I asked Dr. Amy Nett, MD, to contribute this guest post. Amy initially completed her medical training in radiology at Stanford University Hospital, but wanted to work more directly with patients, helping them to prevent and reverse chronic disease and truly transform their health. Combined with her passion for nutrition she decided to pursue a career in Functional Medicine. You’ll be hearing more from Amy in the future!
Over the past several years there has been an exponential increase in the number of studies linking imbalances or disturbances of the gut microbiota to a wide range of diseases including obesity, inflammatory bowel diseases, depression and anxiety (1,2,3,4,5). One of the best ways to establish and support a healthy gut microbiome is by providing the right “foods” for your gut bacteria. These “foods” are called prebiotics.
Why you should add resistant starch to your diet. #healthydiet #resistantstarch #gutdisgestion
Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates, or at least indigestible to us, that reach the colon intact and selectively feed many strains of beneficial bacteria. Prebiotics are generally classified into three different types: non-starch polysaccharides (such as inulin and fructooligosaccharide), soluble fiber (including psyllium husk and acacia fibers), and resistant starch (RS). Each of these types of prebiotics feeds different species of gut bacteria, but among these, RS is emerging as uniquely beneficial.
The distinctive benefits of RS seem to be unequivocally recognized, even amongst advocates of a low carbohydrate diet.
What Is Resistant Starch?
Resistant starch is a type of starch that is not digested in the stomach or small intestine, reaching the colon intact. Thus, it “resists” digestion. This explains why we do not see spikes in either blood glucose or insulin after eating RS, and why we do not obtain significant calories from RS.
There are four types of resistant starch:
RS Type 1: Starch is physically inaccessible, bound within the fibrous cell walls of plants. This is found in grains, seeds, and legumes.
RS Type 2: Starch with a high amylose content, which is indigestible in the raw state. This is found in potatoes, green (unripe) bananas, and plantains. Cooking these foods causes changes in the starch making it digestible to us, and removing the resistant starch.
RS Type 3: Also called retrograde RS since this type of RS forms after Type 1 or Type 2 RS is cooked and then cooled. These cooked and cooled foods can be reheated at low temperatures, less than 130 degrees and maintain the benefits of RS (6). Heating at higher temperatures will again convert the starch into a form that is digestible to us rather than “feeding” our gut bacteria. Examples include cooked and cooled parboiled rice, cooked and cooled potatoes, and cooked and cooled properly prepared (soaked or sprouted) legumes.
RS Type 4: This is a synthetic form of RS that I’m including for completeness, but would not recommend. A common example is “hi-maize resistant starch.”
Once RS reaches the large intestine, bacteria attach to and digest, or ferment, the starch. This is when we receive the benefits of RS.
How Resistant Starch Impacts Our Health
The normal human gut has hundreds of bacterial species, some good and some not so good. The overall number and relative quantity of each type has a profound effect on our health and well being. Resistant starch selectively stimulates the good bacteria in our intestines, helping to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria (7).
These good bacteria “feed” on RS and produce short chain fatty acids (through fermentation), the most significant of which are acetate, butyrate, and propionate. Of these three short chain fatty acids (SCFA), butyrate is of particular importance due to its beneficial effects on the colon and overall health, and RS appears to increase butyrate production more when compared with other soluble fibers (8).
Butyrate is the preferred energy source of the cells lining the colon, and it also plays a number of roles in increasing metabolism, decreasing inflammation and improving stress resistance, as described in more detail below and previously in this great article by Stephan Guyenet.
Resistant Starch Helps to Lower Blood Glucose Levels and Improve Insulin Sensitivity
Insulin resistance and chronically elevated blood glucose are associated with a host of chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome. Several studies have shown that RS may improve insulin sensitivity, and decrease blood glucose levels in response to meals (10, 11, 12). In one study, consumption of 15 and 30 grams per day of resistant starch showed improved insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese men, equivalent to the improvement that would be expected with weight loss equal to approximately 10% of body weight (13).
Further, RS has been shown to exert a “second meal effect.” This means that not only does RS beneficially decrease the blood glucose response at the time it’s consumed, but, somewhat surprisingly, blood glucose and insulin levels also rise less than would otherwise be expected with the subsequent meal (14).
Like what you’re reading? Get my free newsletter, recipes, eBooks, product recommendations, and more!
Why the Popular Press Has Touted Resistant Starch as a “Weight Loss Wonder Food”
RS appears to have several beneficial effects that may contribute to weight loss, including decreased blood insulin spikes after meals (as discussed above), decreased appetite, and decreased fat storage in fat cells. There may also be preservation of lean body mass, though further studies in humans are needed to confirm if there is a significant impact in overall body weight (15).
Further, several studies have shown alterations in the gut microbiome in association with obesity, which subsequently change towards that seen in lean individuals with weight loss (16, 17). For example, one study demonstrated that the relative composition of the gut microbiota of two predominate beneficial bacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, varied considerably in association with body composition.
Specifically, obese individuals often have a higher proportion of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, which may be reversed with weight loss, gastric bypass surgery, or treatment with prebiotics (3). However, not all studies confirm a significant or measurable change in the composition of the microbiome in obese compared to lean individuals, and further studies are needed (18, 19).
Butyrate Plays an Important Role in Gut Health and Decreasing Inflammation in the Gut and Other Tissues
As mentioned above, RS intake allows for increased production of butyrate by our gut microbes. Butyrate acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent for the colonic cells, and functions to improve the integrity of our gut by decreasing intestinal permeability and therefore keeping toxins in the gut and out of the bloodstream. (20, 21).
The SCFAs that aren’t utilized by the colonic cells enter the bloodstream, travel to the liver, and spread throughout the body where they exert additional anti-inflammatory effects.
Resistant starch is also associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer, thought to occur through several different mechanisms including: protection from DNA damage, favorable changes in gene expression, and increased apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cancerous or pre-cancerous cells (22, 23).
Adding Resistant Starch to Your Diet
Some common food sources of RS include green (unripe) bananas, plantains, properly prepared cooked and cooled parboiled rice or legumes, and cooked and cooled potatoes. See this link for a more complete list of RS quantities in food.
However, if you are on a low carbohydrate diet or don’t tolerate those foods well, you can add RS to your diet without adding digestible carbohydrates.
