones that cause hunger in overweight people.

People who ate resistant starch also had increased levels of compounds that helped them feel less hungry in the morning.

Risk

Potato starch usually does not pose a major risk to human health. Resistant starches such as potato starch act similarly to fiber, which means that there are very few side effects after consumption.

However, some people may find that eating large amounts of potato starch causes gas and bloating.

Potato starch substitutes

There are several alternatives to potato starch. A person can replace it with one of the following options:

• Cornstarch is suitable for thickening sauces and frying.
• Wheat flour is good for baking, but it contains gluten.
• Arrowroot powder is suitable for gluten-free baking and thickening sauces.
• Rice flour is a flour suitable for gluten-free baking and thickening sauces.
• Tapioca starch is well suited for gluten-free baking and for thickening sauces.