By Barbara Bolen, PhD 

 Medically reviewed by Jonathan Purtell, RDN

Certain foods contain resistant starch—a type of starch that is resistant to digestion. This means it passes through the stomach and small intestine without being absorbed. It enters the large intestine where it ferments and supports healthy gut flora.

Typically when we think of starchy foods, we think of things like white bread and pasta. Unfortunately, these simple starches are rapidly digested, sending their sugars into your bloodstream, contributing to weight gain, and increasing your risk for diabetes and heart disease.1 Resistant starch, on the other hand, is a part of dietary fiber that has many health benefits.

This article discusses the health benefits of resistant starch and specific foods that contain resistant starch.

When resistant starches enter your large intestine, they are fermented by your gut bacteria which releases substances that are good for your health.

Health Benefits of Resistant Starch

Scientists have been looking into the health benefits of resistant starch. Specifically, they're exploring whether resistant starch might be beneficial for weight management and colon health.

Weight Management: Early research on the subject is beginning to show indications that perhaps eating foods that contain resistant starch can not only help people lose weight but also help offset the diseases that go along with weight gain, such as:2

• Cardiovascular disease

• Diabetes

• High cholesterol

• Metabolic syndrome

One of the ways resistant starch may help with weight loss is by decreasing appetite and increasing satiety (helping you feel full longer).3

Colon Health: Researchers are finding some evidence that may indicate eating foods that contain resistant starch might help to:4

• Prevent colon cancer

• Improve the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

• Serve as a prebiotic to encourage a healthy balance of gut flora5

• Protect against diverticulitis

Resistant starch increases the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate. It is thought that the SCFAs are responsible for the colon health benefits. However, not all resistant starches are equally capable of stimulating SCFA production so further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms and benefits associated with resistant starch and SCFAs.6

Diabetes Management: Preliminary research indicates resistant starch might help with:7

• Improving blood sugar control

• Improving insulin sensitivity (your cells' responsiveness to insulin)

• Increasing post-meal satiety

For all of these areas, however, more research is needed to confirm these potential health benefits.

How Much Resistant Starch Should You Be Eating?

Adults should consume about 15 grams of resistant starch daily. However, it is estimated that most Americans typically consume less than 5 grams per day.8 As you increase your intake, do it slowly to minimize the chances of experiencing unwanted gas and bloating.

If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), some of these foods are more IBS-friendly than others. Make note of the recommended portion sizes for certain foods if you have IBS.

Bananas

Bananas are a delicious source of resistant starch. They have the maximum amount of resistant starch when they are unripe—the content of resistant starch reduces as the banana ripens. If green (unripe) bananas don't appeal to you, you might tolerate the taste better if you place them in a smoothie.

Potatoes

Potatoes have their highest level of resistant starch when they are raw. But don't think you are doomed to eating uncooked spuds! You can also maximize your intake of resistant starch from potatoes if you allow them to cool before eating. 

Reheating the potatoes doesn't decrease the amount of resistant starch.9 You can also try adding sliced or cubed potatoes to a green salad for a tasty, cold option.

Rice

Similar to potatoes, cooked rice that has been cooled is higher in resistant starch than rice that was cooked and not cooled. When possible, cook your rice a day in advance and reheat it to maximize resistant starch.9

Levels of resistant starch are similar in white and brown rice. Options for eating cold rice include sushi or making a rice salad.

Oats

Optimizing your resistant starch intake from oats is a little tricky. Unfortunately, cooking the oats in water to make oatmeal diminishes the resistant starch content.

Rolled or steel-cut oats are the best sources of resistant starch. Ways to maximize the resistant starch content include:

• Preparing overnight oats: Combine oats with a liquid (water, milk, or milk alternative) and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy them cold for breakfast or as a snack.

• Eating muesli: To make this cold Swiss breakfast dish, combine oats, seeds, nuts, and dried fruit. Add milk or a milk alternative and eat like boxed cereal.

Plantains

Cooked plantains, a staple of many tropical diets, contain high levels of resistant starch. These high levels are found in both yellow and green plantains. If plantains are not a regular part of your diet, give them a try to see why they are popular in so many cultures.

Chickpeas

If chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are not a regular part of your diet, you may want to become acquainted with these nutritional powerhouses. They are a good source of dietary fiber, along with many important vitamins and minerals, and a good source of resistant starch.

No need to eat them raw! Cooked and/or canned chickpeas contain high levels of resistant starch. You can sprinkle chickpeas on salads, add them to soups, or enjoy them as a side dish or snack. 

If you have IBS, you will be pleased to know that canned chickpeas, well-rinsed, are considered to be low in FODMAPs, those carbohydrates that can contribute to IBS symptoms.10 Just keep your serving size to 1/4 cup.