Bob’s Red Mill Unmodified Potato Starch (NOT potato flour) is one of the best sources of RS with approximately eight grams of RS in one tablespoon. Potato starch is generally well tolerated even by those who react adversely to nightshades.
Plantain flour and green banana flour are also excellent sources of RS, and there may be benefit to including all three of these sources (specifically alternating your source of RS rather than relying on a single one).
These are relatively bland in flavor and can be added to cold or room temperature water, almond milk, or mixed into smoothies. But to maintain the benefits of RS, these should not be heated above 130 degrees.
Tim Steele (Tatertot) has written about some of the research on RS supplementation, and in particular the potential further benefit of combining potato starch with psyllium husk fiber to even further increase butyrate production in the colon.
Take It Slow
Studies indicate that the benefits of resistant starch may be seen when consuming around 15 to 30 grams daily (equivalent to two to four tablespoons of potato starch). This may be too much for some people to tolerate, particularly in the setting of gut dysbiosis, and going above this amount is not necessarily beneficial.
If you experience marked GI distress with even small amounts of RS, this may be an indication of SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) or microbial dysbiosis, and you may need to consider working with a healthcare practitioner to establish a more balanced gut microbiome through the use of herbal antimicrobials and probiotics before adding RS or other prebiotics.
Better supplementation. Fewer supplements.
Close the nutrient gap to feel and perform your best.
A daily stack of supplements designed to meet your most critical needs.
I tried Bob’s Red Mill potato starch twice, for a couple of weeks each time with a break in between. Both times I was ravenously hungry all day which is not normal for me since going paleo a couple of years ago. I’m not diabetic and did not think to check blood sugar at the time and haven’t used it since because I hate feeling so hungry! My diet did not change so I can’t attribute the increased hunger to anything but the potato starch. I started with 1/4t and worked up to nearly 1t before I quit it altogether. Read the comments about anxiety and RS and although I didn’t feel anxious, I wonder if you’ve heard of this hunger reaction with potato starch?
I had a subjective feeling of low blood sugar when I initially used potato starch, but that problem seems to have resolved now. I’m not sure why it was happening, perhaps adrenal issues.
This is a new one to me. The brain-gut connection is a real thing, so I don’t doubt your observation. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Great topic, terrific info – thanks all, Amy, Chris, and TIm. I’ve been looking for a detailed resource on RS for myself and my patients. This fits the bill! I’m thinking, Chris, that Amy, Tim and yourself talking in detail about RS would be a great podcast – though it would probably need to be an hour long show to do the topic justice. Thanks again!
I’d like to share that I’ve been eating about 4 tablespoons of PS daily. I’m not sure how much it’s helped me. The old constipation is better, but it’s still not a daily thing. I have a few SBO probiotics daily too, and am eating sweet potato and kombucha squash daily. I still don’t remember my dreams. I hesitate to say this – because I’m not sure if I’m imagining it, or it’s due to age or whatever – but I do seem calmer within, less apt to flip out. But, I don’t know if that’s due to improvement in my gut bacteria population. I’d like to think so. It would be so incredibly empowering and hopeful. So, that’s my update.
Debbie
I love the Japanese winter squashes, do you know if they contain resistant after cooling like potatoes?
If your dream recall is still AWOL you may be low in B6.
Tim this question was addressed to Chris but you are the one answering. Do you have any coments? or maybe Amy?
Hi Chris. I’ve been following the topic of resistant starch for a while now and experimenting with it. I have read all your posts about it and other people’s as well. I have Hashimoto’s and I’m currently doing the autoinmune protocol. Most of my symptoms are gone except constipation. I can not do potatoes during the AIP. So I read that casava also have a hig amount of RS and added to my diet in the form of tapioca starch. To my surprise it relieved my constipation almost right away with only 1 Tsp. Then in one of your potcasts you said that casava has very high amounts of goitogens and coking will decrease them. But cooking will damage the resistante starch. So I’m a little lost here. Can you please coment on this? Thanks a lot.
I see mixed results on whether cassava is a goitrogen, see: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4034537
But it could be, see: http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038/2101137a0
But generally when a starch is extracted, nearly all of the toxic compounds are removed along with the plant proteins. I can’t say 100% positively that tapioca (cassava starch) is non-goitrogenic, so you’ll have to weigh the danger in your own mind. To me, it’s not worth worrying about. Use it if it helps your constipation.
Until someone markets a tapioca starch that has been fully tested for anti-nutrients and RS content, it’s all faith-based, but tapioca starch in the studies has very high RS.
Thanks a lot Tim. I appreciate you taking the time to answer so many questions.
I’d agree with Tim on this. In most cases, the extracted starch is low in residual toxins because the toxins are in the plant proteins. Eating whole cassava/manioc/yuca raw prior to boiling it is probably not a great idea, but eating the starch—especially in the amounts you’re talking about—is almost certainly benign.
Thank you so much Chris! This helps a lot. taking my health in my own hands is a big wild experiment. thanks for being such a great guide!
This is just a bit off topic but I would love to hear any advice. My situation is this:
– 44 year old, 5’11 and 225 pound male. Very active with tennis 4-6 times a week.
– severe acid refulx and have been taking prilosec once daily for ten years.
– numbness in feet and more recently hands. I’ve had blood tests for B12 and levels were 1200 plus. Can’t figure out the numbness, had MRI, am not diabetic, all blood work is normal.
– I know that the Prilosec is a bad thing to take long term but I am having an extremely hard time doing without it. Tried apple cider vinegar, Zantac and Paleo with major reflux pain after a couple days.
Very frustrated. Any thoughts?
I had very similar symptoms.
The GERD went away on a very strict Cordain-style Paleo diet (no salt, no dairy, very lean meats), but, came back severely. This is a very complicated issue, and there is a lot of individual variability, IMO. So, no good general advice. I believe I may have gone too low carb, which was stressful, and might have starved bacteria to a fault. Stress was certainly a factor (brain/gut axis). Also, vlc maybe furthered hypothyroidism, which weakened gut motility, causing mild SIBO. My most noticeable improvement came from supplementing with betaine HCl. Now, I follow a fattier Paleo diet, with plenty of salt, both broth, organ meats, and a variety of vegetables, slowly making progress. I still have some GERD and LPR, but, my main digestive symptom is now mild IBS. I’d like to get a Biohealth 401H to see where I’m at with regard to gut pathogens and dysbiosis. My Doctor’s Data Comprehensive Stool Analysis came back fairly clean, just a little dysbiosis.
