I’m a fan of resistant starch in the form of Bob’s Red Mill Potato starch. If if you need assistance in maintaining normal blood sugars give it a try. This post concerns another diabetes and potato starch experiment.
- my experience has shown it can reduce fasting blood sugars
- also Potato Starch is an inexpensive, prebiotic… it’s a win/win :)
I am now into day 31 of my current diabetes and potato starch experiment, read this if you have no idea what I’m talking about, “My Personal Potato Starch And Diabetes Experiment“. Today, I discuss a recent experiment with a high carb food… white potato.
This post is NOT about eating ‘safe starches’. Get that forever out of your mind. People who think that it is… you are wrong. There are no ‘safe starches’ for diabetics.
Diabetes and Potato Starch
I’ve been eating (4) TBS of resistant starch for 31 days. For the last four days my Overnight Fasting Blood Sugar has been below 80 mg/dl. I was once on both drugs and insulin but I weaned off drugs and insulin years ago, way back in 2009.
Two of the most important purposed benefits of potato starch (a resistant starch) are improved insulin resistance & improved glucose processing. Potato starch is also a great and inexpensive prebiotic.
Today I tested these benefits, with a high carb food. A big ole tater. Before I get into the numbers of this test…
back on 11/5/13 I ate a ‘big ole tater’ and my blood sugar shot up to 264 mg/dl. … I was shocked it went that high to be honest.
What would my blood sugar be today? … let’s find out.
Potato Starch and Diabetes Test
I woke up this morning at 76 mg/dl, my 4th day in a row below 80 mg/dl.
I cooked the potato and then tested my blood sugar at Noon. I was 70 mg/dl.
After eating the potato, butter and sour cream, I began to work. I was sitting.
Thirty Minutes after I began eating I read 132 mg/dl … I wasn’t excited but I wasn’t disappointed either. I ate a lot of fat with the potato and often times when I test a high carb foods with a lot of fat, my blood sugar has continued going up well into the 2nd hour and even 3rd hour. So I was concerned not knowing where the blood sugar levels would go from here.
One Hour after eating. The last time I ate potato I read 264 mg/dl at the 1 hour mark.
This is an important point of the test. HOWEVER, even if my blood sugar is lower than 264 mg/dl … it could still continue to go higher later so there was still a lot of meat left on the bone… so to speak. :)
BAM! 163 mg/dl … 101 points lower than my previous Potato Experiment!!!!
HOWEVER as noted above, would my blood sugar continue to rise? Or begin it’s descent?
90 Minutes after eating. My blood sugar was on it’s way down!!! Woo HOO! 149 mg/dl. The 100 point ‘haircut’ appeared to be safe! :) Still, it was not a huge drop and due to high fat content, I have seen a double dip before heading up … so the test was still not over.
I tested a couple more times at 30 minute increments … my blood sugar continued a very slow decline. Not to belabor the point but this is to be expected given the high fat content of the meal.
Three Hours After Eating I had a 95 mg/dl, at this point the test is ‘done’. WooT! :)
Summing up the Potato Starch Test
So what can we glean from this ‘first of many’ tests of high carb foods?
I did improve my blood sugar by 101 mg/dl … I am EXCITED about that! 163 mg/dl is MUCH better than a 264 mg/dl.
I had no idea what to expect, I would have preferred a 120 mg/dl … that’s very unlikely but who knows what the future holds… I might just get there. :)
In closing, I have definitely seen enough here today to continue experimenting with resistant starch. I take Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch as Richard Nikoley suggested.
I know that potato, rice, yams and sweet potatoes raise my blood sugar, I’ve tested them before. There are no ‘safe starches’, THIS is about experimenting with ‘resistant starch’ and specifically Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch. :)
I want to THANK Richard Nikoley again for pushing the benefits of Resistant Starch, Here is his Primer.
Thank you for posting this. After reading Sir Nikoley’s info and subtle prodding on the subject and arriving here, I may well be testing RS myself.
You are welcome and thanks!!! … for the thanks. :)
Feel free to keep me updated!!! :)
what was your FBG on day 1 of your n=1 ?
How soon before you saw that your FBG was going down consistently ?
I’m on a similar diet like you BUT my FBG is @ 100. However, as the day progresses it lowers to 85. I been doing the RS N=1 too, second week for me. I have not experience yet the lowering of the FBG but “second meal effect” is just great even after eating carbs my BG stays under 100. Also, best BM so far I can remember. Unlucky for me the vivid dreams have not happen so far.
Did you start off with 4 tbs from day one or did you ease into it?
I jumped right in on day one with (4) TBS, not the wisest thing I’ve done… regarding the accompanying gas. :)
I did test (1) TBS and only received a small bounce in my Blood Sugar so I took (4) per day for several days.
Then (2) TBS at a time. Then (4) at a time and by that time, my body had adjusted and I had no BG bounce from even taking (4).
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m wondering if you have any idea as to what is happening during the adaption process. I can’t quite figure out why flatulence is no problem after adaption. Where is the gas then (post adaption)? No gas problems now?
Thanks for the question. There is so much I do not know about the process… from what I understand the gut bacteria become better at processing the fiber into SCFAs.
I am not a ‘details’ kind of guy. For example, I know we burn fat and produce ketones. I know that our liver produces all the glucose we need via gluconeogenesis. I know that insulin moves sugar from the blood stream.
I know that my N=1 verifies this… and that’s all “I” need to know.
Pre-PS/RS I was fully primal, no grains … nada. I rarely had gas and only had bowel movements 1-2 times a week. I ate very few soluble fibers… and even less insoluble. Having said that, I still do have gas … but I equate it roughly to pre-primal days.
My pre-primal days were almost 5 years ago … so I’m basing this on memory.
Hope this helps. :)
Have you thought about measuring ketones at night after you take the four tbps of raw potato starch? Maybe measure at two, four, six, eight, and ten hours? It would be incredibly interesting to see exactly how many ketones are being created.
I know others have tested ketones and have found potato starch to have no affect… if I remember correctly.
To be honest…
1) To me personally, I don’t care about ketones. I know that’s ‘all the rage’ these days but I measured and measured with the sticks when I first started but quit because I almost always had ‘small’ or ‘trace’.
I think ‘we’ make things too difficult and complex at times. Me? I just eat fatty meats and leafy veggies most of the time… and exercise intensely a several times a week. :)
2) I probably would have tested ketones … but I did not think about when I first started. I may begin to measure as I taper off the potato starch, I’m down to a bag and a half.
Thanks!
I would think it is adaptation of the gut flora to have more bacteria feeding off the resistant starch and less turning an excess carbohydrate into gas.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18616586 reports one such evolution in response to RS in the diet.
Great, thanks!
Wouldn’t more bacteria + more substrate = more gas? Each molecule of saccharide should produce 1 Co2 and 2 H’s no? I think there is something “magic” here, I just haven’t nailed it down yet. Steve, have you noticed if you need more tp now? (buttery stools?) heh, eww, I know, but still…
I haven’t dug into the science of all of this. I’ve read of the creation of SCFAs in the lower gut.
re:Stools – I have noticed more frequent stools, if anything maybe slightly more ‘sturdy’ stools. I’m going practically every day while before, I was having bowel movements 1-2 times a week.
daily BM for me. Bristol Chart Type 4 consistently. Best BM I have ever experience in the last 3 weeks since starting RS using BRM PS. A little less in quantity if no red meat the previous day BUT still way better than LCHF.
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