September 2024 - Understanding Resistant Starch: A Comprehensive Guide
Welcome to the September issue of the Picasso Health & Nutrition newsletter.
I’m so glad you’re here!
This month is all about resistant starch. Learn how this unique starch doesn’t really behave like starch as we know it. Dig those potatoes out of the pantry. There’s a way to consume them that benefits your gut, insulin response and satiety levels! I’ve included Tips & Trades to gradually increase your resistant starch intake as well as an easy-to-prepare overnight oats recipe which provides a healthy, resistant starch rich, on-the-go breakfast, lunch or snack.
Great news! If you’ve missed previous issues of the newsletters, you can now find them on my website, picassohealthandnutrition.com under “Newsletter.”
I would love to hear your thoughts about the content of the newsletter, questions you may have, or ways we might work together. You can reach me at therese@picassohealthandnutrition.com
Here’s to your best health.
Therese
FEATURED ARTICLE
Understanding Resistant Starch: A Comprehensive Guide
What is Resistant Starch?
Resistant starch is a unique type of carbohydrate that, unlike regular starch, resists digestion in the small intestine. Instead of being broken down into glucose and absorbed, resistant starch travels to the large intestine, where it acts more like fiber, providing numerous health benefits. This starch is called "resistant" because it resists the normal digestive process, offering a slow and steady release of energy and supporting gut health.
Types of Resistant Starch
There are four main types of resistant starch:
1. RS1: Found in seeds, legumes, and unprocessed whole grains, RS1 is physically inaccessible to digestive enzymes because it's encased within fibrous cell walls.
2. RS2: Present in raw potatoes, green bananas, and some legumes, RS2 has a naturally occurring, tightly packed structure that resists digestion.
3. RS3: Formed when certain foods, like rice and potatoes, are cooked and then cooled. This cooling process changes the structure of the starch, making it more resistant to digestion. RS3 is also known as retrograded starch.
4. RS4: A chemically modified starch created during food processing to resist digestion. It may be added to processed foods to increase fiber content.
What are the Benefits?
Including resistant starch in your diet offers several significant health benefits.
Enhanced Gut Health: Resistant starch acts as a prebiotic, or food for beneficial gut bacteria. The bacteria digests the resistant starch through a fermentation process and produces short chain fatty acids, like butyrate (byoo-ter-ate). Butyrate is especially important as it is the preferred energy source for cells lining the gut and the overall integrity of the wall of the large intestine. Butyrate also contributes to anti-inflammatory activity in the gut.
Increased Satiety and Weight Management: Resistant starch can help you feel full longer, reducing overall calorie intake and supporting weight management efforts.
Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Regular consumption of resistant starch has been linked to better insulin sensitivity, which can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Potential Cancer Protection: Studies suggest that resistant starch may reduce the risk of upper gastrointestinal cancers.
How to Add Resistant Starch to Your Diet
incorporating resistant starch into your daily meals may be easier than you think. Here are a few suggestions.
1. Cook, Cool, and Reheat
Tip: When preparing foods like rice, pasta, or potatoes, cook them as usual, then cool them down before consuming. The cooling process increases the formation of resistant starch. If you prefer your food warm, lightly reheat it without worrying about losing too much of the resistant starch.
Trade: Instead of freshly cooked potatoes, opt for a cold potato salad. Swap freshly cooked rice for a batch that’s been cooked, cooled, and then reheated.
2. Embrace Green Bananas
Tip: Green bananas are rich in RS2, making them a great addition to smoothies, snacks, or as a breakfast ingredient. They have a milder, less sweet flavor than ripe bananas, which works well in recipes.
Trade: Replace ripe bananas in your smoothie with green bananas for a less sweet but RS packed option. If you can’t use all of your green bananas before they ripen, freeze them.
3. Opt for Whole Grains and Legumes
Tip: Whole grains like barley, oats, and corn are excellent sources of resistant starch, as are legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and beans. These foods can be easily added to soups, salads, and main dishes.
Trade: Swap white rice with cooked and cooled brown rice or barley. Substitute processed snacks with a handful of roasted chickpeas or a bean salad.
4. Try Resistant Starch Flours
Tip: If you’re looking for a convenient way to increase your resistant starch intake, consider using supplements like potato starch or green banana flour.
Trade: Instead of white flour, add potato starch as a thickener to soups or sauces.
5. Prepare Overnight Oats
Tip: Soaking oats overnight allows the starch to gelatinize and retrograde, increasing the resistant starch content. This makes overnight oats an ideal breakfast option. **See Recipe below
Trade: Swap hot oatmeal with overnight oats. It’s a cooler, more refreshing way to start your day, especially in warmer weather.
6. Experiment with Cooled Pasta Dishes
Tip: Like rice and potatoes, pasta can develop resistant starch when cooked and then cooled. Consider making pasta salads or simply cooling and reheating your pasta dishes.
Trade: Instead of serving pasta hot straight from the stove, make a pasta salad with cooled pasta and fresh vegetables, or store cooked pasta in the fridge to use later.
7. Enjoy Beans in Various Forms
Tip: Beans are a fantastic source of resistant starch, whether they’re eaten whole, mashed, or pureed. Incorporate them into your meals regularly.
Trade: Swap out a portion of meat in your dishes for beans. For instance, in tacos or chili, using beans instead of all meat boosts your resistant starch intake while adding fiber.
The Reheating Debate: Does It Decrease Resistant Starch?
One common question is whether reheating foods that have been cooked and cooled (like rice or potatoes) reduces their resistant starch content. The good news is that while reheating may alter the structure of resistant starch slightly, much of the resistant starch remains intact. This means you can enjoy the benefits of resistant starch even in reheated foods, though the exact amount may vary.
Summary
Resistant starch is a powerful component of a healthy diet, offering benefits from improved gut health to better insulin sensitivity. With its presence in many everyday foods, incorporating it into your diet is both simple and beneficial. Whether you're enjoying a cold pasta salad or a reheated potato dish, resistant starch can play a significant role in your overall health and well-being.
FEATURED RECIPE
Overnight Oats with Berries & Chia Seeds
Sometimes you just need to grab something out of the fridge for a quick bite. It’s a bonus when it’s something that nourishes you rather than just feeds you. This recipe, Overnight Oats with Berries & Chia Seeds, hits the mark. It takes about five minutes to prepare the night before. This gives the raw oats a chance to retrograde to a RS friendly structure. You can vary the flavors to suit you. I personally like to top it with nuts and coconut for added crunch. A true minimally processed grab-and-go meal.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Overnight: 8 hours
Servings: 2
Ingredients
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk of choice
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup berries, fresh or frozen
1 Tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
Add chia seeds, oats, vanilla extract and milk into a container (or split into two containers) and stir to combine. Let it stand for a moment then stir again to disperse the chia seeds through the mixture.
Add the fresh or frozen berries and stir again.
Place in the fridge overnight or for at least four hours
Eat as is or top with nuts, berries or yogurt
Optional Additions
Stir in a tablespoon of nut butter, scoop of protein powder, ground flax seeds, greek yogurt or your favorite nuts/seeds. Feel free to add more milk to reach your desired consistency.
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Watch for my next newsletter in early October.
Thanks again, and take care,
Therese