Fiber Vs Resistant Starch Review – Research & Insight Into Fiber Health

The misconceptions of Fiber and it’s connection with resistant starch

Many people assume that fiber has what is called “resistant starch.” This isn’t true. Resistant starch are foods that your body can’t digest at all. Examples of this would be seeds, potatoes, corn, and so forth. These foods cannot be broken down properly.

Fiber and resistant starch have similar effects. These effects can provide beneficial effects to the human body. Some of these health benefits can improve the digestion process, how the human body reacts to how it receives insulin, and the fluctuations of blood sugar.

There are many types of resistant starch. They are classified in types. We’ll be using the term resistance when referring to these types.

  • First Resistance – These are found in food such as rice, nuts, and seeds.
  • Second Resistance – Second resistance can be found in potatoes and some fruits.
  • Third resistance – This effects occur when a food’s atomic structure changes due to temperature fluctuations. Otherwise, known as cooking, boiling, grilling, and so forth.
  • Fourth Resistance – Caused by artificial processes.

Different types of resistances can be found when looking at any type of food. There are different variables that affect the resistance level of a food. These variables: age, the time it takes for the food to become ripe, the form of the food changing because of external factors, and so much more. The resistance level will change depending on these variables.

How does resistance interact with the digestive system?

Whenever a human being consumes food that contains any amount of resistance – your digestive system goes into overdrive then it normally would. The system does what it can to absorb nutrients from the food that you consumed. Unfortunately, your digestive system usually fails and the food that contains the resistance reaches your intestines. Luckily, we harbor bacteria inside our bodies that help us assist foods that contain resistance. The bacteria is called gut flora. (1)

An interesting fact is that the number of bacteria within our digestive system has more cells then human cells. Since, our digestive system fails to digest the food that contains the resistance – the gut flora steps in to do the job. (2)

The gut flora plays a critical job to give us nutrients that we otherwise wouldn’t get. The foods that contain the resistance property actually gives us 9/10 cells in our body, that your cell needs to survive. The gut flora is able to survive and eat inside our body, and we get to enjoy the new nutrients as a result. It’s a cooperative relationship.

The resistance provides a nice source of food for the bacteria that reside in our gut. It encourages all sorts of organisms in our body to survive and flourish. These aren’t harmful bacteria either. These are bacteria that assist us in many ways that our human body can’t. Many of these organisms use our body as an ecosystem in order to survive.(3) (4) And, as a result of the work that the bacteria does for our body – we enjoy many health benefits. The resistance plays an interesting role in allowing this to happen.

When the bacteria consumes and breaks down food that contains the resistance property, it produces gases and acids as a result. These gases/acids are the foundation of keeping the friendly bacteria inside our bodies alive. An acid called butyrate is a great source of food for colon cells. This acid is only produced, when the bacteria is able to break down food that contains the resistance property.

This is further cemented by the fact that inflammation goes down, if these bacteria are present. It even reduces the risk of colon cancer. (5) It also reduces the number of farts that a person will do and makes it more comfortable.

There are also a growing number of scientists; that are of the belief that resistance has promising health benefits such as: treating diarrhea, ulcers, and other diseases.

Metabolism

Whether you like it or not, your metabolism directly affects how everything else in your body runs. Every mechanism in your body is in some way, connected to your metabolism. When, there are issues associated with your metabolism, it opens Pandora’s Box to a wide variety of problems. Serious disorders and fatal diseases can develop when issues with metabolism occurs.

Two factors that directly affect how your metabolism is run are your insulin and blood sugar. These factors manage how your body absorbs and uses the energy from the food that it consumes. When there’s a little amount of insulin response in your body, it produces all sorts of health benefits. These health benefits are reducing the risk of heart disease, weight problems, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and diseases that affect cognition.

Resistance has the ability to reduce insulin process (6) and manage your blood sugar levels effective. (7)

By, taking care of your metabolism – you’ll be able to create something very powerful. A powerful force that substantially cuts the risk of developing all sorts of dangerous diseases and increase your lifespan. Consuming foods that contain resistance can do all these things for you.

Another, reason to consume resistance is that it can assist you with weight loss. Although, it doesn’t have a direct link to weight loss – it can assist you with doing so.

Foods that contain resistance allow you to feel full faster. This is a biggest factor to controlling your appetite. If you feel full – you’ll eat less. Thus, consuming less calories.

If you are convinced of the properties of resistance, then here are the foods that contain the biggest amount of resistance: cashews, raw potatoes, bananas, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and yams.

Conclusion

There are many benefits to the resistance property. They contain essential nutrients that keep our cells alive. It helps you to fight off certain diseases and cancers. It can even keep you living longer as well and help you lose weight. There are many benefits. The bottom line is that you should consume foods that contain the resistance property.

REFERENCES

  1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8695601
  2. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1075996405000685
  3. http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FPNS%2FPNS62_01%2FS0029665103000260a.pdf&code=d440859c88108725ec9cdaa4de02bcf5
  4. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2672.1999.00836.x/full
  5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22517765
  6. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1464-5491.2010.02923.x/full
  7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12467491