Why All Carbs Are NOT Created Equal

With low-carb and keto diets becoming extremely popular, it seems that carbs have become public enemy number one. While it is true that we absorb more calories from highly refined and processed carbohydrate-dense foods, not all carbs are created equal. Some forms of carbs, known as resistant starches, can pass through the digestive system with minimal change by “resisting” digestion,  resulting in resistant starch carbohydrates having only 1/2 the calories of traditional carbs!

While nutrition labels require all forms of carbohydrates to be listed in the carbohydrate total, resistant starches do not get used by the body in the same manner as normal carbohydrates and thus, are much more beneficial for those looking to control their carb intake.

The benefits of resistant starches don’t stop there either! Resistant starches are broken down by bacteria in our large intestines and can provide several additional benefits including:

1. Improved insulin sensitivity
2. Lower blood sugar levels
3. Improved micronutrient absorption
4. Improved satiety following meals
5. Improved immune function
6. Increased thermogenesis
7. Improved maintenance of a healthy, well functioning digestive system
8. Increased gut health by acting as a prebiotic, nourishing the beneficial gut bacteria in your colon.

 You may be asking, “Where can I get some resistant starch?” Fortunately, one form of resistant starch is formed when certain starchy foods, including potatoes, rice, beans, and oats are cooked and then cooled for several hours. The cooking and cooling process turns a portion of the digestible carbohydrates into resistant starches via retrogradation. Incredibly, following this change, even reheating will not decrease the amount of resistant starch in foods.

At FED, we cook and then cool all of our potatoes, beans, and rice for at least twelve hours to ensure our meals have large amounts of resistant starches. The benefits of resistant starches are useful for numerous eating styles including those on low-carb diets. So go ahead, enjoy our meals knowing that your body and your taste buds will thank you.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144861799001472
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814618300281
3. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2005.00481.x
4. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2672.1999.00836.x
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12583961
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23385525