I have had better results with the numbness. Blood work might not be sufficient to detect issues with blood sugar metabolism. My Dr. looked at my (very low) fasting blood glucose, and didn’t pursue that angle (but, who knows if he was even *listening* regarding the numbness). I recently had an HbA1c, and it was on the high end of the range. I’m going to start testing postprandial blood glucose after lunch for a week or two. Over all, my numbness has steadily improved after nearly two years of Paleo. I’m inclined to attribute it to the blood glucose stability that comes from avoiding sugar and grain, and eating more fat.
PPIs stopped working for me, so, it wasn’t hard to give them up. Common advice is to wean off, and maybe transition to an H2 receptor antagonist to smooth out the PPI rebound effect.
The incidental side effect of eating Paleo was the loss of about 40 lbs. I never imagined weighing so little, but, it seems like a healthy weight.
I’m planning to work with functional medicine practitioner, probably somebody trained by Reed Davis, but, I wish there were more Kalish practitioners.
My hubby had tingling toes at times plus sporadic awful calf cramps for years. He also had GERD. He never had diabetic symptoms but had multiple food sensitivities.
First he stopped drinking any carbonated sodas, which greatly reduced gut inflammation and almost eliminated the toe tingling and food sensitivities. He does not lay down for at least an hour after eating (helps the GERD.) He stopped eating wheat in any form which helped both the GERD and oddly, the leg cramps. If he accidentally eats wheat, his legs start to cramp up a hour or so later. He also used to get unwarranted anxiety attacks which have stopped after quitting wheat.
You may not drink sodas or eat wheat, but you may be eating or NOT eating something (e.g. prebiotics and probiotics) that is causing your guy to be inflammed, which leads to a wide, confusing variety of health problems. Good luck!
Hi Ricki H. I had those symptoms, it was like the operating system running my body was awry. Gerd, neuropathy, cold hands, declining immune system, and later, unexplained weight gain, lots of different diagnoses…. No answers.
Turned out, I had a pituitary tumor. (Non-cancerous but still dangerous tumor that can scramble your whole body.). Maybe you should get screened for that. It involves an MRI without and with contrast dye. Doctors are not yet very well trained in diagnosing this. Average diagnosis time: TEN years, from onset of symptoms.
ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE HAVE A PITUITARY TUMOR. For real. Check it out at Pituitary.org. Since surgery, my gut has been gradually healing. If that ends up being your situation, ping me at [email protected] and I can give you some tips on trwatment.
Dr. Amy Nett wrote: “we do not obtain significant calories from RS.”
Tater, maybe you can answer this–don’t we eventually get some calories from the RS after the bacteria ferment it and SCFAs are used, which are then used for energy by colon cells, mitochondria and brain cells, IIRC? I think you had some calculations on this?
Wow, it’s getting hard to find these buried comments!
Here is info on RS calories:
When counting either total calories or carbohydrate calories, resistant starch is treated a bit differently. RS is not absorbed in the small intestine, therefore providing no direct caloric energy to fuel your body. Like other fiber, during fermentation in the colon, a little heat is produced. RS is, additionally, translated into a form of energy the body can use called short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are either absorbed into the bloodstream for use elsewhere (brain, liver, muscles) or used by cells that line the colon as energy to fuel their activities.
Every 1 gram of RS is thought to provide approximately 1.5 calories (kcal) to the human body in terms of energy. Therefore, a daily intake of 40g RS would account for only 60 calories and should be counted as “fat” calories, not “carbs.” Like other omnivorous animals, humans are hindgut fermentors, and we derive about 10% of our total energy requirements from the alchemy of our co-habitants.
– Behall, Kay M, and Juliette C Howe. “Resistant starch as energy.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition 15.3 (1996): 248-254.
– Roberfroid, M. “The biochemistry of oligofructose, a nondigestible fiber: an …” 1993. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8332285
Hello. I was doing a very clean Autoimmune/ketogenic diet (40/50g carb from veggies daily)for many years…and after a stressful job change my body cannot do it anymore…I guess. My thyroid and rnyitr digestive process slowed down and in have gained over 15 lbs in a year..(normally I am 108). Recent stool tests show low to no lactob. Butyr.And a high pH. All fibers seems to kill me too…..would RS help bring me back to balance??? In am so tired of feeling so heavy 24-7 esp all iny legs. My diet shifted to a more perfect health diet(80+ carb grams from veggies and sweet pot) which has helped moods but caused more weight gain.
Jen, I don’t mean to scare you too badly, but I am concerned by your report. I’ve been seeing more and more reports similar to yours in which people were doing VLC and/or an AIP for years who developed immune dysfunction, thyroid disorders and many other problems. Isn’t an AIP only supposed to be done temporarily? I’m no physician, but if it were me and I didn’t start seeing improvements soon, I would get my gut microbiome checked and also an immune function test. An MD who used the handle “Spanish Caravan” wrote several Free the Animal blog comments on the topic and one of them was featured as an article (warning: the blog has crude language and insults, though the resistant starch articles and comments tend to have less of that). He reported that he developed Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) on a chronic VLC diet. He also switched to PHD and then added RS and said he improved, though it didn’t sound like he was completely out of the water yet. Spanish Caravan predicted that we’ll be seeing more and more people like you reporting ill effects as the early adopters of VLC diets start getting hit with them and to some extent that seems to be coming to pass. I was a longtime VLCer myself who started developing subtly worsening chronic problems like low and erratic body temperatures and reduced insulin sensitivity. Even LC advocates like Mark Sisson warn to not go below 50g of carbs/day for more than temporary periods and even Dr. Ron Rosedale recommends a diet that contains 20% of calories as carbs! (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/14/insulin-part-one.aspx) I’m glad to see you’re trying the PHD, though I think even that diet probably discourages legume consumption more than needed. Best wishes.
Hi paleophil. I am working on upping the carbs but have such GI issues even with Fodmaps. To be truthful the weight is my huge issue as it is constantly increasing despite eating clean,using bone broth, exercising…… My test results just came back from Genova and I am low on the good bacteria and have a high pH which shocked me…..I am wondering if I drop fats and add more carbs..like 25+g would that help? I weigh and measure my food so I am super willing to try. Truth be told sleep is also something I need a bit more of…and I am taking theanine and seriphos to help…my functional ndr suggested.
