Resistant starch: feed your microbiota without adding calories

Resistant starch is a prebiotic starch that serves as food for the beneficial bacteria of the intestinal microbiota. Are bacteria that live in our gut They help us digest and break down some foods. But its function is not only digestive.

In fact, gut bacteria influence both the immune system and brain functionso our diet is essential if we want to enjoy health at all levels.

These bacteria form what we know as gut microbiota And you have to keep it balanced. For this we can provide good bacteria in the form of probiotics, but also we can, and it is very important, feed those good bacteria.

One way to do this is by consuming, in general, fresh foods rich in fiber, such as tubers, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables (forget about those enriched with fiber if what you want is to provide benefits to the microbiota!). These foods contain prebiotic fibers, that is, they favor the growth of these beneficial bacteria.

Another way is by consuming a very specific type of fiber, and this is where the resistant starch. Resistant starch is different from that fiber that we find in the above foods in its natural state; it is found only in certain foods and usually must be cooked to obtain it.

Resistant starch, a prebiotic with many benefits

When we eat conventional starch of legumes, cereals or tubers, digestive enzymes break the starch chains and release glucose molecules. These are easily absorbed in the intestine and used by the body to generate energy or store it in the form of glycogen.

When a excess glucosethis is transformed into triglycerides and leads to overweight and obesity, among other problems.

However, resistant starch is a type of non-soluble but fermentable fiber It is not absorbed in the small intestine in the form of glucose.

As a consequence, it goes directly to the large intestine, where our intestinal flora resides, and there it becomes food for bacteria that produce butyric acid and propionate. These substances help regulate weight loss, among many other functions.

Among the main advantages of resistant starch are:

Reduces the absorption of carbohydrates: it makes them unavailable to us and, instead, we enhance the prebiotic effect in our intestine.Improves inflammation: this is due to the action of butyric acid or butyrate, which offers protection against colon cancer and improves inflammation. In food we find negligible amounts of this healthy fat compared to the amount our bacteria produce from resistant starch.Helps you lose weight: thanks to the production of propionate, another healthy fat, which colon bacteria produce thanks to the resistant starch we consume. Although there are fewer studies done, they relate it to greater satiety and less fat accumulation.Improves insulin resistance: It is interesting for diabetics, since it improves insulin sensitivity and reduces blood glucose levels after meals.Decreases intestinal permeability: improves the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and the functioning of the immune system.

Type III retrograde starch, the most effective

Not all starches are equally effective. In fact, there are 5 types, but the one that interests us especially, the superfood for the microbiotais retrograde starch (type III).

In some foods like potato or plantain raw we find what is known as type II starch.

When cooked, a gelled starch is formed that is absorbed in the small intestine, but When the starch is allowed to cool, it changes its structure. and is no longer absorbable. It converts to retrograde or type III starch.

How to cook food to get it

To obtain the retrograded starch that resists intestinal absorption, it is not enough to cook the food and let it cool. It is necessary that, once cooked, remain a minimum of 24 hours in the coldest area of ​​the refrigeratorat 4-5˚C.

Then, when it is time to consume the food, it can be heated slightly and eat warm if desired. It does not need to be eaten cold.

The foods richest in resistant starch

The foods richest in resistant starch are, above all, potato and plantainpreviously cooked and refrigerated.

The cassava and other tubers, legumes and some cereals they also contain said starch after cooking and refrigeration.

Easy recipe to start

If you want to start offering resistant starch to your microbiota, you can prepare this easy and delicious warm potato salad. Remember that you have to prepare the potato from one day to the next:

Roast or boil whole potatoes in their skins to ensure they do not brown during cold storage. After 24 hours, peel and chop if large. Heat slightly and combine with carrots, leafy greens and some sautéed mushrooms with a handful of pine nuts .