Resistant Starch Explained

Resistant Starch Explained — a SodaTide guide

Starch That Does Not Behave Like Starch

Most starch is broken down into glucose in the small intestine and absorbed. Resistant starch resists that process, passes through intact and is fermented by bacteria in the colon.

Functionally, it behaves like fibre. That is why it appears in gut-health formulas rather than being treated as an ordinary carbohydrate.

The Cooling Trick

This is the fact people find most surprising, and it is genuinely useful.

When you cook starchy food and then cool it, some of the starch reorganises into a form that resists digestion. The process is called retrogradation. A potato salad made from cooled potatoes contains meaningfully more resistant starch than the same potatoes served hot.

The same applies to rice and pasta cooked and then refrigerated. Reheating retains a good deal of it.

Where Else It Occurs

Slightly green bananas — resistant starch converts to ordinary sugars as they ripen
Legumes — beans, lentils and chickpeas
Oats, particularly uncooked as in overnight oats
Cooked and cooled potatoes, rice and pasta

Why It Is in SodaTide

Potato resistant starch appears at 100 mg, working alongside chicory root inulin.

Including two different fermentable fibres rather than one is a considered choice. Different fibres are fermented by different organisms and in different parts of the colon, so a mix gives the gut population more to work with than a single substrate would.

What the research covers

Resistant starch has been examined in relation to digestive health, fermentation and short-chain fatty acid production, particularly butyrate. As always, that is research on the ingredient rather than on the finished SodaTide capsule.

Starting Slowly

Like any fermentable fibre, resistant starch can produce gas when you first add it. Build up gradually, drink water alongside, and expect a fortnight of adjustment.

Background reading

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. SodaTide is a dietary supplement for healthy adults aged 18 and over and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. It is not a treatment for any digestive disorder or medical condition. Individual results may vary. Not for use by anyone under 18 or by pregnant or nursing women. Mild, temporary digestive adjustment can occur when starting any probiotic. If you have a compromised immune system, a serious digestive condition, or take medication, speak to your doctor before use.

Resistant Starch Explained