Starchy foods are a no-go zone for most people because they are high in calories and cause weight gain. Over the years, people have learned to avoid foods with high carb content to manage their weight and stay healthy. However, not all starch is bad; for example, resistant starch. It provides food for the good gut bacteria, which benefits us in many ways. As a result, some people are increasing their resistant starch intake to help with improving gut health.
However, these benefits go beyond dietary because they can impact various body parts, including preventing various diseases. In addition, hydration drinks in Australia add resistant starch to improve rehydration. So without further ado, let’s look at more details on resistant starch and understand its benefits.
What is Resistant Starch?
Resistant starch is a type of starch that is indigestible in the small intestines. Instead, the starch fibres are deposited as food for good bacteria in the gut. Starches contain two polysaccharides; amylose and amylopectin. The intestines easily digest foods with high amylopectin content, while those high in amylose digest slowly. Resistant starch benefits are visible because of the higher amylase content.
Types of Resistant Starches
Type 1: These starches are available in slightly milled grains, seeds, and dense starchy foods. These starches have fibrous cells on the exterior, which inhibits digestion.
Type 2: This starch is in foods like raw potatoes and bananas. Due to its compactness, digestive enzymes cannot break it down fully.
Type 3: Type 3 starches are common in cooked and cooled foods like potatoes. When these foods cool down, some starches turn resistant.
Type 4: This last type of starch is found in cakes and bread and is chemically modified.
Resistant Starch Foods
- Rice and potatoes
- Barley and oats
- Plantains
- Green bananas
- Lentils
- Whole-grain cereal
- Baked beans
Benefits of Resistant Starch
Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Resistant starch helps the body improve its insulin response. A higher insulin sensitivity enhances the body’s ability to handle high blood sugar. This condition minimises the chances of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease or Alzheimer’s.
Helps in Weight Management
A higher resistant starch intake helps manage weight since it promotes rapid fat burning. In addition, resistant starch makes one feel satisfied, reducing the appetite for more calories.
Improved Digestion
Resistant starch can help treat irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and other gut-related issues. This is because it maximises the absorption of water to improve bowel movements. Moreover, improved gut health prevents and treats conditions like inflammatory bowel disease.
Boosts Heart Health
Resistant starch helps keep cholesterol levels low while improving blood sugar control. The starch fibres promote the growth of good gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids that provide these benefits. In addition, short-chain fatty acids largely regulate the sympathetic nervous system. As a result, it helps treat heart diseases caused by the overactive nervous system.
Improved Hydration
PREPD Hydration found a way to use resistant starch to maximise hydration with electrolyte drinks in Australia. Over the years, athletes have been using carb-loading to replenish their energy reserves for better performance. Unfortunately, this was never achievable for hydration. Besides, the human body lacks mechanisms to store excess water. The PREPD Prime and PREPD Recovery drinks use resistant starch to prime the gut for increased fluid absorption. The drinks offer hydration benefits before, during and after thorough workouts.
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PREPD Prime
PREPD Prime should be consumed 10 to 18 hours before a workout or sporting activity. It delivers a significant amount of the unique resistant starch formulation for the gut to unlock its hydration potential. Therefore, you can start working out while hydrated and maintain fluid absorption in the intestines, even during a heavy performance.
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PREPD Recover
PREPD Recover is a post-workout rehydration drink for after-workouts and competitions. This drink is low in sugar (hypotonic) and combines electrolytes to replace lost fluids and salts. The extra-resistant starch also promotes rehydration to keep you hydrated for the next 24 hours after an exercise.
How to Increase Resistant Starch Intake
While resistant starch is available in foods like legumes, cashews, oats and green bananas, electrolyte drinks in Australia are great supplements. PREPD Prime and PREPD Recover are two great sources of resistant starch. The science behind PREPD rehydration drinks uses a special resistant starch ingredient to increase water absorption.
As a result, athletes and people working out can stay hydrated over long periods while remaining energised. They also replenish lost electrolytes from a workout or performance. In addition, using PREPD hydration drinks over prolonged periods provides the nutrients for good bacteria to improve gut health.
With such benefits, this is the right time to consume foods rich in resistant starch. By introducing hydration drinks with resistant starch, athletes can stay hydrated for long hours to maintain peak performance.