The Resistant Starch Trick For Diabetics & Insulin Resistance

Resistant starch is a healthier starch that isn’t fully digested and instead used by the body like fiber.^[1]

What makes a starch “resistant”? A simplified explanation:

Starches consist of two types of polysaccharides called amylose and amylopectin.

Processed foods that are higher in amylopectin are easily (and quickly) digestible starches. Meanwhile, foods high in amylose digest far more slowly (these are your resistant starches).

Instead of being broken down like other carbs, resistant starch moves through the stomach and small intestine undigested, and arrives intact in the colon (the end of the large intestine).

Once the resistant starch arrives in the large intestine, your good gut bacteria feed on the starch and ferment it like a pre-biotic. Through that very helpful fermentation process, your gut bacteria can produce something called butyrate (butyric acid).^[2]

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that is an energy source for the cells that line the GI tract, called enterocytes.^{[3] [4]}

Grass-fed butter and ghee are a high-butyrate foods, which is one reason why it’s so important and stabilizes blood glucose.

Turning Bad Starch Good Which Improves Insulin Sensitivity & Helps Blood Sugar Levels

Functional doctor Mark Hyman, MD explains it well in 5 minutes. This is fascinating!

The product Dr. Hyman is speaking of starting at 2:45 is Bob’s Red Mill Unmodified Potato Starch.

Here’s an idea how much resistant starch is found in food. In this graph, the longer the turquoise line, the better, because resistant starch is good and found in non-processed foods!

Studies Health Benefits of Resistant Starch (RS)

Improved blood fats

RS helps to lower blood cholesterol and fats, while also decreasing the production of new fat cells (the latter has only been shown in rats). Also, it can inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates in the liver, RS can increase the amount of fat we utilize for energy. It is a big help for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and can reduce liver injury and inflammation. (source)

We feel full longer

Resistant starches help us feel full and maintain weight loss. (source) They can trigger the release of hormones that reduce the drive to eat. After someone starts eating more RS, it may take up to one year for gut hormones to adapt. RS slows the amount of nutrients released into the bloodstream, which keeps appetite stable. And consuming more RS may have a thermic effect in the body. (source)

Better insulin sensitivity

Since resistant starch isn’t absorbed, your insulin doesn’t rise like other starches and cause blood sugar spikes. A 2012 study found that obese men who were given 15-30 grams of resistant starch a day for four weeks showed increased insulin sensitivity compared to a control group who took zero resistant starch. (source) (source)

Insulin sensitivity (aka low insulin resistance) is a good thing. If you have high insulin resistance due to chronically elevated blood glucose, you’re at risk of serious conditions like type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and obesity.^[7][8][9]

Improved digestion, less gas, better nutrient absorption

RS may help alleviate irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, constipation, and ulcerative colitis. It help to prevent the development of abnormal bacterial cells in the colon and enhance mineral absorption (especially calcium). Resistant starch is fermented slowly so it causes less gas than other fibers. (source) RS can add bulk and water to the stool, aiding in regular bowel movements.

Improved immunity

Consuming RS influences the production of immune cells and lowers inflammatory compounds in the gut. (source)

How To Achieve Resistant Starch:

Dr. Mandell explains how this works in starchy foods like Rice, Potatoes, Breads, and Pasta.

Best Sources of Resistant Starch

Foods high in resistant starch, like cooked and cooled white potatoes and legumes, aren’t ideal for people with certain dietary restrictions or food sensitivities. If you don’t eat nightshades or feel gastrointestinal side effects like bloating after eating legumes, pay attention to how you feel and adjust accordingly. (source)

Here’s more detail about different foods you can use to create resistant starch recipes:

• Raw potato starch: Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch is a good brand. To retain the resistant starch, don’t cook it—rather, dissolve the granules in cold or lukewarm water or a smoothie.

• Cooked and cooled white rice: The rice can be reheated—doing so won’t destroy the resistant starch.^[13] Try this recipe for cooled low-carb rice mixed with coconut oil.

• Green bananas and raw plantains (including green banana and plantain flours): When choosing bananas, go for the greenest ones, which are just unripe bananas. They might not taste as good, but they’re the highest in resistant starch. Try this recipe for White Chocolate and Raspberry Keto Cake that uses green banana flour.

• We can partially bake bigger batches of things like fries, rice and baked sweet and regular potatoes, freeze them in smaller portions, thaw and re-bake the amount you want for a specific meal.

Can You Freeze the Carbs Out of Bread? Resistant Starch Claim Tested

This guy was a total skeptic of one of Dr. Mandell’s videos on the topic. See what he discovered.

For diabetes, working with a good functional doctor or a nutritionist is key. This ‘Find A Practitioner’ tool is the largest referral network in functional medicine, created to help patients locate functional medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. And this is another great directory.

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