Resistant fiber or resistant starch is the new kid on the block when it comes to healthy sources of dietary fiber.
This special type of fiber cannot be digested by the human body and passes through the small intestine mostly intact. When it reaches the large intestine or colon, it becomes food for the good bacteria making it a "pre-biotic". Pre-biotics are foods that feed the many strains of beneficial flora in our gut that comprise over 60% of immune system! Over the past several years there has been a surge of information about the importance of the gut microbiome and its connection to many of today's chronic illnesses like Alzheimers, MS, Fibromyalgia, Diabetes, Obesity, Depression, Anxiety, and digestive diseases like IBS, colitis, and Crohn's. When the good bacteria feed on the resistant fiber, they produce short chain fatty acids like butyrate which helps to reduce inflammation, boost metabolism, and improve stress resistance. This is just one example of the important role these good bacteria have and why it is so important to take care of our gut microbiome by avoiding foods that harm it and eating foods that nourish it. Health Benefits of Resistant Starch:
Best Forms of Resistant Starch for Your Diet:
If you've never tried resistant fiber before, start slow - maybe 1 tablespoon of flour in a smoothie or soup and work up to 3-4 tablespoons or to your tolerance. Or 1/2 cup of beans or cooled potatoes with lunch and 3/4 cup with dinner. Your tolerance is the level at which you can eat it and you don't experience bloating, gas, or stomach pain. You may experience this a little at first, but if it persists with even the small amounts of resistant fiber, you could have SIBO, or a more severe dysbiosis problem. If this is the case, I'd recommend working with a qualified functional medicine practitioner to do some testing and reestablish a more balanced gut flora. Check out our Gut Cleanse & Revive Program if you need some additional help in this area. One of our providers will work one on one with you to identify the root causes of your symptoms through functional nutrition labs and help you heal naturally. ~Billie References: 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16644623 2. http://drchristianson.com/ 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24499148 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10535469
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Billie Shellist, FDN-P
I practice functional nutrition, an approach that allows me to look at your entire health history and help you find the "root causes" of your chronic health complaints. This cuts out the trial and error process and helps you get real symptom relief and resolution! Food is medicine and knowledge is power -I hope you enjoy my anti-inflammatory recipes which are gluten, dairy, and soy free as well as very low grain and sugar. If you'd like to heal from the root cause(s) of your chronic symptoms, try starting with a complimentary 15-minute consultation. Click here to request your free session. |