Kristen Cook
Resistant starch is said to have a variety of positive effects and improve intestinal health. It could also help with weight loss. Read what resistant starch is exactly, what forms it comes in and how it helps the gut.
Potatoes, rice or pasta from the day before don’t belong in the garbage can, but on the plate again the next day! Because they contain resistant starch (RS) – a special form of starch that can have a positive effect on health. For example, resistant starches are formed when you let cooked, starchy foods cool – after about 12 hours. Cooling causes the chemical structure of the starch to change. Part of the starch in the food crystallizes, turns into resistant starch and thus becomes indigestible . Basically, this process creates a kind of dietary fiber. Even if you reheat the food afterwards, the resistant starch remains in the food. It is said to have a variety of positive effects on health.
4 variants of resistant starch
Nutrition experts initially differentiate between 4 different types of resistant starch:
- Type 1 (RS 1) is starch that is difficult for digestive enzymes to access. It is enclosed in healthy cells and thus protected from degradation. Examples: coarsely ground cereal grains, some legumes, seeds . Processes like grinding or chewing can make them more digestible.
- Type 2 (RS 2): The starch molecules in a starch granule are arranged in a special way. Examples: raw potatoes, unripe bananas , some types of corn , and legumes . Heating makes this type of resistant starch digestible.
- Type 3 (RS 3) resistant starch forms when a previously heated food item cools. Examples: bread, potatoes, rice, pasta . Some of the starch rearranges and crystallizes. Then digestive enzymes can no longer attack and utilize them. This type of resistant starch is most important to human health.
- Type 4 (RS 4) is starch used in the food industry that has been chemically modified. Examples are acetate, citrate or phosphate starch . It is found in some drinks, breads and baked goods.
Resistant starch – help with weight loss?
Your body weight, for example, could benefit in the long term because resistant starches may have the same filling effect as fiber . So, it could be an effective helper in losing weight. Incidentally, this also applies to other starchy foods such as legumes (lentils, peas, beans) or grains (rye, oats, barley).
It should be noted, however, that the calorie difference between fresh and reheated starchy foods is not that great. Experts have calculated that potatoes cooked the day before contain about 10% less digestible starch than freshly cooked tubers . Eating leftovers every day is therefore not necessarily the only way to lose weight. If you really want to lose weight, you can’t avoid healthy eating habits and lots of exercise and sport.
Resistant starch supports gut health
Resistant starches also help keep the gut healthy. The starch passes through the small intestine unhindered because it cannot be attacked by digestive enzymes and therefore cannot be utilized. So it basically acts like a dietary fiber. The resistant starch reaches the large intestine undigested , where millions of different bacteria cavort, for example lactic acid and bifidobacteria. These are – along with many other microbes – an essential part of the intestinal flora.
The bacteria use the resistant starch as food for their metabolism . They break them down and turn them into, among other things, a chemical substance called butyrate, the salt of butyric acid. This acid is a very simple, short-chain fatty acid. Specialists ascribe various positive effects to butyrate. Some examples:
Butyrate is the most important source of energy for the cells of the colon mucosa, protects against inflammation and supports a healthy intestinal flora. Short-chain fatty acids are also said to have a beneficial effect on inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Butyrate is said to have positive effects on blood sugar levels . It climbs less quickly and the insulin sensitivity of the cells increases. Then they react better to the insulin, which “unlocks” the cells like a door opener for the absorption of sugar.
The blood fats , such as cholesterol or triglycerides, can possibly be influenced favorably. However, this connection has so far only been proven in animal studies.
Butyrate could also inhibit the production of bile acids in metabolism, which are thought to stimulate cancer.
How much resistant starch should you eat?
Germans consume an estimated 4 grams of resistant starch per day. However, the intake cannot be precisely quantified because both the levels in foods and their preparation are very different. In general, however, the rule of thumb applies: those who consume a lot of fruit, vegetables, whole grain products and legumes absorb more resistant starch than a person who consumes a lot of processed products.
Even if there are no specific recommendations for the consumption of resistant starch: Consumption is definitely recommended. It should be about 30 grams of fiber per day – including the fiber in the form of resistant starch.
So eat enough fiber. They are found in larger amounts in these foods, for example:
- Legumes : These include lentils, beans, peas, or chickpeas. On average, they provide more than 7 grams of fiber per 100 grams.
- Vegetables : Carrots, peppers, beetroot, cabbage and fennel contain between 2 and 5 grams of fiber per 100 grams. Salads, soups and stews made from fiber-rich vegetables are also good sources of fiber. Tomatoes, zucchini or cucumbers, on the other hand, contain a lot of water and significantly less fiber (0.5 to 1 gram per 100 grams).
- Fruit : berries, but also apples and bananas
- Whole grain products : for example whole grain bread and rolls, fresh grain muesli and oatmeal.
- Nuts and seeds.
