The food you eat is usually just thought of as protein, carbohydrates and fats. But the reality is, that it’s much more complicated than that. The fats alone have a variety of different forms and end results. There are phytochemicals (plant compounds) found in whole foods, which can have a myriad of beneficial effects on the body. And of course there’s fiber as well. Or should we say prebiotics?
So what is the difference between fiber and prebiotics? That’s a great question as many experts are confused by this, because they are so similar. Both are indigestible to us, and make their way, more or less intact further on down the GI tract. When most people think of the term fiber, they think of a bulking physical action, which has its benefits. Prebiotics on the other hand conjure up the idea of feeding good bacteria. Both of these are true. But fibers also ferment, and prebiotics can also feed bad bacteria. The key is knowing which are best to feed your specific microbiome, at what dose and blended with which other prebiotics
Resistant starch is a crucial prebiotic which I’ve used to help many people over the years as the former head of medical education for a microbiome firm. And now with my own educational platform, I’m here to help everybody, and a part of that is informing you on the benefits of resistant starch.
So what is resistant starch and why should you care? It is a normal component of your food, however due to its structure, your gastrointestinal tract is not able to access the sugars within. The good news is that those sugars become fuel for your microbiome. The two recognized resistant starch consumers in the gut are Ruminococcus bromii and Bifidobacterium adolescentis. If you watch my free presentation entitled, “Resistant Starch and the Microbiome,” either on my website or on my YouTube channel, you’ll be seeing a lot of information on these two bacteria.
With their enzymatic machinery, they are readily able to liberate those sugars, and more importantly make them available for other health-promoting bacteria in a process called cross-feeding. These amazing bacteria have names you’ve likely never heard of before. Names like Eubacterium rectale, Roseburia, and Alistipes. These are not available as probiotics, but you can feed them to increase their abundance, and by extension, your overall health.
Although there are five different types of resistant starch, in reality, only two are relevant, types two and three. The most likely source of type three for you would be cooked and cooled potatoes, like in some kind of potato salad. The one I focus on is type two, which is readily available in supplement form, which is a very important feature, as those who are dysbiotic typically need supplementation to drive significant improvement.
For those with diarrhea and lacking certain beneficial bacteria, resistant starch is an excellent option. However, I never recommend only one prebiotic for a couple reasons. In addition, it’s important to take a therapeutic dose. There are a few options available to you to supplement your diet with resistant starch. They have slightly different characteristics and price points. All of which I cover in the presentation.
In our world as it is, we all now have to be our own health advocates. With a broken government, food and medical system, you need to take charge of your healthcare. So, educate yourself, as best you can. This is why I’ve launched my educational platform. For you. You can find my presentation entitled, “Resistant Starch and the Microbiome” in my Microbiome University tab, and also on my YouTube channel. If you have a condition or disease that you think would be well served by addressing your microbiome, you can visit the Protocols tab on my website, and for the mere price of a cup of coffee, you can find a science-based protocol which may dramatically improve your quality of life.
