Resistant starch

[maryannie]

I just heard about foods that have "resistant starch" such as rice, raw potatoes, beans, and whole grains. Has anyone ever heard of this? Maybe I can eat beans and whole grains.

[meow]

Re: Resistant starch

I have heard it, and I don't believe it. I think they are trying to lead us into temptation.

However, I do know that fried potatoes are different than baked. The frying at super-high temps turns that starch into pure sugar, basically. Baking doesn't do that.

[locarbman]

Re: Resistant starch

I just heard about foods that have "resistant starch" such as rice, raw potatoes, beans, and whole grains. Has anyone ever heard of this? Maybe I can eat beans and whole grains.

Hi maryannie,

I found reference to digestive resistant maltodextrin while searching for a fiber product to make a SF powder/fiber blend as a replacement for the Splenda Quick Packs that are unfortunatly no longer being produced. I have since used FoodScience of Vermont's Clearly Fiber with Neotame and Sucralose powder with good results. From an old post of mine:

"FoodScience of Vermont Clearly Fiber:

Supplement Facts:

Clearly Fiber™ a fiber supplement to support intestinal regularity, and maintenance of cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood sugar levels within normal ranges.*

Clearly Fiber™ is a sugar-free, low calorie, all natural fiber product from digestion-resistant Maltodextrin.

Clearly Fiber™is different from other fiber products: no grit, no lumps, no flavor. It dissolves clearly in any cold or hot drink. It won't change the texture, taste or color of your favorite soft food or beverage. Add Clearly Fiber™ to water, coffee, soda, yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal, pudding, mashed potatoes, juice, and even sauces or soups. The possibilities are endless.

Clearly Fiber™ is an excellent source of fiber as well as a natural way to support proper bowel function, cholesterol levels, and healthy intestinal microflora.*

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 2 Teaspoons
Servings per Container: 30

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value

Calories 22*
Total Carbohydrate 5 g* 2%
Total Dietary Fiber 5 g* 20%
Soluble Fiber 5 g* *
Digestion Resistant Matodextrin (Fibersol-2 brand)
5.85 g* *

*Daily value not established.
Free Of Citrus, egg, gluten, milk, sodium, soy, wheat, yeast, added sugars, starches, synthetic dyes, artificial flavorings and preservatives.
Directions
As a dietary supplement, mix 2 teaspoons (5.85 g) in any hot or cold liquid or food, 1-3 times daily.
Warnings
If pregnant or nursing, consult your health care practitioner before taking this product.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

It would appear from above that the entire 5.85g (2 teaspoon serving) is Digestion Resistant Maltodextrin...will order some and 'check it out' ;-)

PS: Found it for ~$6.50, 176g (~6oz) 30-2 teaspoon servings"

I also found this reference:

"The Fiber Content of the Food You Eat

Due to its chemical makeup, fiber is classified as a carbohydrate; however, it is unlike other carbohydrates in that it is an indigestible nutrient. Even though each gram of fiber contains four calories, these calories will remain undigested and will not be absorbed. Therefore, if you were to consume 300 calories of red beans (a food in which nearly 1/3 of the caloric content is from fiber), approximately 100 of these calories would pass through your intestinal tract undigested"

Thus it would appear that there is such a thing as 'resistant starch'...that may be treated as one would treat fiber...hope this helps...locarbman ;-)

[maryannie]

Re: Resistant starch

I knew that pure fiber wasn't considered as a carb but I thought that maybe "resistant starch" was different than fiber.

[locarbman]

Re: Resistant starch

I knew that pure fiber wasn't considered as a carb but I thought that maybe "resistant starch" was different than fiber.

I'm sorry, my response does not appear to be in context with the nature of your question ;-(, perhaps other's may give you more 'useful' advice on this subject... ;-)

[forbey]

Re: Resistant starch

Don't let anyone fool you... There are two lines of BS in the new hype about "resistant starch."

Unless it is synthetically made out non-carbon chains, ALL starch is carbohydrate. The only difference is the length and construction of the molecular structure.

Second, all carbohydrates are "somewhat resistant" (although resistant to what might be the bigger question!

Glucose is a single "chained" carbohydrate and, therefore the least resistant to breaking down for use in the energy cycles. The longer the chain, the more bonds are present that must first be broken to get the carbohydrate down to its smallest usable form. The extremely long chain carbohydrates, we refer to as fiber, our digestive tract does not hold on to long enough to break down. It takes a ruminant (cows, camels, sheep, etc.) or creatures like termites, to digest them to a point they can be used for energy.

It's kind of like advertising for peanut butter. They list on the label that it is cholesterol free. What they don't tell you is that peanut butter is naturally cholesterol free. The nature of the beast, so to speak, is that all longer chained carbohydrates are increasingly resistant to the human digestive process, including starches, so to advertise it as resistant starch, is to do nothing more than tell you nothing more than what has always been the case.

forbey

[Georgiana]

Re: Resistant starch

Maybe I can eat beans and whole grains.

You can eat beans and whole grains when you reach the appropriate OWL rungs, Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance, and see how they work for you. They are not forbidden on Atkins.

[Nutrition Nut]

Re: Resistant starch

Resistant starch is simply starch that resists digestion in the small intestine and reaches the large intestine. So, yes, it's like dietary fiber in that regard.