Thank you
Jen – But there’s hope! I had the most messed up guts in the world in 2003. I was ‘force-fed’ ciprofloxacin by Uncle Sam for 5 months. Within a year I was fullblown met-syn with almost unheard of TSH level, fatty liver, and all the other fun stuff that goes with that. In 2010-11, I lost nearly 100lbs eating LC Paleo, then in 2013 started PHD due to some unwanted side-effects of LC as you’ve noticed. I have had 3 gut tests (for fun) in the last 18 months and there is no sign of pathogens, yeasts, or imbalances. I also have low lacto, but think that’s not a worry. My pH was at low end of Genova’s range and Butyrate was at high end. At that time I was on medium carb/high fiber diet, probably 100g carbs/50+g fiber.
I think if you pay attention to lifestyle factors (sleep, exercise, stress, etc..), eat lots of fermented food, high RS food, and take a prebiotic supplement or two like potato starch, inulin, Larch AG, and/or psyllium, your gut will strive to maintain balance. Taking prebiotics helps set the stage.
I think lack of lacto is OK because lacto often lives in small intestine and in biofilms and doesn’t show up in stool tests. Don’t sweat what you can’t control.
The pH is a function of gut bugs and probably one of the best indicators of gut health. I wish there was an easy home-test.
Gaining weight can be from many things: hormones, thyroid, inflammation, eating too much/moving too little (just kidding on last two). Keep on top of labs and get thyroid and hormones right, eat antiinflammatory/gut friendly diet and see what happens.
Good luck.
Thanks Tim…
I was thinking of starting on bobs red mill potato starch.. Slowly. What other high fiber veggies would you suggest? I eat summer squashes, carrots, green beans and lettuce often (34oz day). I do not do fruit..bs issues. Inipped my protein lately to from 8 to 12 oz daily and dropped from 10 tbsp fats a day to six. I have been prescribed cytomel for t3 issues but I rather not use at all anything synthetic… My dhea and testosterone was extremely low as well.
Thanks!!
Those are good veggies you eat. I don’t do much fruit, either. Greenish bananas are great…eat them as soon as you can peel them. At this stage they have 1/4 the carbs listed on the label.
Nuts, esp almonds and psitachios are great fiber food. Dark chocolate, even better–cocoa nibs or cocoa beans–are exceptional fiber food. Berries of all sorts.
Try 1tsp – 1TBS of potato starch a day, too. Mix in some yogurt or kefir if you do dairy, water if not. I sometimes just make a smoothie, gr. banana, blueberries, potato starch, inulin, etc…
OK, now, I know this is highly inappropriate as I don’t know you or your history, but if you are eating 6TBS of fats per day as added oils, I think that is counterproductive. It sounds like you are trying to target an ideal macro ratio by using isolated oils.
If you eat meat, nuts, avocado, fish, dairy, etc… (ie. real foods), you don’t need to boost the fat coloumn in your food diary with added oil. Just enjoy the natural fats and let the macro ratio work itself out.
I do think it’s important to shoot for a protein of 50-75g depending on your size/workout levels. This can be easily accomplished by eating meat as you described.
Just use enough oil/butter for cooking and salad dressing but don’t go out of your way to ensure a minimum daily intake.
Some days I have 0 added fats, some days lots. I never intentionally add oil just for the sake of getting more fat.
Find a good doc and get those thyroid/hormone levels right! Follow their directions, don’t play around with it. Get lots of labs and frequently.
tim,
I DO!! I feel so happy to get feedback. I have been praying for months for some guidance:)
My one question is, is it good to add in RS if one had not done a herbal antibiotic route first to eliminate some of the buggers?
My nutritionist said to just add in sweet potatoes and PS etc first.
My fat is all in good areas if there such a thing….thighs and butt–thank you slow thyroid:). I am 19% body fat at 125 lbs and 101 lean mass at 5’3″. I normally am at 110 and have been forever, this past year my weight flew up.
Thank you!
I think your nutritionist is giving good advice. Don’t get too wrapped up in trying to sort out everything at once. It’s really hard to give you perfect advice, so all I can say is just make changes slowly and let your body adapt, don’t do anything too extreme. Exercise, sleep, and be as stress free as you can.
You’ll get there!
Thanks again Tim..and everyone. I am meditating on all the advice….and know that the solution is there…just will take time. I am enjoying eating more variety and waiting on the weight loss for now.
Thanks Tim… You’re so helpful.
Unfortunately I have a severe nut/seed allergy (carry an epipen) and dairy avocado etc done agree w me at all…hence my doing the autoimmune protocol to heal.
I’m a 43 yo female… 5’3″ athletic build…but this extra 15+ lbs is slowing me down. In am running labs before I start taking hormones as I rather see if I can boost my metabolism and digestion. I don’t want to be depent on them for life. I exercise daily and mediate twice a day too. I am willing to try green banana or plantains as long as my bsugar does not go haywire. I get horrifically bloated w sweet pot and parsnips…but i do love them 🙂 I added the fats BC I dont get much from my meats and its my only source of fats sometimes. Last year in was dropping lbs so fast I ate tons of fat to feel satisfied as my carbs were so low and my activity was so high. Now I feel I crashed nine months ago and have not had much progress to recover.
Tim – I’m intrigued by the comment about lacto living in biofilm and thus not showing up on stool tests. I have not been able to improve lacto levels on stool tests for 3 years now so this is very interesting. Other bacteria levels have improved but not lacto. Can you point me to any specific papers/resources to read more? thanks 🙂
Jen,
I can only share Paleophil’s concerns. Many people claim eating super clean paleo which by closer look is rather a very restrictive VLC diet. And many people have been mislead by believing that long term ketogenic or VLC diet is beneficial to health.
It is not, especially not for women.
Apart from protein and some fats, you need a lot of polysaccharides from different natural food sources to support your healthy gut flora, otherwise you are starving them. Hungry gut bugs are no fun. First, the beneficial species die out first or are are outnumbered by aggressive pathogens (bacteria, yeasts) that become very virulent and care for their own survival first. They can manipulate your immune system into a state beneficial to themselves mainly, and redirect the incoming calories into the fat tissue in order to keep their host alive. Meanwhile, they are eating you because they need to get their carbs from somewhere. I am sorry that this sounds so scary, but that’s how it is.
It took you some time to get to this state and it will take some time to reverse it. Read the 7 steps protocol at Animal Pharm too, it is full of good instructions too.
