Words of the Day: Resistant Starch
Defining a great kind of carb.
Resistant starch is a unique form of carbohydrate. It resists digestion, serves as a fuel source for the beneficial bacteria in our digestive tracts, contributes to meal satiety and, perhaps, improves insulin sensitivity to help lower diabetes risk.
An investigation in The Journal of Nutrition found that, despite the health benefits, most Americans consume less than half the recommended amount of resistant starch. We should aim for about 15 grams daily. French fries are a less-than-ideal leading dietary source, but there are other, more nourishing foods that will bump up resistant-starch intake, including beans, lentils, unripe (green) bananas, oats, barley, peas, cooked and cooled potatoes, and rice.
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