Many studies have shown that natural resistant starch from high amylose corn (Hi-maize brand) are fermented by the resident bacteria in the large intestine and improve metabolism in many ways. It has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity (in healthy people, in insulin resistant people and in type 2 diabetics). This is a huge, huge, huge, benefit, as high levels of circulating insulin promote fat deposits and prevent fat from being burned as fuel by your body. Lowering the circulating levels of insulin (via improved insulin sensitivity) will help weight loss.

Resistant starch has been shown to increase satiety - or the feeling that you're full and don't want to snack or eat right away. The fermentation has been shown to turn on the production of genes that tell your brain that you're full (specifically GLP-1 and PYY) within the large intestine. Cellulose (the non-fermented, insoluble fiber found in plant cell walls) is minimally fermented and did not increase the production of these hormones. One human study even showed that people ate about 10% fewer calories over 24 hours after eating a large dose of resistant starch.

It also promotes digestive health. It's fermentation produces more of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, than any other fiber tested. Butyrate is the preferred fuel for healthy colon cells. If the large intestinal cells don't get butyrate, they get leaky, diseased and definately un-healthy. People who ate resistant starch had lower levels of ammonia, phenols and other harmful by-products of protein fermentation in their large intestine. It has been shown to promote regularity and to stop diarrhea when it is added to oral rehydration solutions (by the World Health Organization).

The science is quite real - the National Institutes of Health is now funding metabolism studies with Hi-maize resistant starch. If you're inclined to look it up, go to www.resistantstarch.com, where many of the studies are explained and referenced.

Back to your original question - it's a matter of how much resistant starch is in the food. Hot baked potatoes contain no resistant starch, but a cooled potato (like you're making potato salad) contains some (about 3%). Likewise, cooked and cooled pasta contains low levels. Good food sources of resistant starch are bananas that are slightly under-ripe - yeah - that starchy taste is really resistant starch. As the banana ripens, the starch turns to sugar so a fully ripe banana will have much less resistant starch than an under-ripe banana does. Beans, lentils and unprocessed whole grains also deliver reasonable quantities of resistant starch. (See the January 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association for a complete list.)

The research has been done with Hi-maize resistant starch because it can be added to someone's diet without adding thousands of calories (from naturally occurring foods that contain resistant starch) and it doesn't change depending upon the ripeness of the food. The ingredient is available online (www.KingArthurFlour.com) and can be added to foods - I use it in pancakes, cookies, and everything that has flour in it. Every day, I add it to smoothies for my breakfast because it's an easy way to get my fiber boost for the day. I look at it as a metabolism boost with a side effect of regularity.

Now that I've bored you with way too many details - the main point is that the science supporting metabolism benefits of natural resistant starch are very real. Ingredient companies are now producing starches that are chemically modified to resist digestion and thus can be called "resistant starch". However, research is just beginning on these synthetic versions and no one knows what their health effects will be.

The trick is in getting enough natural resistant starch into your diet to get the benefits. You are absolutely right that increasing your consumption of potatoes and rice isn't going to do it. You've just got to find better sources of resistant starch.

[maryannie]

Re: Resistant starch

Wow, that's really interesting information! Does the Hi-maize resistant starch offer any benefit to cooking or does it just give extra fiber?

[Nutrition Nut]

Re: Resistant starch

It depends on what you're cooking. If you're making waffles, the Hi-maize makes the outside edges crispier while keeping the inside soft. Other than that, when you use it to replace flour and lower the glycemic impact of the food that you're preparing, as long as you stay around 15% of the flour replacement, you're not going to notice an impact on your recipes. My pancakes taste like regular pancakes, but they're much higher in fiber. Cookies taste like regular cookies. It's a great way to make lower glycemic and fiber fortified versions of your favorite recipes.

FYI - a tablespoon of Hi-maize 260 contains 5 grams of dietary fiber in about 9.5 grams of total ingredient. - it is about 60% dietary fiber. But don't try it in sauces or gravy - it doesn't thicken at all.

[Elizellen]

Re: Resistant starch

But of course if it is made from maize it would not be a 'legal' addition till you reach the grains rung of OWL

[maryannie]

Re: Resistant starch

Thank you for that information. If I am counting carbs in food, I subtract the fiber to get the net carbs but do I subtract more than the fiber for Hi-Maiz? I'm wondering how much of it I would include as net carbs if some of it is resistant starch.

[Elizellen]

Re: Resistant starch

I imagine you just deduct the fiber grams as with any other ingredients - but till you are at the grains level/rung of OWL it would not be a 'legal' ingredient if you are sticking to the rules of Atkins.

[Suzanne_H]

Re: Resistant starch

Interesting thread... I understood legumes are a resistant starch, and I also hear that some can eat bean starch with no problems (like me) and some simply cannot eat starch in any form. It's all about finding what works for you. I've lost weight eating beans and lentils and oatmeal with no cravings... throw in wheat or corn and I'm doomed to suffer reflux and cravings. *shrug* Find what works for you.

[mizski]

Re: Resistant starch

This is a very interesting discussion as I really did not know anything about resistant starch. I buy my flours from King Arthur (I still bake bread for Mr. Ski) and checked out the link NutritionNut mentioned. It has a lot of fiber and also prebiotic properties.

However, IMO this really is a Maintenance food product. It does sound like something I might be interested in when I reach goal.