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.
One more thing…….
I am very sensitive to nightshades, and I can hardly move after a serving, I am so achy. Potato starch does not seem to bother me.
Sorry about monopolizing the comments, here!
I wanted to add that I started adding potato starch to my diet about two months ago. I have experienced great quality and dream-rich sleep. I get up less during the evening, when I do wake up for any reason I seem to be able to go back to sleep instantly, and I have aspired to a more ketogenic diet. I have read that he addition of resistant starch may lessen some of the problems people have on very low carb diets.
After trying one tablespoon and having some gas, I started a plan beginning with one teaspoon of potato starch and adding another teaspoon until I reached two tablespoons. I drink it in a large glass of water first thing in the morning. I have not increased beyond 2 tablespoons, but I have added soil-based probiotics and some other fibres to my plan.
I am reluctant to remove this as it has been noticeably beneficial! So many supplements that I have tried do not seem to make a noticeable impact.
I want to add one more comment about my question of how to include potato starch in my diet.
JJ Virgin lists potato starch as a high impact sugar grain. I joined her sugar impact plan and sent off an email asking about potato starch, but the reply that I received came from one of her staff members and basically recommended that I use one of JJ’s approved fibers.
I did not believe any real thought went into the reply that I received; at least, I did not get an adequately descriptive reply why potato starch might be problematic for someone overweight who wished to lower sugar in his or her diet.
I have been trying to learn how to decipher the nutrition label of Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch. The label lists one tablespoon as containing 40 calories of energy, 10 grams of carbohydrate and 0 grams of fibre. If roughly 8 grams of the carbohydrate are in the form of a resistant starch when consumed at cold temperatures, can I assume the one tablespoon serving has an effective carbohydrate/sugar dose of 2 grams and an effective fibre content of 8 grams?
Potato starch has 0 net carbs. The 10 grams is about 8g resistant starch and about 2g water. Sometimes more resistant starch, sometimes more water.
Look for the second question here:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/sprints-blood-sugar-resistant-starch-carbs-pufa-coconut-oil-cycling-chronic-cardio-morning-sickness/#axzz3JFLWie00
Chris, Do you happen to know whether beets have RS, either raw or after being cooked, then cooled? I notice it is not on the list of RS in foods that is included in the article by Murphy et al. Thanks!
Hi Chris, does the rice have to be parboiled? I don’t want to buy the pkg stuff so how does one make it’s own ? Is it as simple as just not cooking it till soft?
Carri
Hey there,.. I would like to recommend durk and Sandy Shaws resistant starch flour as well as your potato starch. Find it at Lifeenhancement.com. I’m using that every day and it works fine, very full after I have my shake. Best wishes to all my fellow dieters.
Have been trying Resistant Starch for the past 6 weeks – primarily potato with green banana flour (WEDO) recently. Unfortunately, contrary to the information in this article plus comments, it causes blood sugar spikes in me – esp. the banana flour. I am not overweight, exercise regularly, and follow a low-mod. CHO diet: 1-2 fruits/d, no potatoes or root veggies/corn/grains/peas/winter squash, but lots of green veggies, goat yogurt, eggs, raw goat cheese, some tempeh & sprouted tofu. Although I am not a diabetic, I have 2 brothers who are (+my dad was) and I am trying to not become one. My blood sugar spikes out of my target range (75-120) if I am not very careful with the carbs so I know I am glucose intolerant/insulin resistant. The Resistant Starch has thrown me a bit out of whack – hopefully, I will be able to re-stabilize.
You need to test yourself if the resistant starch is resistant indeed. Use your glucose meter. Measure pre-prandial blood glucose level, eat 30 grams ou 1 Oz of carboidrate and measure again your blood glucose level after 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. Compare the results with comon hi carb foods and other supposed resistent starch foods. Adopt the ones you find more resistent (that makes your blood sugar levels rise less). Green bananas (that don’t have any sweet taste) are for sure resistant starch, but I don’t know if it’s hard to find. Ammina potato starch the paleo comunity say is ok too, and there is others.
