What are starch and resistant starch?
Starch is a carbohydrate polymer made up of glucose. It is produced by plants and is a major source of nutrition for humans. Most starch in food is broken down into glucose by the small intestine and absorbed into the body. However, resistant starch — or indigestible dietary starch — escapes digestion in the small intestine and passes into the colon. There it is broken down by the resident bacteria releasing short chain fatty acids (SCFA) with the potential to promote bowel health and reduce the risk of developing colon diseases. In some foods, such as legumes the content of resistant starch may be as high as ten per cent. However, in most modern processed foods, resistant starch level are very low, which may contribute to large bowel disfunction. Diets high in resistant starch have been associated with improved bowel health and a reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer.