In addition to the advice already given by others, what about cleansing with medicinal clay, raw garlic or some herbals, to calm down or drive out the pathogenic species? Start slow.
Do not be afraid to include some probiotic and eating various natural carb sources, to help establishing and maintaining the beneficial gut flora. Eat potatoes, beans (chickpeas is a wonderful food for a start) regularly, have some mushrooms often. Do not be afraid of carbs at all.
Healthier microflora will help you in stabilising blood sugar too. Isn’t the aim to enjoy your food, not to weigh and calculate it before eating?
Why are you afraid of fruits? What about a smallest organic apple you can find, including seeds, a day? Why not?
Or what about a spoonful of honey before bed? Makes wonders for your sleep, and is healthy in many other ways, many probably not quite scientifically explored yet.
I hope Dr. Nett or Chris Kresser can give some more advice, and it is good to know you are working with a doctor that can help monitoring all your issues.
Gemma.
Thank you. I stay away from fruit because it bloats me immediately. In started taking vsl#3 but found it triggered my bladder issues. I am guessing I have bacteria overgrown in that area. You are right as inate vcl and kept it up because in was super thin…which my ego loved. However this year I have suffered severe respiratory, bladder, and multiple ear infections with a side kicker of rosacea!! It has been horrible and I am guessing it is all from poor bacteria. Sugar is very triggering for me from fruits and honey etc. I am starting to eat more cooled sweet potatoes daily…. I have been taking oil of oregano and grafefruitseed extract and kombucha for seven months with no help. I am thinking I need to kill out the poor bacteria and then take the soil based ones afterwards. I am also eating more protein at each meal to balance bs better…I was not eating it at each meal and doing so now is helping. I am hoping the weight will start going down soon as it is hard to not fit in one item of clothing.. Especially my suits for work..: (.
Jen,
do take the tests so that you know better what you are fighting.
I suspect bad bacteria and yeast overgrowth, in many places of your body. They work together – the partners in crime.
Take the SBO now (start slow), what are you waiting for?
Jen said: “I am willing to try green banana or plantains as long as my bsugar does not go haywire. I get horrifically bloated w sweet pot and parsnips…I stay away from fruit because it bloats me immediately.”
Jen,
“Bloat” is a normal side effect of re-introducing carbs. It’s just a temporary situation that goes away after a little time.
For instance, take a look at the documented short term side effects of switching from VLC to the Perfect Health Diet (i.e. 150g of starchy carbs per day).
Short-Term Effects of Adding Carbs to Very Low-Carb Diets
Additionally, you’d probably do best to throw away the BG meter for two months, until your body can adapt to carbs again. It’s been well known since at least the 1920s that VLC diets will induce a kind of “false diabetes” that is cured over time with the re-introduction of carbs. For instance, Stefansson and Anderson were documented by Tolstoi to have given themselves this false diabetes after the conclusion of the Bellevue Experiment. Both men were “cured” after a few weeks with the reintroduction of carbs.
See: The Effect Of An Exclusive Meat Diet Lasting One Year On The Carbohydrate Tolerance Of Two Normal Men, by Edward Tolstoi (J. Biol. Chem. 1929, 83:747-752)
Magic? Not at all.
VLC fucks with your brain and your body. Throw away the BG meter for a few weeks. Stop weighing yourself for a few weeks, and understand that these are short term effects that need not be over-scrutinized on a daily basis.
In time, your body will adjust. Proper bacteria will begin to grow. Your gut pH will adjust. Pathogens that thrive at higher gut pHs will die, inactivate or get crowded out, and you will become normal over time.
Good luck to you.
Thank you Duck.
I don’t use a bs meter, I just go by feelings and focus.
I am not afraid of carbs per say..but like fats better. I assume if I add carbs I will need to drop my fats. I started pot starch today as well as ox bile extract for my pancreas gallbladder issues and iberogast for motility issues. The good news is I am gaining some muscle…. And doing resistance training six days a week…but for 10-15 min…along with yoga and walking.
Gemma. I will order the soil based organism soon….I have some inulin here too not sure how good that will be from chicory root.
Jen, Sorry to hear about the poor test results. I’m not big fan of focusing on weight loss more than microbiome health or general health (though morbid obesity is a clear health issue). Like Tim hinted at, I think fixing your microbiome, thyroid, and metabolism is probably more important, and then maybe weight loss will follow. If you’re eating a lot of fat and calories but having low energy, that suggests to me that your mitochondria are not getting fed well and your thyroid issue of course is a factor. It’s like you’re feeding the shell of your body, but not your gut bacteria and your mitochondria (which are descended from ancient bacteria). I’m not an expert and I don’t know you, though, and I could be wrong, so I would also check with your doc and monitor things with testing like Tim also said.
I don’t know what the best carb intake is, but it increasingly looks like <50g/day is much too low for the long term.
I found that trying to just up my carb intake very gradually didn't work well for me (though that has worked for others), whereas increasing my RS intake did the trick for me, gradually improving my insulin sensitivity and carb tolerance.
I'm no longer shocked when I see poor gut microbiome test results from chronic VLCers. I wish I had known about the risk years ago.
What is your oral or armpit temperature upon rising and mid-day and your resting pulse and do you have dream recall most mornings? These seem to be some pretty simple, albeit limited, home indicators of microbiome, thyroid and metabolic health. I found a glucometer to also be a helpful tool and they're not very expensive. I find that feelings can be misleading. I've seen way too many people say they "feel great" on VLC, only to experience problems down the road, including me. A glucometer can also help put your mind at ease. You might find that your BG doesn't spike as much as you thought. If it does, then it can help you find which foods you currently handle best, and try to improve your insulin sensitivity and carb tolerance over time. It was actually by measuring my BG that I found that potato starch was helping me dramatically within days, which was quite an incentive for me to stick with it, despite the early annoyance of mild flatulence.
Were you told what the safe maximum time to do your autoimmune protocol is? If not, I'd ask about that and if you don't get a clear answer, I would be concerned. I think the goal of autoimmune protocols should be to quickly figure out what your problem foods are and then find a way to gradually improve your tolerance to the healthy ones, rather than stay on an AIP indefinitely. I think this is the standard approach of allergists, and I understand why now that I know more about the microbiome. I am seeing long-term AIPers reporting on the Internet that they are developing some serious problems, like thyroid problems, leptin resistance, thymus atrophy, GI problems, and more. Robb Wolf is an AIP proponent who said he improved from upping RS intake.
