Normally we think of potatoes and pasta as the definite don't eats when trying to diet. However, some newly developed research has shown how some carbs including potatoes, corn, and rice can actually help you lose weight.
These types of carbohydrates contain resistant starch which is a unique kind of fiber already found in your every day diet plan. More than 160 studies have indicated how this type of starch can help you lose weight. Some researchers even go as far as saying that it may just be the hottest and newest nutrition trend in the next few years.
Resistance starch can be found naturally in potatoes, beans, and grains, which are all fairly rich in carbohydrates especially when cold. Resistance starch exists as a deterrent for digestion in the body, and although this may exist for all fibres, resistance starch is most effective on weight loss and health.
What does it do to the body? It reduces overall hunger by filling you up completely. More importantly, it increases the body's ability to burn off fat. Further studies have shown that it also boosts the immune system, reduces your risk of cancer, and improves blood sugar levels.
This certain type of starch is extremely heavy therefore it takes up a lot of space in the digestive system. Since it is impossible to digest or absorb resistance starch, it never enters the bloodstream. It therefore passes by the bloodstream (where most carbohydrates get stored as body fat) when you eat more than you burn.
There are two key ways resistance starch can help you lose weight:
1. It Increases the Number of Calories Burnt
Because resistance starch gets fermented when it reaches the large intestine (unlike most starches), it creates extra beneficial fatty acids which blocks the body from burning carbohydrates. It prevents the liver specifically from using carbs as fuel, and as a result burns stored body fat and recent body fat.
2. It Decreases Hunger
Numerous animal type studies have proven that resistance starch triggers the body of satiety-inducing hormones. Therefore, having food that contains resistance starches automatically triggers hormones that inhibit hunger. Research also indicates that this resistance starch is the only type of fibre source that has this effect on the body.
Other benefits of resistance starch have also been proven. It can easily prevent colon cancer. This heavy starch protects the lining of the colon which otherwise could easily damage the DNA triggering disease and colon cancer. Resistance starch also helps control blood sugar levels. As a domino effect it therefore helps with the overall risk of heart disease.
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