Resistant Starch & Blood Sugar
“Good blood glucose control is the single most important factor in preventing the chronic health complications associated with diabetes, and current research suggests that controlling blood glucose levels after meals is an important component of overall blood glucose management. The most common method used to minimize blood glucose levels after meals is to limit the amount of carbohydrate consumed at meals and snacks and to match the amount of carbohydrate eaten with a person’s medication and activity level. For many people, however, limiting the amount of carbohydrate in the diet can be difficult. This is where foods made with resistant starch may be helpful.”
-Belinda O'Connell, M.S. R.D., L.D.
Diabetes Self-Management magazine
The Stats1
47 million Americans (23.7%) have metabolic syndrome. Mexican-Americans have the highest incidence at 31.9%.
Insulin resistance and abdominal obesity are the underlying risk factors of metabolic syndrome.
20.1 million Americans (9.6%) have diabetes
14.7 million Americans (7.0%) have pre-diabetes
The Role of Resistant Starch
There is no doubt that diabetics benefit from controlling the release of glucose from foods.2 Recent research has shown that elevated blood glucose can also have health implications for non-diabetic individuals as well.
Metabolic syndrome, a combination of disorders characterized by elevated insulin levels (linked to the glucose concentration in the blood stream), elevated blood triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure and overweight, is a growing problem – particularly in developing economies. Insulin resistance and central adiposity are dominant underlying risk factors for this syndrome.
Resistant starch in foods helps healthy individuals maintain healthy blood sugar levels. It can also help diabetics manage their blood sugar levels.
The Positive Effects
Natural resistant starch helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels by:
Lowering the glycemic (blood sugar) and insulin response of foods when it replaces flour or other digestible carbohydrates in foods.
Increasing insulin sensitivity in healthy people and in individuals with metabolic syndrome, and in individuals with diabetes3
Decreasing the glycemic and/or insulin response of the next meal.4
1 “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2006 Update”, American Heart Association.
2 Brand – Miller J et al “The New Glucose Revolution: 3rd Ed. 2002
3 Robertson, 2003 (Diabetologia), Robertson, 2005 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition), Zhang, 2007 (Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine)
Johnston, 2010 (Diabetic Medicine), Penn-Marshall, 2010 (Journal of Medicinal Food).
4 Bringheti, 2006 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition), Robertson, 2003 (Diabetologia), Robertson, 2005 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) and Behall, 1989 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).