The "brother" of ordinary starch - resistant starch

Author: Liang Yiqun, Deputy Chief Pharmacist, Women and Children's Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University

Reviewer: Wang Yejun, Chief Physician, Women and Children's Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University

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Hello everyone! I am resistant starch, which comes from carbohydrates that humans eat, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc. By the way, I am also found in human breast milk. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines me as "starch and its degradation products that are not absorbed by the small intestine of healthy people."

Maybe most people are not familiar with me, but when it comes to my brother - ordinary starch, you must be familiar with it. It exists in many common foods in life, such as rice, steamed buns, etc. In recent years, the trend of weight loss has prevailed, causing many people to think that my brother is the "culprit" that causes them to gain weight, and then avoid it. But in fact, my brother plays a very important role in the "dietary nutrition team". It can be said to be a "quick battle" player. It can be used by the intestines in only about 20 minutes after entering the human body, and can provide most of the energy needed by the human body.

After introducing my brother, let me talk about myself. Literally, my name contains the word "resistance", which also indicates that I am completely different from my brother - I am a "marathon" runner, and I will not "integrate" with the intestines after entering the human body for 120 minutes. You may ask, since I am so "strong", how can my value be reflected? In fact, I just changed a way to "shine and heat" for human intestinal health. Although I am "incompatible" with the intestines themselves, there is a kind of microorganism called "probiotics" in the intestines, and they "warmly welcome" my arrival. This is because I am willing to "turn into spring mud to protect flowers" and become food for probiotics, allowing probiotics to "thrive". In other words, I can promote the growth and reproduction of probiotics. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria to the intestines. Once their "combat effectiveness" is enhanced, they can "suppress" other harmful bacteria in the intestines, improve the intestinal environment, and prevent colon cancer. Therefore, I also belong to another family, that is, "prebiotics".

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In addition to promoting intestinal health, I have another important "mission", which is to control human blood sugar and blood lipid levels. My brother, that is, ordinary starch, can increase human blood sugar levels, while I am the opposite. I can interfere with the intestinal absorption of sugars and fats, not only reducing the speed and amplitude of blood sugar level increases, stabilizing the fluctuation of blood sugar levels after meals, but also regulating fat metabolism, reducing serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and preventing humans from suffering from hyperlipidemia.

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Especially for obese people, if the fat content is too much, the "obedience" of the body's tissue cells to insulin will decrease, and insulin resistance will occur. In other words, the tissue cells have a "rebellious psychology" against insulin, no longer obeying the "command" of insulin, and still taking in and utilizing glucose, causing the human blood sugar level to gradually get out of control. While controlling the blood sugar and blood lipid levels of humans, I will make humans feel full like dietary fiber (because I am "incompatible" with the intestines and have a certain volume in the intestines), reducing their food intake. This will help humans control their weight in a two-pronged way. At the same time, weight loss usually means a reduction in fat, which will enhance the "obedience" of tissue cells to insulin, which in turn is conducive to controlling blood sugar levels, thus forming a virtuous circle. Once this cycle is started, it is very beneficial to human health.

Dear human friends, healthy eating starts with “me”!