Lentils

Cooked lentils are an excellent source of resistant starch. This is in addition to the fact that lentils serve as a wonderful source of plant-based protein. You can enjoy lentils in soups, salads, or side dishes.

Similar to chickpeas, lentils can be IBS-friendly (i.e., low-FODMAP) if they come from a can, are well-rinsed, and are limited to a 1/2 cup serving.

Bread

The various bread options offer varying levels of resistant starch. The types of bread with the most resistant starch include:11

• Pumpernickel bread

• Toasted Italian bread

• Sourdough bread12

If you have IBS, the above options may be a problem for you if you are reactive to either the FODMAP fructan or the protein gluten. Better high-resistant starch bread options for you include corn tortillas or artisanal sourdough bread (traditionally prepared).

Green Peas

Green peas, even when cooked, are a very good source of resistant starch. Enjoy your peas in soups or as an easy side dish. 

Unfortunately, green peas have been found to be high in the FODMAP GOS (galactans) and therefore may be problematic for people who have IBS.10

Beans

Most types of cooked and/or canned beans are good sources of resistant starch. However, the highest levels of resistant starch are found in white beans and kidney beans.9 Enjoy your beans in the soup, as a stand-alone side dish, or mixed with rice.

Beans are typically a high-FODMAP food and thus may contribute to digestive symptoms in people who have IBS.

Pearl Barley

Most recipes that use barley call for pearl barley (the outer husk has been removed). Pearl barley is a good source of resistant starch, as well as other important vitamins and minerals. Enjoy pearl barley in soups, pilafs, or salads.

Pearl barley is considered a high-FODMAP food because it contains higher levels of fructans and GOS.

Summary

Resistant starch is a type of starch that passes through the stomach and small intestine without being absorbed. It enters the large intestine where it supports a healthy gut by fermenting and feeding good bacteria.

Although more research is needed, resistant starch may have health benefits, such as weight management, improved colon health, and improved diabetes management. Numerous foods contain resistant starch that can be incorporated into your diet in appropriate amounts as tolerated.

Sources

Clemente-Suárez VJ, Mielgo-Ayuso J, Martín-Rodríguez A, et al. The Burden of Carbohydrates in Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2022 Sep 15;14(18):3809. doi: 10.3390/nu14183809

Higgins JA. Resistant starch and energy balance: impact on weight loss and maintenance. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(9):1158-66. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.629352

Sandberg JC, Björck IME, Nilsson AC. Effects of whole grain rye, with and without resistant starch type 2 supplementation, on glucose tolerance, gut hormones, inflammation and appetite regulation in an 11–14.5 hour perspective; a randomized controlled study in healthy subjects. Nutr J. 2017;16(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s12937-017-0246-5

Birt DF, Boylston T, Hendrich S, et al. Resistant starch: promise for improving human health. Adv Nutr. 2013;4(6):587-601. doi:10.3945/an.113.004325

Tekin T, Dincer E. Effect of resistant starch types as a prebiotic. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2023 Feb;107(2-3):491-515. doi: 10.1007/s00253-022-12325-y

Baxter NT, Schmidt AW, Venkataraman A, et al. Dynamics of Human Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Response to Dietary Interventions with Three Fermentable Fibers. mBio. 2019 Jan 29;10(1):e02566-18. doi: 10.1128/mBio.02566-18

Bojarczuk A, Skąpska S, Mousavi Khaneghah A, et al. Health benefits of resistant starch: A review of the literature. Journal of Functional Foods. 2022;93:105094. doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2022.105094

Miketinas DC, Shankar K, Maiya M, et al. Usual Dietary Intake of Resistant Starch in US Adults from NHANES 2015-2016. J Nutr. 2020 Oct 12;150(10):2738-2747. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa232

The Johns Hopkins Patient Guide To Diabetes. What is resistant starch?

Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL. Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients! World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771

Slavin JL. Carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and resistant starch in white vegetables: links to health outcomes. Adv Nutr. 2013 May 1;4(3):351S-5S. doi: 10.3945/an.112.003491

Demirkesen-Bicak H, Arici M, Yaman M, et al. Effect of Different Fermentation Condition on Estimated Glycemic Index, In Vitro Starch Digestibility, and Textural and Sensory Properties of Sourdough Bread. Foods. 2021 Mar 1;10(3):514. doi: 10.3390/foods10030514

Additional Reading

• Birt, D., et. al. "Resistant Starch: Promise for Improving Human Health" Advances in Nutrition 2013 4:587-601.

• Murphy, M., Douglass, J. & Birkett, A. "Resistant Starch Intakes in the United States" Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2008 108:67-78.

• Nugent, A. "Health properties of resistant starch" Nutrition Bulletin 2005 30:27-54.

• Tapsell, L. "Diet and metabolic syndrome: where does resistant starch fit in?" University of Wollongong Research Online 

By Barbara Bolen, PhD
Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome.