What is starch?
Starch is a type of carbohydrate. It gives us energy and is an important part of our every day diet. It is found in foods such as bread, pasta, pastry, potato, rice and pulses.
What is resistant starch?
Although most starch is completely digested and absorbed into our bodies, some is not. This is called resistant starch as it is resistant to digestion.
How might reducing my intake of resistant starch help my symptoms?
Resistant starch is fermented by bacteria naturally found in the large bowel. Gas is (naturally) produced as a result. If you have a sensitive bowel this fermentation can lead to symptoms such as wind, bloating and abdominal pain. It may also cause diarrhoea and constipation. Eating less resistant starch may help reduce these symptoms.
Which foods contain resistant starch?
Resistant starch occurs naturally in some foods e.g. whole grains, seeds, legumes, sweetcorn, green bananas. It can also be formed when food is processed, cooked, cooled or re-heated.
The table below lists foods high and low in resistant starch. We recommend you avoid foods high in resistant starch for four weeks, choosing alternative foods low in resistant starch instead. During this time it may be helpful to keep a food and symptom diary.
|
Food type |
Foods high in resistant starch |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch |
|---|---|---|
|
Food type Breads and flour products |
Foods high in resistant starch
Part baked and reheated breads e.g. garlic bread, pizza base Toast Croissants Pastries Pastry e.g. quiche, pies, pasties Crackers Rye bread |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch All types of fresh breads |
|
Food type Pasta |
Foods high in resistant starch
Dried pasta Cooled or reheated pasta Ready meals and reheated meals containing pasta, e.g. macaroni cheese, lasagne, spaghetti bolognaise Pasta salad |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch Fresh pasta (freshly cooked and hot) |
|
Food type Potatoes |
Foods high in resistant starch
Cooled, undercooked or reheated potato Potato salad Instant mash potato Ready meals containing potatoes e.g. shepherds pie Processed potato e.g. instant mashed potato, potato salad, potato waffles, ready made oven chips, fish and chip shop chips, potato crisps |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch Freshly cooked hot potatoes e.g. baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, mashed potato Freshly cooked homemade potato chips |
|
Food type Rice |
Foods high in resistant starch
Savoury packet rice, Fried rice Cooled, undercooked or reheated rice |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch Freshly cooked, hot boiled or steamed rice Rice cakes, Rice crackers |
|
Food type Breakfast cereals |
Foods high in resistant starch
Muesli, Wholegrain cereals Granola |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch Puffed rice cereal, Cornflakes, Porridge |
|
Food type Cakes and Biscuits |
Foods high in resistant starch
Manufactured sweet or savoury cakes & biscuits in which modified starches and potato starch have been used. |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch Home made cakes & biscuits |
|
Food type Fruit, Vegetables and Pulses |
Foods high in resistant starch
Green (unripe) bananas Peas, Sweetcorn, Pulses, Lentils All types of beans (except green beans) e.g. kidney beans, |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch All other fruits All other vegetables |
|
Food type |
Foods high in resistant starch |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch Alternative foods low in resistant starch |
|
Food type Miscellaneous |
Foods high in resistant starch
Nuts, Seeds Ready made, packet or ‘cook in’ sauces Tinned or packet soups Savoury snacks Take away food Hummus Corn based snacks e.g. corn crisps |
Alternative foods low in resistant starch Home made soups and sauces Water biscuits/ crackers without modified starches. |
Reintroduction of foods higher in resistant starch
If your symptoms have improved after four weeks of following a diet low in resistant starch you may find that you can gradually reintroduce some of the foods high in resistant starch back into your diet. The amount of resistant starch people are able to tolerate before provoking symptoms varies between individuals. The aim is to identify a type and quantity of resistant starch that you can tolerate comfortably without a return of your symptoms.
Reintroduce one food high in resistant starch at a time.
- Have each food once a day on two consecutive days in a portion size you would normally eat.
- If your symptoms return when you eat a food, try it in a smaller portion size for a further two days. If you continue to have symptoms with this food in a smaller portion size, avoid this and wait until you feel better before introducing another new food.
- If your symptoms do not return on reintroducing a food, go on to test another food.
- Continue until you have tried reintroducing all foods high in resistant starch, keeping a food and symptom diary throughout.
If you are unable to tolerate any foods high in resistant starch please continue to eat foods low in resistant starch until your next appointment with your dietitian.
Dietitian contact details
Name:
Telephone: 01223 216 655
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