It's also early in this period of people adding back RS to their diets, so also be on the lookout for problems from that. Who knows what we may still be getting wrong.
Hi paleophil
In was not told a time frame for ai diet…I was doing it would knowing what it really was due to increasing good sensitivities.
Do you count net carbs or total carb?
Unfortunately my functional Dr is moving across country and is not leaving a replacement: ( so I feel a bit alone at the moment. I am dropping my fat intake in half and adding in about 10 oz more cooked starchier veggies w PS to see how I feel. Sleep and stress reduction are also key along with yoga and movement for me. Its a patience thing too….as I want to lose some of this weight but also start to enjoy food again and not worry so much about reactions from it….I am sensitive to even a pepper flake or salt shake now….
Jen, this is also more concerning evidence suggesting immune dysfunction:
> I have suffered severe respiratory, bladder, and multiple ear infections with a side kicker of rosacea!!
Also watch out for triglycerides chronically below 50, which is turning out to be another bad sign that no one knew about until recently. It used to be thought that as low as 30 was safe. It may be a sign of a depressed immune system.
Another potential VLC side effect to watch out for is low white blood cell count. http://freetheanimal.com/2014/01/carbing-this-beast.html
I imagine your physician is probably already rather puzzled by your multiple immune-related problems. I would tell your next physician about these issues and that you went on a VLC diet and it may have messed with your immune system and you want to get your gut (and if possible, skin) microbiome checked and also get some immune tests done (such as IgG, IgM, and IgA antibody levels). See here:
http://freetheanimal.com/2014/02/dispelling-paleomyths-during.html#comment-558959
http://freetheanimal.com/2013/12/photographic-evidence-carb.html#comment-551514
http://freetheanimal.com/2014/01/carbing-this-beast.html#comment-578353
Or do it yourself via Chris kresser or Dr. BG.
> [I] was not told a time frame for ai diet…
If they don’t have a time frame, then I would look elsewhere for information, such as here. AIPs are not long-term ways of eating. They were originally designed as short-term protocols.
> Do you count net carbs or total carb?
I don’t normally count carbs. I focus more on trying to eat a diverse, healthy diet that covers all the bases, and check symptoms, health metrics, and how well I function and feel (while not over-relying on the latter).
> I want to lose some of this weight but also start to enjoy food again and not worry so much about reactions from it….I am sensitive to even a pepper flake or salt shake now….
Isn’t reducing the worry about reactions to something as minute as a pepper flake and building up resiliency to them, such as with a more diverse microbiome, more important than weight loss right now?
Paleophil—
that is so weird! the last time I had my trigycl. checked they were 19! and my total cholesterol was up 133 points!!
I am looking to find another functional dr. as mine is moving across country. I just started this journey with functional drs. as regular MDs in ym experience are not helpful. I liked having afunctional dr as it is covered by insurance–as I already have spent over $8000 on naturpaths, acupuncturist, herbs etc etc.
I am working on balancing the other pieces through diet and taking powdered inulin/chic root and PS. I am hoping to have some positive results soon. I am hoping you have some successes too!
I am open to healing my bacteria issues through fruits and veggies but not grains..just personal choice,.
A key piece is also sleep and stress and balancing a high profile job with motherhood of two little ones. I will say since my weight is up, my skin and energy have improved. I am taking 10 mg DHEA which is helping too as my DHEA was very very low as well as my sex hormones…
Jen wrote: “that is so weird! the last time I had my trigycl. checked they were 19! and my total cholesterol was up 133 points!!”
That is also VERY concerning, Jen! Below 30 triglycerides is horrible and high and rising total cholesterol accompanying it can also be a bad sign (such as of the body trying to fight a bacterial infection). Please try to find all Spanish Caravan’s comments at the Free the Animal blog. Your numbers and microbiome results indicate a classic case of very depressed immune function and poor gut microbiome from eating too LC for too long. You are at risk for serious diseases like Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and virulent microbial infections.
Paleophil,
that is very disarming to hear….I wish I new at the time that VLC (25-40 net carbs a day) would be so dangerous!! I hope others do not have to go through the stuff I have….The whole point for most of us is to do Paleo to get healthy and in shape….this worked for a bit for me and then backfired. Lesson learned!
This is coming at such a good time! I have been VLC Paleo (but adding lots of raw milk) for almost a year, thought I was doing everything right, when suddenly got a rash by my eyes that wouldn’t go away. Doctors couldn’t help/no idea what it was. FINALLY, after my own research, I took diflucan and used a yeast cream on it, and what do you know? it was apparantly a yeast rash. So after all my hard work apparantly the systemic candida came back. Well, at least now I have a better idea why. I am a true believer in paleo, but I think I interpreted it wrong. Working now on making my diet 80% veggies/fruits rather than a 99% grass-fed protein and fat fest 🙂 Thank you for talking about this (VLC Paleo) Info I definitely needed to hear.
“I am not afraid of carbs per say..but like fats better”
Unfortunately, you will need to curtail your fat intake from the high levels you were probably used to, if you want to avoid weight gain. Makes sense when you think about it.
For instance, the Perfect Health Diet explains this in Chapter 43 for those who are trying to lose weight (adjusted for a 2000 calorie diet):
“Carbs and protein are nutrients and they are not stored in the body, so eating less of them will lead to malnourishment. Fats are stored in the body— it’s all that stored fat that you’re trying to get rid of!— so you don’t need to eat much fat. If your diet is fat-deficient, any needed fats will be pulled from adipose tissue. As long as you continue eating some seafood for omega-3 fats and liver and egg yolks for fat-soluble vitamins and choline, you can reduce fat quite a bit with no risk of malnourishment. Therefore, the weight loss version of PHD is very similar to the regular version, only tweaked slightly to reduce fat:
• Instead of using 2 to 4 tablespoons of fat or oil in cooking and sauces, use at most 1 tablespoon per day. Instead of a large dollop of butter or sour cream on a baked potato, flavor it with a small pat of butter plus vinegar and salt.
• Replace fatty meats with somewhat leaner meats. When you have ribeye steak, instead of eating attached fat, trim excess fat.
