CONTRARY to the blanket movement against carbohydrates, researchers have found there are potential health benefits in resistant starch.
Resistant starch is a form of starch not digested in the small intestine, and is considered a type of dietary fibre.
Forms of this occur naturally in foods such as bananas, potatoes, grains and legumes.
Among the findings was evidence that consumption of resistant starch can aid blood sugar control.
It has also been suggested that resistant starch can support gut health and enhance satiety via increased production of short chain fatty acids.
Co-author of the Nutrition Bulletin review into the topic Stacey Lockyer said early indicators were positive.
“We know that adequate fibre intake – at least 30 grams per day – is important for achieving a healthy, balanced diet, which reduces the risk of developing a range of chronic diseases,” Dr Lockyer said.
“Resistant starch is a type of dietary fibre that increases the production of short chain fatty acids in the gut, and there have been numerous human studies reporting its impact on different health outcomes.
“While findings support positive effects on some markers, further research is needed in most areas to establish whether consuming resistant starch can confer significant benefits that are relevant to the general population; however this is definitely an exciting area of nutritional research for the future.”
There has been increasing research interest in resistant starch, with a large number of human studies published in the past 10 years looking at a variety of different health outcomes such as postprandial glycaemia, satiety, and gut health.
The review summarises reported effects and explores the potential mechanisms of action that underpin them.