Does anybody know that:
Potatoe starch consists of 80% starch, 75% of this starch is resistant. And what is with the rest? Is the rest starch, which counts for starch consumation, and therefore for carb calories?
There is indeed a small amount of digestible starch in PS, and therefore “carb calories,” and I found that that small amount of digestible starch didn’t spike my BG at all, nor cause any other problems attributed to carbs. Instead, my BG modulation IMPROVED!
Bob’s Red Mill Unmodified Potato Starch is roughly 75%-80% RS and the rest is water trapped inside the starch granule.
Thank you for your answers!
According to http://www.dietdoctor.com/potato-starch-lchf-resistant-starch
not the whole starch of PS is undigestible, only 75% of the starch. So the rest of the starch would have to be (as Paleophil posts) digestible starch.
Regarding Jill’s question, above, concerning GAPS-type diets that restrict most starches and sugar…and when it might be useful for gut-healing to reintroduce foods containing these things:
I unfortunately don’t have answers, but I have a lot of thoughts on the topic and have written many of them down here – http://www.lifeisapalindrome.com/updates/thinking-about-gaps-resistant-starch-and-beyond . I also think that Tim is right, in that there is unfortunately no magic prescription for gut-healing…and you might not know how a certain diet is going to affect you until you’ve tried it for months or years.
One thing I am noticing, as I continue along this gut-healing path (4.5 years and counting), is that many things (like resistant starch) have produced “overnight results.” But the _results over time_ are those most difficult to wait for, and most relevant.
I began re-introducing starches (both resistant and absorb-able) eight months ago. The effects were instantaneous and kind of like a mad see-saw, to put it mildly. It was amazing! For three and a half weeks. Then…I suddenly sank as low as I’d ever been. It was really bad for over a month. Now…a more gradual climb back up… Months later, I am tentatively hopeful, really grateful, and still climbing.
I am more hesitant than ever to draw conclusions, but I am hoping against hope that long-term stability and better health will be the eventual result of years of tinkering with, changing up, adjusting, obsessing over, and analyzing my diet.
Therapeutic protocols are an important tool; now, I am hoping that RS foods are more of an in-it-for-the-very-long-haul sort of deal.
Thanks so much for bringing more and more attention to these topics in articles like this – and Tim, I appreciate your show-don’t-tell helpfulness, providing hope of stability and health to many.
Maybe I’ll get over my fear of the Evil Eye and post an update on my own health soon. 🙂 For now, I’ve put some of my thoughts (concerning RS and diet) here: http://www.lifeisapalindrome.com/updates/thinking-about-gaps-resistant-starch-and-beyond
Regards,
Sarabeth
Sarabeth,
I have read your blog. If only more people were able to think deeply like this and tried to connect possible dots.
Just wondering now, as I have noticed you read Dr. Grace as well, so you must be familiar with her WEED SEED FEED motto.
What do you do for the WEEDING part?
For the “weeding” part? Well, I pray! No really, I have not implemented anything in particular for us in this department, although I’ve dabbled with charcoal and clay and various other “detoxifying” things. But I’ve never been clear on when and what, exactly, is warranted…
Sarabeth,
I think you and your family would benefit a lot from more “weeding”. Feeding is not enough.
It would be good to take a gut test, to see what you are fighting, and react accordingly.
Sarabeth,
by the way, I hate going groceries and vacuuming. But it feels good to have it done and see the results. The pantry and the fridge are full, and the floor clean. For a couple of days, at least 🙂
And, it feels good to be alive, too.
Eat. Sleep. Laugh. Love. Repeat.
if I can do it, then so can you.
I find it absolutely bizarre the cold potatoes are a digestive resistant starch!. Is this really true? Why have I never heard this before? This means that cold potatoes could be on any type of diet, even low-calorie. This has never been said anywhere that I have ever seen.
They’re not 100% resistant starch, so they’ll still contain calories and carbohydrates. But that doesn’t make them inappropriate for most diets except ketogenic and maybe autoimmune if nightshades are an issue.
