Resistant Starch and Diabetes Experiment

After hearing positive results of resistant starch and diabetes experimentation,  I decided to throw my hat in the ring. Why experiment with Resistant Starch? This is not a ‘high carb’ food experiment.

  • Resistant starch is a fiber found in many foods, including potatoes.
  • Resistant starch has improved people’s fasting blood sugars and more.
  • Raw Potato Starch is at the very least, an inexpensive prebiotic.

 

Instead of eating high carb foods containing varying amounts of resistant starch, I used Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch, because it does not raise blood sugars appreciably.  Potatoes contain resistant starch, but I do not eat them!  They spike my blood sugars.

resistant starch and diabetes

 

This is NOT a post about ‘safe starches’, some believe that there are safe starches, foods like white potatoes, rice, beans and sweet potatoes. Do not be misled.  Starches spike blood sugars just like sugars for me and should be avoided.  Ok… buckle up, this could be a bumpy ride.

 

Introduction to Resistant Starch

Resistant Starch is that part of starches that is resistant to the body’s attempt to process it in the stomach and small intestine.  It is resistant to digestion, hence the name resistant starch.

Resistant Starch (RS) acts like and quacks like a fiber. I wish it had been named ‘resistant fiber’… so much confusion could be avoided. It’s also called a third fiber. You have soluble fiber, insoluble fiber and resistant starch.

There are differing types of resistant starch, I’m testing ‘raw potato starch’.

 

Two tablespoons of potato starch mixed with yogurt.
Potato Starch mixed with yogurt.

 

Potato Starch can be consumed with any thing you choose, I will often mix in water, heavy whipping cream and plain, full fat yogurt.   Avoid mixing potato starch in hot foods or liquids and avoid using it in cooking.

I’ve tested ‘starches’ repeatedly, potatoes, beans and rice raise my blood sugar rapidly.  For me, starches are no different than sugar regarding blood sugar issues and that’s why (being a diabetic) I avoid starches.  Resistant Starch is not a ‘starch’.

 

What is Resistant Starch?

 

From Wikipedia: “Resistant starch (RSis starch and starch degradation products that escape from digestion in the small intestine of healthy individuals.[1] Resistant starch is considered the third type of dietary fiber, as it can deliver some of the benefits of insoluble fiber and some of the benefits of soluble fiber.”

 

Key points to pick up thus far? 

1) Resistant Starch (RS) escapes digestion in the small intestine and is processed in the large intestine through fermentation via gut bacteria.  Because of this ( I won’t get into all the science) you do not have all the negatives of starches such as high blood sugar spikes.

2) Resistant Starch (RS)  is considered a 3rd type of dietary fiber.

 

Resistant Starch Diabetes Benefits

In the Wikipedia link above there are studies supposedly showing that Resistant Starch is linked to or associated with, or directly causes… .

1) Reduced Glycemic Response – By consuming Resistant Starch, it will over time help with glucose processing and blood sugar levels over all… which means all things being equal, lower blood sugar readings!

2) Increased Insulin Sensitivity –  “One study found a 50% increase in insulin sensitivity ”

 

WHAT?  are you kidding me? Resistant starch’s reported diabetes benefits are astounding, both improved glycemic response AND improved insulin sensitivity!?

When I read 1 & 2 above … of course I just ‘had’ to experiment!!!   There is more…

 

3) Increased Glycemic Health in offspring.

4) Increased satiety

5) Increases Lipid Oxidation – it’s consumption helps your body burn more fat.

6) Improves Metabolism – study showed that RS prevented weight re-gain in a high fat diet.

There’s actually EVEN more reported benefits if you believe the Wikipedia article above.  In other words, given all the above reported benefits of resistant starch for diabetics, you would have to be an IDIOT not to experiment… so I did. :)

 

My Resistant Starch Diabetes Experiment

 

Bob's Red Mill Potato Starch
Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch

 

I will be (and have been) consuming (4) Level Tablespoons of Potato Starch daily, for four weeks.  That’s approximately 32-40 grams of starch daily (according to the label).  Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch, it can be ordered from Amazon.

It’s believed that two to four weeks is enough time for the resistant starch to positively affect my body’s ability to process glucose more efficiently and decrease my insulin resistance.

After four weeks, I will take daily readings of my overnight fasting blood sugars to see if I can determine an overall decline in my numbers.  Not only will I test overnight fasting blood sugars but I will also compare blood sugar readings after eating certain foods, to see if there is any improvement in directly consuming carbohydrates.

I’ll provide full details on the BG readings but in initial testings  1 TBS of Resistant Starch did not cause an increase when taken with water or coffee. If you want to experiment with potato starch, as with all new foods, start out with smaller amounts and work up. (Test, test, test… your experience may differ.)

 

Update Note:

I started using (4) tablespoons of raw potato starch on day one. My body handled it well, except increased flatulence.

Many decide to start out using much smaller amounts. I’ve seen some using as little as 1/4 teaspoon per day, doubling every day or so until they reach the (4) tablespoon per day amount.

 

That’s it! … almost. :)

 

Resistant Starch …

Just remember… this is NOT about ‘safe starches’!  LOL.  I feel compelled to repeat this because I get questions from people who do not ‘get it’.  There is a lot more that needs to be discussed regarding Resistant Starches. This post was already getting long so I will go into more details about RS and my initial days of testing in my next post.

Until the next post … watch your blood sugars and question everything!!!

 

Posts of Diabetes & Resistant Starch

Resistant Starch Q & A 

Diabetes & Resistant Starch Experiment Results 

Testing Resistant Starch and Potatoes 

 

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8 thoughts on “Resistant Starch and Diabetes Experiment”

  1. Funny… I just started reading about this two days ago. I’m in. Bought my potato starch and everything.

    Looking forward to follow ups

  2. I am very interested in exploring this subject. I tried it last week by taking one level teaspoon of potato starch on an empty stomach and did not take anything else, so as not to confound the results. Not a good idea as I was taking antibiotics for a urinary tract infection (my BS was higher than normal).
    At 8 AM my basal BS was 7.3 mmol (131), at 11 AM it was 11.8 (212) and 12.30 PM it was 10.7 (192).
    Every time I eat dairy products my BG spikes and doesn’t come back to basal, which indicates an immune response raising my adrenaline and cortisol and my liver dumps glucose to get me ready to “flee”.
    So it would indicate to me that I am also intolerant to starch as well.
    I haven’t come across this phenomenon on the internet regarding resistant starch, but I am assuming that it could be possible.

    1. Thank you … so am I!!! :) The early results on the OFBG (overnight fasting bg) is a few points lower on average, but we are just on day 3. :)

      I will also do glucose processing/insulin resistance testing as well.

  3. So how about an update? Are you still taking RS and are you still seeing a benefit?

    I have been taking RS for two months and see no impact on my fasting BG, but I am perhaps seeing modest 7 mg/dl improvement in my postprandial readings. I say perhaps because my postprandial reading are noisy since they depend upon what I eat so I need to see more data before I have much certainty.

    1. Apologies on my delay in responding.

      I began to wean off potato starch in March and weaned off of it the end of May. I was still seeing the benefits of slightly lower BG. I wrote a post about it but as I recall it was an average of 76 vs 80.

      I did extensive testing but never reported it due to the complexity and ‘noise’ that you mention. Fat consumption being the biggest variable for me. I may write a post about it at some point but likely only after another round of PS and further testing.

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