You’re still eating the same PHD foods, and they should still taste delicious. Quantities shouldn’t be much different than a normal diet, since you still need the same amount of carbs and protein. A diet with 500 calories from carbs, 300 calories from protein, and 500 calories from fats (primarily via egg yolks , liver, seafood, beef or lamb, and coconut milk) is the minimum caloric intake consistent with proper nourishment.”
Source: Jaminet, Paul; Jaminet, Shou-Ching (2012-12-11). Perfect Health Diet: Regain Health and Lose Weight by Eating the Way You Were Meant to Eat (pp. 393-394). Scribner. Kindle Edition.
Jen,
You will likely find this interesting and helpful…
Robb Wolf: Females, Carbohydrates, And Hormones
Thanks Duck. It is a great article. I read it recently.
To your previous comment….I am unable to eat liver or eggs get severely bad headaches. The only fat besides what in add is from my meat…as ineat mostly poultry and fish..which isn’t that fatty to begin with. I have recently dropped my daily fat in half and added in a sweet potato, PS.. 1/2 tsp to start and am taking some digestive enzymes and kombucha. The good news is I am a bit less bloated but …..a bit hungrier and more constipated and dizzy for some reason.
Thank you kindly for your assistance.
Jen,
inulin supplement from chicory is fine, that is how it is produced mostly.
And what about some fresh chicory, a lot of onions, leech, garlic, sunflower seeds etc?
Gemma,
those are good suggestions! I am allergic to nuts and when I eat seeds I get very weak for some reason. How would you prepare the leeks ? or onions? I usually never eat them. I am thinking of trying kimchee–slowly
Jen,
you can eat the sunflower seeds just like this, peeled or unpeeled. Chew on the unpeeled ones and spit out the rest when it does not taste good any more.
The onions, leech, garlic etc: either raw in a salad, or boiled, baked, roasted, stuffed with something, whatever… 🙂
Garlic: eat it raw, crushed with salt, let wait 15 minutes, then eat. Eat a clove daily, for a start. It is a very strong antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal plant.
Make ginger tea from time to time, too.
And perhaps, oil pulling with sesame oil. Easy to google how to. I think you might benefit a lot.
Good luck.
Jen – do you feel what is happening here? Everyone has stopped trying to win the marathon and they are rallying around you to get you over the finish line! This is why I do what I do.
Everyone is giving you great advice, I hope you can make sense of it. When I was very broken, my trigs were over 2000. Taking two horse-sized Gemfibrozil pills a day got them down to 250. One month of VLC and no pills got my trigs down to under 30. I was so proud of my low trigs! But it didn’t last, I soon had a whole new set of problems.
Now that I eat 100-150g or so of carbs and lots of fiber, my trigs stay right at 120. Low, low trigs is probably a sign of improper diet.
Also, take Gemma’s advice and broaden your palate. Go out of your way to eat real, fibery foods. Eat a potato every day. Learn to use fresh herbs. Start putting raw garlic and turmeric on everything.
Sometimes people just get fat. For women ‘of a certain age’ losing a big booty is as hard as me growing 3″ taller. Just make sure your fat is under the skin and not around your liver and kidneys. (How was that, Lauren?).
Focus on health and develop a body designed by nature, don’t force it to look like you think you should look.
Thanks!
Would potato chips qualify?
Hi all, I have a few questions. First off, in the article with sources of RS, raw oats is a good source and I wondered if then the recipes I find online for overnight oats would be good, where the oats are soaked in coconut milk and not cooked.
Additionally, is there an RS amount difference in regular potatoes and sweet potatoes?
And, besides potatoes, what other foods are high in RS? Green bananas and plantains, I get that, anything else I should add to my list? With respect to beans, how am I doing those. Is it best to get canned or dry and then soak overnight? Cooking? We really need a few good recipes. I definitely recommend overnight oats. I add chia and flax to mine and whatever to add flavor.
I’m no expert on oats, grains, and seeds. I think what you propose sounds right.
Sweet potato starch is fairly high in RS, but a sweet potato has very little starch. A white potato has 16-20% starch content a sweet potato has 10-12%. Sweet potato also has more sugar, as name implies. If you can find noodles made of sweet potato starch, sold as ‘Dangmyeon’ they are a very good source of RS3, nearly 40% I believe. I’ve never had them, keep meaning to look for them.
Could someone elaborate on what is meant by “properly prepared cooked and cooled parboiled rice or legumes”. Does this mean Uncle Ben’s is the preferred rice? Do legumes also need to be cooled?
Thank you
To me, properly preparing beans means soaking 12-36 hours to allow fermentation by lactobacillus bacteria, then rinsing and cooking until tender, boiling at a rolling boil at least 10 minutes during the cooking.
For rice, just cook however you like and store in frideg or freezer until ready to reheat and eat. Long-grain, colored (red, black, brown), or parboiled are the highest in RS. Short-grain and ‘sticky’ rices are lowest.
I used this for chick peas. I freeze them all, hoping to get more RS3. But, I still view them primarily as a carb source:
http://tinypeasant.com/2014/01/how-to-soak-cook-and-freeze-dried-chick-peas/
I also eat a limited amount of lentils, but, I am much more limited in my consumption of other legumes.
Okay, just ate a raw potato. I always loved them as a kid (now 64). I had chronic heartburn and sinus infection and was having intestinal pain when before I quit grains and milk last January. If I eat too many carbs (sugars) the sinus problem starts to come back and if I eat bread the heartburn starts to appear. The gut pain went away immediately. So this is my test with the raw potatoes to see if anything bad happens and I will lay off completely any grains and sugary fruits. So far only one big burp!
I’m confused… so cold potato salad or baked and cooled plantain chips would be RS…. What about properly fermented (WAPF style) bread? Rye or Spelt, or even wheat? Or what about Oatmeal soaked overnight with whey?
No idea. Just not enough studies on it. I think WAPF style foods are all good for their own reasons, RS or not. Fermenting grains changes them in good ways, what that does to RS I have no idea.
Hi Chris. I’ve been following the topic of resistant starch for a while now and experimenting with it. I have read all your posts about it and other people’s as well. I have Hashimoto’s and I’m currently doing the autoinmune protocol. Most of my symptoms are gone except constipation. I can not do potatoes during the AIP. So I read that casava also have a hig amount of RS and added to my diet in the form of tapioca starch. To my surprise it relieved my constipation almost right away with only 1 Tsp. Then in one of your potcasts you said that casava has very high amounts of goitogens and coking will decrease them. But cooking will damage the resistante starch. So I’m a little lost here. Can you please coment on this? Thanks a lot.
