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Resistant Starch

Starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine and is fermented by colonic microbiota, producing short-chain fatty acids and acting functionally as a fiber.

Also: RS, RS1-RS5

Five types: RS1 (physically inaccessible, in whole grains), RS2 (granular, in raw potatoes and green bananas), RS3 (retrograded, in cooked-and-cooled starches), RS4 (chemically modified), RS5 (amylose-lipid complexes). Resistant starch lowers postprandial glycemia, improves insulin sensitivity, increases satiety, and may protect colon epithelium via butyrate. It is a key example of how processing modulates the physiological behavior of macronutrients.

How one textbook covers it

  • Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 12th ed. — Ch 3: Carbohydrates

    Five types: RS1 (physically inaccessible, in whole grains), RS2 (granular, in raw potatoes and green bananas), RS3 (retrograded, in cooked-and-cooled starches), RS4 (chemically modified), RS5 (amylose-lipid complexes). Resistant starch lowers postprandial glycemia, improves insulin sensitivity, increases satiety, and may protect colon epithelium via butyrate. It is a key example of how processing modulates the physiological behavior of macronutrients.

Related terms

Butyrate, Carbohydrate, Fiber, SCFA