If you have ever scrutinized the “Dietary Fiber” heading on a Nutrition Facts label, you have noticed it is comprised of two subcategories: Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber. Both of these fibers have their own unique benefit, but a different type of fiber many people are not aware of is Resistant Starch. This type of fiber provides many unique features including: reducing fecal pH (a marker of colon health), decreasing colon cancer risk, assisting in maintaining a healthy weight, and improving insulin sensitivity.
Resistant starches are less energy dense and not all of the calories they provide are absorbed by the body due to fecal energy loss. Also, resistant starches may help with appetite regulation due to their beneficial effect on blood sugar levels. To reap the health benefits of this “forgotten" fiber, it's easy to incorporate some foods that provide resistant starch. Foods rich in resistant starch include (listed in descending order by resistant starch content):
- Hi-maize cornstarch
- Underripe banana (some green)
- Uncooked oats
- Cooked white beans
- Cooked lentils
- Milled flax seed
- Cooked and cooled rice, pasta and potatoes
- Pita bread
Keep in mind that "too much of a good thing" is possible with resistant starch (more isn't necessarily better). Adding multiple tablespoons of milled flax to your smoothie could be too much. Instead, consider starting off with a tablespoon and increasing to two tablespoons would be an amount that can yield positive health benefits without overburdening the digestive system. I want to point out that not everyone's digestive system tolerates resistant starch well, so experimenting with small amounts to see how your body responds is important. For more information on resistant starches, check out this article published in Today’s Dietitian magazine.
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