I thought it was Chris who wrote this article, but Tim or Amy can also answer my question.
What about potato chips?
Blah.
I used to eat a can of Pringles every night, all it got me was a fatty liver and 100 extra pounds.
Excluding the Pringles, was your diet and lifestyle, exercise, exposure to toxins etc exactly the same as it is now? That there were no confounding Factors? The only difference was the Pringles?
When taking in RS in the form of potato starch is there an optimal time to ingest it? Beginning of the day, end of the day, with meals, empty stomach, with probiotic foods/supplements, etc? Is just once a day suffice? Thanks!
Makes no difference. Whatever is easiest for you.
Any thoughts on RS for those of us on an auto-immune protocol, with no nightshades?
I enjoy green plantains, but sure do cook them! If they’re cooked, say into crackers, but then eaten at room temperture, does that bring back the resistant starch?
Cooking changes the RS structure. In any food that contains RS, there will always be more in its raw state than cooked and cooled…lots more. A big plantain can have 30-50g of RS raw, when cooked and cooled it drops down to 5g or so.
Thank you for the article. I have been adding potato starch to my diet for several months. My doctor recently recommended that I try taking digestive enzyme supplements to help with gas/bloating that I have experienced for several years. Would such supplements weaken/negate the benefits of added RS in my diet?
Probably none. Lots of people have been using different enzymes along with prebiotics.
Most of the Bean-o type stuff is just masking a poor gut flora that can be corrected with eating RS rich foods, though.
Why the bias against “Hi-Maize”? Is it just because it’s made from corn (and therefore not “paleo” – which I could give a crap about frankly)? Or because it’s processed and possibly has weird stuff in it (more important to me). One advantage of hi-maize seems to be, unless I’m mistaken, that it actually maintains its resistant starch when cooked unlike potato starch which seems like a huge benefit. I’ve only tried cooking it once (in pancakes – resulting taste = awesome), but mostly take it raw and I’ve tried both hi maize and potato starch and as long as I take it with a probiotic I don’t have any headaches or issues with either(got those when I first started PS). Both seem to have fixed the gut problems I used to have. Seems like either is fine to me.
Hi-Maize is fine. I don’t like recommending it much because there is only one source and it is a bit of a frankenfood with some mystery as to its exact origins.
The makers, Ingredion, are the fine people who brought us High Fructose Corn Syrup. The onus is on them to convince us they have our best interest at heart and not just finding new markets for US corn. Their ‘gig’ is using Hi-Maize as a food additive to allow a ‘High in Fiber’ label to be affixed.
So, yes, I’m a bit jaded. At least with potato starch there are several manufacturers and brands and I can make it at home if I want. I have no idea how to make Hi-Maize or how many ears of corn it takes to make 4TBS of Hi-Maize. I don’t really even know if it’s RS2 or RS3. Also there are several different ‘styles’ of Hi-Maize. There’s Hi-Maize 220, 230, 240 and more…have a look: http://www.foodmaster.com/directories/229/2006/180311/natsa_online1.pdf
Oh, it takes one big potato to make 4TBS of potato starch.
Just a side note: Here are some other fine products from the makers of Hi-Maize, mmmm mmmm good!:
The following are registered trademarks of National Starch and Chemical Company:
ABSORBO BAKA-SNAK BINDTEX CAN-FIL CAPSUL CLEARJEL CRISP FILM CRISPIOCA DRY-FLO ELASTIGEL
FIRM-TEX FLO-MAX FRIGEX GEL ‘N’ MELT HI FLO HI-CAP HI-SET HYLON INSTANT CLEARJEL A MELOJEL N-LITE N-LOK N-OIL N-SURANCE N-TRAK NOVATION NOVELOSE PURITY SUPERSET
TEXTAID TEXTRA THERMFLO THERMTEX ULTRA-SET ULTRA-SPERSE ULTRA-TEX UNI-PURE VERSA-SHEEN
ADVANTA-GEL BATTER BIND S COLFLO CRYSTAL-SET CRYSTAL TEX ELEGGANCE FLOJEL HI-MAIZE NOVOMEGA N-ZORBIT ULTRA-CRISP
Tim,
Thanks for the reply.
Point taken. At any rate, I have a big giant bag of the stuff so I’ll probably just finish and stick w/ potato starch and green bananas from then on. 🙂
I would assume the High-Maize is made from GMO corn, which probably contributes to the high rates of dysbiosis as well as poisoning non target species in the environment such as the monarch butterfly.
Hi-Maize was hybridized by the national science organisation of Australia (CSIRO) using natural (non-GMO) varieties of corn to breed the desired high RS2 qualities – this technique of breeding and hybridising has been a part of humankind since we first farming crops. The CSIRO tried to commercialise Hi-Maize as a baking additive but wasn’t successful so sold it to Ingredion.
Note that the CSIRO has also naturally bred (non-GMO) a barley variety, BarleyMax, that is high in RS2 and in beta-glucan (heart health).
The CSIRO has been investing many resources in naturally developing staple crops that help to solve the high rates of colorectal cancer and heart disease in the world. These products are not GMO.
It is a shame that there is continued disinformation about Hi-Maize online by authors and readers.
Is Bob Mills RS cooked in the powder form? It does say 10g of carbs on the nutrition segment on the bag.
Yes you can. In it’s raw state, it’s nearly 100% fiber. The nutrition label is for cooked potato starch.
My son has a bad case of Ulcerative Colitis. Do you know if RS might be good for him? I had heard that prebiotics might not work well with him.
Thank you for the great article and the great interaction! ~Rob
@Tim Steele
Tim, you mentioned on your website that “Potato salads loaded down with mayonnaise or oil might keep your intestines healthy, but all that fat can pack on the pounds.”
I think the wrong fats pack on the pounds, but a home-made mayo with healthy fats or full fat cream won’t.
Is there anything wrong with consuming potato with fat? I understand that fat with potato reduces the GI factor of the potato. Can you clarify this, please. Thanks
I’m not ‘low fat’ by any means. It was just an observation on all of the news articles of the last 10-20 years that concluded potato starch was the best source of RS.
Potato salad is A source, but not the BEST source. Potatoes are probably best consumed with fat, as you say. Just don’t eat a quart of Kroger’s Best potato salad and think you will be super RS man.