Resistant Starch Carbs Help Weight Loss

Posted: Jan 29 in Weight Management Strategies by Dr. Lazarus

A decade after “carb” became a four-letter word, scientists unveil a Catch-22 breakthrough for dieters:

Carbs may actually help you lose weight.

“The Skinny Carbs Diet” is the result of a University of Colorado study, wherein a link between specific types of carbs (known as “resistant starch carbs”) and their potential to boost weight loss were put to the test. According to the study, “Starch can fall into one of three classifications: readily digestible, slowly digestible and resistant. The latter does not get absorbed in the small intestines. Starch foods that fall into the resistant category are only minimally digested. On a side note, any digestion that takes place is slow, which in turn results in a slow but steady release of glucose into the bloodstream.”

In short: If you stick to the resistant form of starch, you may feel full much longer…and be less inclined to eat between meals. Recommended sources of resistant starch carbs include sweet potatoes, beans, whole grain pasta, artichokes, yams, and quinoa. These carbs are only minimally digested, but the “full” feeling they deliver can go a long way toward helping you push away the plate.

According to Health magazine, the study of involved 4,451 participants. Participants who ate the most carbs (from whole grains, fruits and vegetables), remained slim throughout the duration, while the heaviest participants ate less starch resistant carbs.