Mixed Bites Blog
May 092014
I’ve been reading about the benefits of resistant starch from several sources, here, here, and here. It’s been credited with helping improve gut flora, improving insulin sensitivity, reducing triglycerides, and reducing the risk of colon cancer. Increased butyrate production is the scientific explanation (description here, for those interested in knowing the “why”)> These are good things.
But.Resistant starch is found primarily in green bananas, beans, raw oats, and potatoes/pasta that has been cooked and cooled. None of these are things that I currently incorporate in my diet with any regularity.
Then I read about potato starch and tapioca starch, which are good sources of resistant starch that can be mixed into my morning smoothie (or any cold drink). A perfect solution for me, since my morning shake is already a bit of a kitchen sink of vitamins and supplements. Potato starch contains about 8 grams of resistant starch per tablespoon. And it doesn’t contain any carbs, since it isn’t digested in the stomach but passes straight through to the gut. So I bought some Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch and some Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour (in this case, flour=starch), and I plan to try them in my morning shake. A little at a time. Apparently, gut discomfort (think bloating and gas) can result from too much, too soon. So a tablespoons a day too start and then I’ll take it from there.
How about you? Have you tried incorporating resistant starch into your diet? What were your results?
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