STORIES
Understanding resistant starch
You may have heard about resistant starch. It forms when foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, and grains are cooked and then cooled. But what does this mean for your blood sugar?
What is resistant starch?
Starch found in potatoes, grains, cereals, rice, pasta and bread is a long-chain glucose (sugar). When you eat these carbohydrates, they break down into glucose and raise your blood sugar. Resistant starch (RS) is different. It does not break down in the small intestine. Instead, it behaves more like fibre and travels to the large intestine. There, it acts as a prebiotic—meaning it feeds healthy bacteria in your gut. Because it is not digested, resistant starch can lower the glycemic load of the foods you eat and may support better gut and blood sugar management.
How does it help?
Because your body does not digest resistant starch in the same way as other starches:
- It has less impact on blood sugar.
- It may help reduce blood sugar spikes after meals.
- It provides a lower carbohydrate load.
- It may help lower the glycemic index (GI)of some foods.
- It may help you feel full sooner and stay full longer.
These benefits make resistant starch especially interesting for people living with diabetes.
Potential benefits
- May improve overall blood sugar control
- Supports healthy gut bacteria
- Helps increase fullness after meals
Where can you find resistant starch?
You can increase resistant starch through the foods you choose and how you prepare them. Top sources include:
- Uncooked oats and uncooked millet
- Cooked and cooled barley, millet, and sorghum
- Beans, peas, and lentils (including fava beans)
- Cooked and cooled potatoes or sweet potatoes
- Cooked and cooled rice and pasta
- Green (unripe) bananas, plantains, and flours made from them
How to add more to your meals
Here are simple ways to boost resistant starch:
Cook, cool, reheat
Cook pasta; cool and then reheat by simmering it in your favourite sauce.
Prep potatoes ahead
Roast potatoes or sweet potatoes with the skin on. Cool them and use in salads or bowls.
Make extra rice
Cook extra rice and freeze in small portions. Use it later for fried rice or stir fries.
Try overnight oats or millet
Soaking oats or millet overnight increases resistant starch because they aren’t cooked.
Use beans, peas, and lentils often
Add them to soups, salads, or chili. Canned versions work well, too.
Choose slightly green bananas
Less ripe bananas have more resistant starch than spotty yellow ones.
Get creative with green banana flour
Use a small amount in baking or blend into smoothies.
Recipes to try
Here are some great options that include resistant starch:
Try it this week
Adding resistant starch to your meals can be simple. Cook and cool one of your regular starches, such as pasta, rice, or potatoes, and see how easy it is to include.