Do sweet potatoes fall under the cooked and cooled potatoes category, and how should the right potatoes be cooked in the first place?
Unfortunately not.
I would like to add a point here, Duck. You are right that pH is the key to the Candida’s virulence, but not the only one. It is a hungry yeastie beastie…
There might be specific circumstances when it becomes virulent despite the right pH, see this paper:
The Fungal Pathogen Candida albicans Autoinduces Hyphal Morphogenesis by Raising Extracellular pH
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3101780/
“pH homeostasis is critical for all organisms; in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, pH adaptation is critical for virulence in distinct host niches. We demonstrate that beyond adaptation, C. albicans actively neutralizes the environment from either acidic or alkaline pHs. Under acidic conditions, this species can raise the pH from 4 to >7 in less than 12 h, resulting in autoinduction of the yeast-hyphal transition, a critical virulence trait.
Extracellular alkalinization has been reported to occur in several fungal species, but under the specific conditions that we describe, the phenomenon is more rapid than previously observed. Alkalinization is linked to carbon deprivation, as it occurs in glucose-poor media and requires exogenous amino acids. These conditions are similar to those predicted to exist inside phagocytic cells, and we find a strong correlation between the use of amino acids as a cellular carbon source and the degree of alkalinization.
Genetic and genomic approaches indicate an emphasis on amino acid uptake and catabolism in alkalinizing cells. Mutations in four genes, STP2, a transcription factor regulating amino acid permeases, ACH1 (acetyl-coenzyme A [acetyl-CoA] hydrolase), DUR1,2 (urea amidolyase), and ATO5, a putative ammonia transporter, abolish or delay neutralization. The pH changes are the result of the extrusion of ammonia, as observed in other fungi.
We propose that nutrient-deprived C. albicans cells catabolize amino acids as a carbon source, excreting the amino nitrogen as ammonia to raise environmental pH and stimulate morphogenesis, thus directly contributing to pathogenesis.”
Great find, Gemma!
So, it sounds like Candida will stay benign as long as we keep it happy, by feeding it moderate levels of glucose (and keeping the gut pH normalized). If we starve it of glucose, it automatically changes its own pH so that it can become hyphal to search for tissues to feed on.
Interestingly, conventional “candida diets” choose to starve candida with zero carb diets. However, candida can metabolize ketones (after an adaptation period) and will actually grow exponentially when starved. Here’s a great quote from Gestalt (who uses RS to normalize gut pH against candida):
——–
From: How to eliminate Candida & biofilms
It is the conventional belief out there that to get rid of candida one must consume little to no carbs in order to stop their growth. This logically means putting the body into ketosis. What most people don’t know however is that ketones can also fuel candida growth and the fungi themselves use ketones to evade the bodies immune system. The following is the collection of a few days research that completely shifts the conventional paradigm on the various forms of Candida diet out there.
The following 1st paper shows that the ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate will feed candida, and the 2nd shows that the ketone Aceoacetate is used by Candida to evade the body’s immune system. The 3rd shows that starvation makes candida grow exponentially.
“The ability to neutrophils from diabetics to kill candida was inhibited by increased concentrations of glucose and beta-hydroxybutyrate, both independently and in combination.
These data indicate that although phagocytosis occurs at similar levels in diabetics and controls, killing of candida by the diabetic neutrophil is impaired under conditions of hyperglycaemia and ketosis.” (reference)
“Therefore, prolonged ketosis may be a significant risk factor for candidiasis. This study was undertaken to investigate whether C. albicans itself produces a ketotic metabolite as a virulence factor which can effectively undermine host defense by neutrophils.” (source)
“Starvation of yeast cells induces exponentially grown cells (and usually non-germinative) to germinate. This phenomenon is also observed in cells that are transiently treated with metabolic inhibitors. During each of these treatments (starvation, metabolic inhibition), expression of a growth regulatory gene (CGRI) increases. Candida albicans: adherence, signaling and virulence.” Calderone et al. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11204138
Glucose obviously feeds candida as well however I have not seen evidence that it impairs immunity against candida such as ketones. Glucose therefore appears to be the lesser of two evils in this case when compared to ketones. From a blood point of view it’s impossible to eliminate glucose anyways. Ketogenic diets and many Paleo diets therefore in the long term are counter-productive. Starch and specifically resistant starch is necessary to feed the good guys which are your primary defense against candida.
