Resistant Starch

I was reading an article and the phase "resistant starch" jumped out at me. The article talked about resistant starch being a new way to control your calories when eating. Since I had never heard of resistant starch I needed to do some research on the subject. I would like to share what I have found. Most starches are digested and absorbed as glucose (sugar) through the small intestine. There are some types of starches that resist digestion and pass through to the large intestine, where they act like dietary fiber.  This type of starch is called "resistant starch". We all know when we eat whole grains or beans there's lots of fiber and that fiber is what makes you feel full. Instead of telling folks to eat more fiber to loose weight they have developed a product that contains fiber that will give you the same effect. This new product is called Hi-maize Resistant Starch. 

What foods have resistant starch?
Beans are the very best food source. Although the types of beans and preparation methods cause varying amounts of resistant starch (canned beans are more glycemic), in general, the starch in beans is about evenly divided between slowly-digested starch and resistant starch.

Whole, intact grains are decent sources of resistant starch. The starch in pearl barley is about 12% resistant and 43% slowly-digesting. Bulgar wheat and long grain brown rice are similar.

So what is Hi-maize Resistant Starch?
Hi-maize is a natural ingredient made from a specific type of corn which is rich in resistant starch. It's naturally white in color and can be finely ground so it's easily incorporated into foods such as bread, biscuits, cereals and pasta by partly replacing ordinary flour. This trade marked product is developed from a special hybrid of corn that is naturally high in amylose.  It was developed through a natural plant breeding program over the past thirty years.  The corn is grown by American farmers in the central US.  After harvesting, the starch is pulled out of the corn kernel through a wet milling process. It's treated with mild heat and moisture and dried to a fine, white cornstarch powder.

Health Benefits of Resistant Starch

• Resistant starch is protective of colon cells and associated with less genetic damage (which can lead to cancer).
  
• Resistant starch is associated with more mineral absorption, especially calcium and magnesium.
• Resistant starch seems to improve insulin sensitivity with improved glucose tolerance the next day.
  
• Resistant starch leaves you feeling satisfied after eating your meal.
• Resistant starch consumption is associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• Promotes "good" bacteria, and controls the "bad" bacteria and their toxic products.
• Promotes bowel regularity.
• Resistant starch in a meal is associated with less fat storage after that meal.

Resistant starch is a good thing, I'm just not sold on getting it thru a man made product, when it's available in many foods that are good for you. You are going to see this product used for weight control, specifically on products that you would not consider diet products. I did not find any negative information on this product.  My concern is instead of learning to eat a proper diet to loose weight this product can be added to for example chocolate cake and then sold as diet food. Changing your diet is important if you are going to loose weight, it's a lifestyle change that takes work and does not happen overnight. Simply adding fiber to the product in my opinion does not make it good for you.


References:

• Brighenti, Furio et al. "Colonic fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates contributes to the second-meal effect." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 83.4 (2006): 817-822.
• Cummings, JH. "The Large Intestine in Nutrition and Disease: (monograph), December 1996, ISBN 2-930151-02-1
• Englyst, Klaus and Englyst, Hans. "Carbohydrate Bioavailability." British Journal of Nutrition 94 (2005): 1-11.
• Englyst, Klaus, et al. "Glycaemic index of cereal products explained by their content of rapidly and slowly available glucose." British Journal of Nutrition. 89 (2003):329-339
• Higgins, Janine. "Resistant Starch: Metabolic Effects and Potential Health Benefits." Journal of AOAC International 87 (2004):761-8.
• Higgins, Janine, et al. "Resistant starch consumption promotes lipid oxidation." Nutrition and Metabolism 1.8 (2004): 1743-7075.
• Robertson, M.D. et al. "Prior Short-Term Consumption of Resistant Starch Enhances Postprandial Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy Subjects." Diabetologia 46 (2003): 659-665.