I’ve been reversing type 2 diabetes with a high-carbohydrate diet for over 30 years — and one type of carbohydrate in particular may help explain why.
Most people assume all carbs are the same, since they’re all eventually broken down into sugar molecules in the intestines before being absorbed. In general, carbohydrates provide about 4 calories per gram. But there’s another type of carb that behaves very differently: resistant starch.
What makes resistant starch different
Resistant starch resists digestion in the small intestine and acts more like dietary fiber. It comes in at roughly 2.5 calories per gram — noticeably lower than the typical 4 calories per gram for digestible starch — and it slows the absorption of sugar, which helps blunt the blood sugar (glycemic) response to a meal.
Where to find resistant starch
Resistant starch makes up a portion of the carbohydrate content in many common foods, including:
- Whole grains, especially oats and barley
- Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and taro
- Lentils and legumes
- Some fruits, including green bananas and plantains
A simple trick to increase it
You can also increase the resistant starch content of a food by heating it and then cooling it. This process (sometimes called retrogradation) changes the structure of the starch, converting some of it into the resistant form — which is part of why dishes like cooked-and-chilled potatoes or rice tend to have a gentler effect on blood sugar than when eaten hot and fresh.
Including more resistant-starch-rich foods in your diet is a simple, practical way to support better blood sugar control — without having to cut carbs out altogether.
For more tips on blood sugar control, get my free eBook, Health Secrets, at PeaceDiet.org.
I’m Dr. Shintani, for your health.
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