Great summary and thoughts, Duck.
The human body is used to overnight fast or occasional hunger, or therapeutic fasts as practiced in some religious communities (long-time tested and refined to perfection).
And we know that the proponents of ketogenic diets promoted supplementing with SuperStarch (contains 67% resistant starch).
Do people playing with the long-term ketogenic diets know all this?
You guys always amaze me! I am smelling a change in the air. Check out these two blogs from today:
Chris Kresser, Is Low Carb Diet Ruining Your Health? http://chriskresser.com/is-a-low-carb-diet-ruining-your-health
and
Tom Naughton, questioning the rationale of ketogenic diets: http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2014/08/25/reactions-to-arguments-about-ketosis/
I am seeing a huge shift towards gut health from people who have been staunch supporters of low carb dieting.
The problem here is common with various other health/food topics. A broad generalization and labeling of a nutrient/substance and treating all forms as if they are one thing when in fact the body metabolises them so differently that it is erroneous to call them the same thing. So… “carbohydrate” is a gross simplification and as such a “low carb” diet is also. We need to do away with the term “carbs”. As most of you (here) know, better to be low-carbage (garbage carbs) yet high-carbiotic (prebiotic carbs). And y’all know how to do this in a “clean” way… Caveman style undercooked tubers, soaked/sprouted and cooked-n-cooled grains/seeds/legumes, etc.
I personally prefer undercooking tubers. It’s easier and I’m lazy 😉
What we need is a carbage-free world 😉
I am confused on Candida. Is potato starch feeding the Candida or is it helping it?
Molly – I think the problem is that Candida can wear several hats, and even go ‘underground.’ In a healthy biome, Candida can be part of the normal flora and cause no problems, but when something goes wrong it can take over. It’s when it is in the hypergrowth phase that it will eat RS and make itself stronger.
If you have, or suspect a Candida overgrowth problem, it’s best to deal with that first before going heavy into RS.
Technically RS could feed candida. However, this may not be an issue if RS helps to normalize your gut pH.
The key here is that Candida is only hyphal when it gut pH is too acidic or too alkaline.
Alkalinity promotes Candida overgrowth
If you read through the studies in that link, you’ll see that Candida has a number of growth genes that are sensitive to pH. These hyphal growth genes switch on when gut pH is too high or too low.
Candida is a dimorphic fungus, which means that it can be either benign or pathogenic. I suspect it evolved to live symbiotically with hosts until the hosts dies which then causes pH to become abnormal — so its pH sensing mechanism then knows becomes hyphal to help decompose the corpse upon death. We just probably confuse it when we mess up our guts and it appears to turn on us. It probably just thinks we are dead or dying and goes to work recycling us!
Anyhow, most people — particularly those on a very low carb diet — have guts that aren’t fermenting and are therefore too alkaline, which as we can see from above promotes candida overgrowth. For these people, taking RS will increase SCFA (acid) production, which helps normalize gut pH and switch off the candida growth genes — returning candida to its benign and harmless state. Interestingly, there are plenty of studies showing that acids and SCFAs either inactivate or kill candida. Simultaneously, RS tends to bloom good bacteria (which also contributes to increased SCFA production), which will crowd out candida. It’s also a good idea to use a candida biofilm disruptor so that good bacteria can move in to candida’s territory.
In somewhat more rare situations, people can have guts that are too acidic — as sometimes happens with people with ulcerative colitis, for instance. In that case, RS might be problematic for those individuals since its SCFA metabolites might not directly help raise gut pH. Experimentation would be needed for those people.
For those interested in using RS to combat candida, I highly recommend reading this article:
How to eliminate Candida & biofilms
The author of that article was able to eliminate candida in less than 1 month using that approach.
