Benefits of Adding Resistant Starch To Your Diet
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| Tonight’s dinner is lentil rice salad served with a salmon burger. The rice in this salad was chilled after cooking and is an example of a resistant starch. |
Now that warmer weather is here, chilled foods usually make it onto the meal plan. And a chilled salad made with pasta, rice or potatoes may be healthier than you think. That’s because cooling starchy foods could give unexpected health benefits and reduce how many calories they contain.
When starchy foods are chilled after cooking, their chemical structure changes into “resistant starch” which is the portion of starch not digested in the small intestine. Instead, it is processed by microorganisms in the colon promoting a healthy microbiome which can enhance digestion to stabilize blood sugar levels and support the immune system.
As discussed in this RESEARCH REVIEW OF RESISTANT STARCH, instead of the normal four calories per gram of carbohydrate, you only digest about two calories from a recipe containing resistant starch. (Note: this research review reports fully digestible starch to be 4.2 calories per gram and resistant starch to range from 2.4-2.9 calories per gram). To use the Lentil Rice Salad Recipe presented below as an example, for a ½ cup of raw rice (close to 100 grams) you would only digest approximately 200 calories in this recipe, rather than 400 calories if the rice was served hot. Also, resistant starch has less impact on blood sugar levels, making it a good choice for those aiming to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Lentil Rice Salad Recipe
½ cup rice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup dried or canned lentils
1 cup water or broth
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1. Cook rice according to package instructions (For the lentil rice salad pictured above, I cooked the rice in the morning and chilled in the refrigerator before serving at dinner time).
2. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Option a) Stir in dried lentils. Add water (or broth) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not mushy. OR option b) Stir in canned lentils (drain and rinse first) with sauteed vegetables. Transfer lentils and vegetables to a large serving bowl. (I used option b for the lentil rice salad pictured above.)
3. Add red pepper and cooked rice to lentils & vegetables. Toss with Lemon Vinaigrette. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.
Lemon Vinaigrette
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon rind, finely grated
¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (juice of one lemon)
½ tsp dried Italian herb seasoning
¼ tsp salt
Place ingredients in a screw top container. Cover and shake well.
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Thanks for reading! For more articles on healthy living and nutrition, check out the sports nutrition and healthy living sections of the EOOC TABLE OF CONTENTS .
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Experiment of One Coaching covers topics ranging from running, strength training, health & wellness, sports nutrition to travel. I usually post once or twice a month.
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