How to Add Resistant Starch to Your Diet

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and passes through to the large intestine, where it acts as a prebiotic to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria. Adding resistant starch to your diet can have a number of health benefits, including improved gut health, better blood sugar control, and increased satiety.

Here are some tips for adding resistant starch to your diet:

1. Eat cooked and cooled potatoes: When potatoes are cooked and then cooled, some of the starch in them becomes resistant to digestion. This means that eating cooled potatoes can increase your intake of resistant starch. You can try adding cooled boiled or roasted potatoes to salads, or use them to make potato salad.

2. Add beans and legumes to your diet: Beans and legumes are a great source of resistant starch. Try adding them to salads, soups, or stews, or use them as a base for vegetarian burgers or dips.

3. Choose whole grains: Whole grains like brown rice, oats, and barley are higher in resistant starch than refined grains. Try replacing white rice with brown rice, or adding oats or barley to your breakfast.

4. Use resistant starch supplements: If you're having trouble getting enough resistant starch through your diet, you can try taking a resistant starch supplement. These are available in powder or capsule form and can be added to smoothies or other foods.

5. Cook and cool pasta: Like potatoes, cooking and cooling pasta can increase its resistant starch content. You can try making a pasta salad with cooked and cooled pasta, or adding it to soups or stews.

It's important to note that adding too much resistant starch to your diet too quickly can cause digestive discomfort. Start by adding small amounts of resistant starch to your diet and gradually increase your intake over time. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water when adding resistant starch to your diet to help prevent constipation.