Resistant Starch for a Healthy Gut Experience Life Resistant Starch for a Healthy Gut Heather Rogers March 2016 Long underappreciated, resistant starch is a friendly carb component that delivers healthy microbial balance and weight-loss support. We ve all heard the warning: Beware of excess carbs. But we ve also learned that not all carbohydrates are created equal. And now we re finding out there are certain carbs we may not be getting enough of. Just as we discern between good fats and bad fats, it s important to remember that carbohydrates are a macronutrient, and many forms contain important healthpromoting properties. Resistant starch a little-known but powerful glucose chain contained within certain carbohydrates is a good example. Page 1 of 10
Resistant Starch for a Healthy Gut Experience Life It s well accepted that simple carbs such as refined sugar spike glucose levels and can lead to insulin resistance, contributing to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Some health experts now argue that even complex carbs particularly those found in grains can contribute to chronic systemic inflammation and conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), colon cancer, and even dementia. But that s not the whole story, explains John Bagnulo, MPH, PhD, a nutritionist and educator based in Yellow Springs, Ohio. When people talk about carbs as the culprit for all these diseases, that s an oversimplification. The truth is more nuanced. Most starches are formed by two types of glucose molecules: amylopectin and amylose. Amylo-pectin easily breaks down in the small intestine, releasing glucose into the bloodstream. Amylose, on the other hand, has a tighter molecular structure that s harder to crack. Resistant starch found in foods such as beans, whole grains, rice, and potatoes is high in amylose. It stays intact as it passes through the stomach and small intestine, and doesn t enter the bloodstream (hence the resistant part of its name). What we think is detrimental about easily digestible carbohydrates and simple sugars that they drive up our glucose levels doesn t apply to resistant starch, says Jens Walter, University of Alberta associate professor and Campus Alberta Innovates Program chair of nutrition, microbes, and gastrointestinal-tract health. Research into the nutritional benefits of resistant starch is relatively new, but results so far indicate that this form of carbohydrate delivers all sorts of health benefits, including improved gut health, weight control, and potentially even cancer protection. Feed Your Microbes Recent science has established that the health of our microbiome especially the organisms that live in our intestines is directly tied to our broader well-being. To bolster our gut ecosystems, many of us consume probiotics: living bacteria found in Page 2 of 10
Resistant Starch for a Healthy Gut Experience Life supplements or fermented edibles like yogurt and sauerkraut (for more on this, see Probiotics at Work ). Yet downing probiotics and -fermented foods is not enough to keep our guts healthy. Even if I give you the very best probiotics and large amounts of them those bacteria live less than an hour, then they re gone, says Robynne Chutkan, MD, author of The Microbiome Solution. We have to feed those bacteria so they can survive and thrive. That s where prebiotics come in. Prebiotics including resistant starch and specific types of fiber are indigestible nutrients that ferment in the large intestine, providing nourishment for the gut s healthy bacteria. Unfortunately, the standard American diet, high in processed ingredients, doesn t provide enough prebiotic foods. With the Western diet, the colon has become malnourished, says Stephen O Keefe, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. When intestinal bacteria don t get enough prebiotic food, they start to feed off the colon s mucosal lining. Lacking appropriate nutrition, beneficial microorganisms grow frail and become unable to ferment prebiotics. This causes the colon to become more alkaline, which creates an environment for acid-sensitive bacteria like strains of E. coli and salmonella, as well as other potent pathogens to bloom. The proliferation of harmful bacteria can set off a microbial imbalance, known as dysbiosis, and lead to problems such as leaky gut. This in turn can trigger autoimmune disease and metabolic disorders. (For more on this, see How to Heal a Leaky Gut.) Sluggish prebiotic fermentation also creates a self-reinforcing pattern that further restricts the creation of food for our friendly microorganisms. Page 3 of 10
Resistant Starch for a Healthy Gut Experience Life Build Up Butyrate While resistant starch behaves like fiber in many ways, it has distinct qualities, most notably its ability to rapidly churn out a colon-critical substance called butyrate. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that is a vital nutrient for the colon and the primary energy source for the cells of the large intestines. Where other organs around the body use glucose, the colonic cells are unique in needing butyrate, explains O Keefe. As the direct supply of nourishment to the cells along the intestinal lining, butyrate helps keep this membrane strong. A healthy colon wall prevents leaky gut, IBS, constipation, ulcerative colitis, and diverticulitis (an inflammation or infection in the digestive tract). Butyrate also inhibits inflammation-signaling molecules called cytokines. In doing so, it mediates the colon s inflammatory response a trigger that can weaken the intestinal lining and set off a cycle of bodywide swelling that s tough to tame. Butyrate also appears to make the colon an inhospitable place for cancer. In the lab, butyrate has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumor-cell lines and has induced the death of colorectal cancer cells. It also seems to prevent angiogenesis the forming of new blood vessels from existing ones, a fundamental step in the transition of tumors from benign to malignant. More research is needed, but as studies unveil more about the key role of resistant starch in supporting gut health and by extension, overall health consensus is growing on the value of this carbohydrate. One of the most potent results O Keefe and his colleagues discovered is how quickly the gut microflora respond to resistant starch. This is very good news, O Keefe explains, because it suggests you don t have the excuse I ve been eating junk food all my life so it s too late to help my colon. It s never too late. Page 4 of 10
Resistant Starch for a Healthy Gut Experience Life Get More Resistant Starch in Your Diet People in developing nations, where whole-plant foods are more common and where diseases like type 2 diabetes and colon cancer are rare, consume 30 to 40 grams of resistant starch per day. In the United States and Europe, people typically eat about 3 to 8 grams of resistant starch daily. So unless you already focus on eating foods high in resistant starch, it s safe to assume you re not getting enough. While there is no recommended daily allowance that research is under way Stephen O Keefe, MD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, says doubling your intake of resistant starch is a good place to start. If you have bloating, gas, and discomfort from the fermentation (a possible side effect of getting too much resistant starch at once, especially if you suffer from a digestive disorder like IBS), scale your portions back and increase them slowly over a few weeks. Though resistant-starch supplements such as raw potato starch are available, real foods are the healthiest sources. The whole foods shown here are rich in resistant starch (note that cooking sometimes affects the amount in food). Experiment with working them into your eating plan, and see if you notice an improvement in your digestive health. Page 5 of 10
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Resistant Starch for a Healthy Gut Experience Life Heather Rogers is a journalist and author. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. Page 10 of 10