Good luck!
Hi Tim, I have a question for you! How do you feel about alcohol? Do you personally drink? Would it be a good idea to stay clear of alcohol while trying to creat a better gut environment with SBOs and prebiotic fibers, in you opinion? Thank you!
I drink on rare occasions, maybe having a drink or two a couple times a year.
I make homemade beer and like to tell myself the layer of yeast on the bottom of the bottles is good for me. I’ll drink a bottle of this medicinal ale once a month or so.
I used to drink excessively, nothing positive ever came from that. I haven’t been ‘drunk’ in 4 or 5 years.
I think a glass of wine or some beer is OK, maybe even daily, but any more than that probably starts to have negative impact on gut health. Fermented fruits and grains have been alongside humans forever and certainly have healthful qualities at some level and not-so-healthful in excess.
Side note. Been reading a bit lately about the ancient Egyptians. I read that many (most?) drank quite a lot of a weak grain fermented beer due to the safety of it. It was supposedly safer to drink than water because of less dangerous bacteria due to the fermentation. I assume since it was “weak” it had less of the alcohol buzz. My interpretation was they drank it for health, not the buzz. I’m sure more like your home made brew Tim. Their main grains were Emmer wheat and barley.
Strange that they didn’t just boil water to purify it. So maybe they were drinking the beer for the buzz ;-). Or some other reason? Like too much trouble or costly in time/effort or fuel source (or due to the heat) to bother with boiling the water?
These comments are getting too long! Do a ‘Ctrl-f’ search for Hi-Maize, I made a bunch of comments up above about my feelings towards it.
It’s not bad, per se. Lots of people using it, and lots of studies conducted with it. Just be aware there are several versions and some unanswered questions.
Sorry about that. I had done the ctrl-f thing searching for RS4, but didn’t think to search for hi-maize. 🙂
Amy and/or Tim, can you please explain why Hi-Maize RS4 corn starch is “not recommended?” I’ve seen clinical studies that showed great success using Hi-Maize. The only mention of it on Nikoley’s blog is that he wasn’t going to try it because of his “paleo leanings.” Rice and legumes aren’t paleo either, though, so I don’t understand this.
Is it because it’s synthetic, because of grain lectins, because it’s GMO corn, or something else? Is there a potential for harm using high-RS corn starch, or is it simply unnecessary when you’re consuming plenty of RS2 and RS3?
I’ve got 5 lbs. of Hi-Maize in my kitchen. Should I throw it out?
Thanks for your insights on this.
Chicory root is a good source of inulin and FOS. How good a source is roasted chicory root? Does roasting destroy a lot of the fiber? I’ve searched the web, but can’t find any numbers on roasted chicory root. I’ve been adding a couple of table spoons of roasted chicory root to my yogurt, along with potato starch. I like the taste, but I don’t know if I’m getting any fiber benefit from the chicory.
I read somewhere along the line that inulin and FOS are heat sensitive. You are probably losing some of the prebiotic qualities, but I think roasted chicory is an excellent food item to cycle into an otherwise fiber-filled diet. Roasting probably unlocks a few other things that are unavailable raw.
Do you have dandelions in your yard? Eat them. Root and all. They are best in spring when they first appear and get bitter this time of year, though.
How does RS compare or contrast to konjac-glucomannan? I seem to remember an MD writing about its ability to do the same thing as RS. Any info on this would be a big help. Thanks
Dave – I think glucomannan is just as good as RS and inulin as a ‘foundational’ fiber. The only problems is that it is fairly limited to only a few foods (konjac mainly) and the supplement form is extremely absorbent. It doesn’t mix well with anything as it turns into rubber if mixed too strongly, posing a real choking threat. If you buy some glucomannan powder, please mix it with water and wait 5-10 minutes to see what I mean. If you use it, and I have, drink plenty of water 8-16oz, alongside it.
Konjac noodles are great, though!
Thanks! That’s very helpful.
A choking threat.