Resistant starch, a healthy food source that helps avoid the risk of diabetes

Resistant starch has recently become increasingly popular as a source of healthy food. Starch itself is a long-chain structure made up of lots of glucose, which can be found in potatoes, whole grains, and a wide variety of other carbohydrate foods. Resistant starch is a type of starch that is difficult for the body to digest. Many studies have shown that resistant starch has many health benefits that are not to be missed. Let's find out more about this type of starch.

What is resistant starch?

Resistant starch is starch that cannot be broken down and digested by the stomach. After entering the small intestine, the starchy food is actually fermented before it enters the large intestine. The results of the fermentation will then produce short chain fatty acids called SCFA. These short chain fatty acids serve as a source of energy for colon cells.

Resistant starch is also a food source for good bacteria in the gut. Increasing SCFA levels in the colon is known to benefit intestinal health to help prevent the development of abnormal cells such as cancer cells.

The types of starch that are resistant

Not all resistant starch is the same, there are several types of resistant starch that you can find, namely:

Type 1

This type of starch is found in grains and processed products such as bread and nuts. This resistant starch is resistant to digestion because the cell walls of starch are hard like a fibrous shell.

Type 2

Found in several raw foods such as raw potatoes and green bananas (which are still unripe). This type of starch cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes so it cannot be broken down.

Type 3

It is formed when food containing starch is cooked or processed and then cooled. Cooling converts some of the digestible starches into resistant starches through a process called retrogradation .

Type 4

This type of starch is specifically made by humans through certain chemical processes. The formation of starch is carried out by etherization or esterification processes. This type of starch is usually found as a modification in making bread or cakes.

Benefits of resistant starch for health

Resistant starch has various health benefits. Resistant starch is effective for lowering blood sugar levels after eating, by increasing the sensitivity of the hormone insulin, so that the body can use insulin more efficiently.

Some studies have found a 33-50% increase in insulin sensitivity after 4 weeks of consuming 15-30 grams of starch a day. By increasing insulin sensitivity, blood sugar will decrease. For this reason, the content of resistant starch can help stabilize blood sugar levels.

By lowering blood sugar levels, this type of starch can help prevent the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

Resistant starch also has very important benefits maintain a healthy digestive system. The presence of resistant starch in the intestines helps reduce the pH level of the gut which can potentially reduce inflammation and lower the risk of abnormal cell growth, including preventing colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the 4th most common cause of cancer death in the world.

Not only that. Reporting from the British Journal of Nutrition, resistant starch can makes you feel full longer so that it can help you control your calorie intake so as not to overdo it. This is because the resistant starch fermented in the intestines helps increase the release of hunger-controlling hormones, resulting in a feeling of fullness.

Where can resistant starch be obtained?

Resistant starches are naturally found in several foods such as bananas, potatoes, and nuts and seeds.

Reported on the British Nutrition Foundation page, the following details the score for the resistant starch content of 100 grams of food below:

Ripe banana (yellow color) contains 1.23
Unripe banana (which is still green) contains 8.5
Brown rice contains 1.7-3.7
White rice contains 1,2-3,7
Red beans contain 1.5-2.6
Potatoes contain 1.07
Ripe lentils contain 3,4
Peas contain 0.77
Baked beans contain 1,4
Cooked whole wheat pasta contains 1.4

The more resistant starch a food contains, the fewer calories it contains.

This starch can also be formed from the cooling process of food. After cooking, cool the food ingredients so that the resistant starch levels increase. Some food producers also deliberately produce food products that have been enriched with resistant starch during processing.