RESISTANT STARCH FROM UNRIPE BANANA

What is starch & what are the different types of starches?

• Starch is mostly found in traditional staple foods such as cereal

grains, roots and tubers, legumes (beans, lentils and chickpeas), nuts
and seeds, and the many ingredients made from these that are
incorporated into our foods like breads, pasta’s, noodles, breakfast
cereals, cakes, biscuits, crackers and savoury snacks (e.g., corn chips,
potato crisps and pretzels to name a few)

• Starch provides our bodies with fuel such as glucose, plus dietary
fibre that provides bulk for laxation and importantly is also a fuel for
our gut microbiome

• Now there are three types of starches

- Rapidly Digestible Starch ( eg include processed flours & foods)

- Slowly Digestible Starch ( egs include raw grains , blended flours

etc)

- Resistant Starch ( found in certain fruits , tubers etc)

Resistant Starch

Resistant starch is a carbohydrate that resist digestion in

the small intestine and ferments in the large intestine. As
the fibers ferment they act as a prebiotic and feed the good
bacteria in the gut

Benefits of Resistant Starch

When starches are digested they typically break down into glucose. Because
resistant starch is not digested in the small intestine, it doesn’t raise glucose. Gut
health is improved as fermentation in the large intestine makes more good
bacteria and less bad bacteria in the gut. Healthy gut bacteria can improve
glycemic control. Other benefits of resistant starch include increased feeling of
fullness, treatment and prevention of constipation, decrease in cholestrol and
lower risk of colon cancer. Resistant starch is fermented slowly so it causes less gas
than other fibers.
There are 5 types of Resistant Starches identified
till present
Green Banana as a source for Resistant Starch

Unripe bananas contain mostly starch, which makes up 70–80%

of their dry weight

Much of that starch is resistant starch , which is not digested in

the small intestine. For that reason, it’s often classified
as dietary fiber.

However, bananas lose their starch as they ripen.

During ripening, the starch is converted into simple sugars
(sucrose, glucose, and fructose). Interestingly, ripe bananas
contain only 1% starch.
https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2018/04/09/Green-banana-flour-
A-powerful-new-tool-in-the-digestive-health-toolbox
Benefits of Green Banana Resistant Starch

• Proven effects on insulin sensitivity & blood sugar

• Better satiety ( hence helps in obesity & weight control)

• Also is pre-biotic , hence helps in improving the gut health

through the production of SCFA ( short chain fatty acid) that
tremendously boosts the good bacteria of the gut