RESISTANT STARCH FOODS

Note: This is a repost from my blog in 

September 2021. You can find resistant starch list in the index to the right, if you want to know more about them. A few days ago, t posted about carbs and dieting. I promised more about carbs so here is a follow-up. Have you ever heard of resistant starch foods? Possibly not. As with most things, there are carbs that are good for you and carbs that aren't so good for you. Think cookies, doughnuts, bagels, etc. These are not carbs you should be stuffing yourself with! Such carbs will not have a positive effect on your body! But there are RS foods (resistant starch foods), carbs, that you should be eating that will help you lose weight, keep weight off, control blood sugar, lower cholesterol and triglycerides, etc.

Resistant Starch may sound like a strange name but the name comes from the fact that RS foods resists digestion. RS doesn't get absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine like other foods therefore creating a chain reaction in the body that literally shrinks fat cells, preserves muscle and stokes metabolism. Yes, there are some foods that we don't want to be fully digested and absorbed into the body. We need foods that pass through our digestive system taking unwanted toxins, etc with them. Fiber is a good example. Fiber is important for passing through the digestive system and causing it to work properly. Think of RS foods in a similar manner.

You may be wondering if RS foods are exotic, expensive, etc. Good news! They are neither and you probably have them in your pantry right now. Some of the carbs highest in resistant starch are bananas, oatmeal, beans, even potatoes. Start eating resistant carbs at every meal and you will be surprised how quickly you will see your belly bloat disappear, start having more energy, drop some weight, etc.

More to follow in the next post.

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BUCKWHEAT

Many people think buckwheat is a cereal grain. Actually, it is a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel which makes it a suitable substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein gluten. Buckwheat is available as a gluten-free whole-grain flour.

Some of the health benefits of this healthy food are:

• Controlling cholesterol - Buckwheat's beneficial effects are due in part to its rich supply of flavonoids, particularly rutin. Flavonoids are phytonutrients that protect against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. Buckwheat's lipid-lowering activity is largely due to rutin and other flavonoid compounds. These compounds help maintain blood flow, keep platelets from clotting excessively (platelets are compounds in blood that, when triggered, clump together, thus preventing excessive blood loss, and protect LDL from free radical oxidation into potentially harmful cholesterol oxides. All these actions help to protect against heart disease.
• Keeping the cardiovascular system healthy.  Buckwheat also contains almost 86 milligrams of magnesium in a one-cup serving. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure.
• May contribute to the regulation of blood sugar.  Canadian researchers, publishing their findings in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry have found new evidence that buckwheat may be helpful in the management of diabetes.  Buckwheat is also a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including enzymes involved in the body's use of glucose and insulin secretion.
• Aids digestion.  Buckwheat has a high fiber content which helps to regulate bowels and moves toxins quickly and efficiently out of the body.  And this may help to prevent colon cancer.
• Buckwheat also has anti-inflammatory properties which our bodies always need.

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ANTIOXIDANTS EVERYDAY

As has been noted several times on this blog, antioxidants are vitally important to maintain a healthy body.  We know it is important to eat them every day and that is such a simple thing to do.  One of the easiest ways to add antioxidant-rich foods to your diet is to make a habit of adding berries such as blueberries, strawberries or raspberries to your morning cereal or oatmeal.  Fresh or frozen berries are fine so don't use the excuse that berries are out of season!

Another way to add antioxidants daily is to add a cup of fresh brewed tea, hot or iced, to your daily regimen.

There are many ways to add more antioxidants to your diet, but these are too of the really easy ones.

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OATS AND NUTS ARE IMPORTANT TO DIABETICS

Oats and nuts should play a major role in most diabetics' meal plan. That is not to say you have to eat loads of either. but to say they are important to controlling your blood sugar. Oats are easy to work into the diet through morning cereal, snack bars (watch sugar content), sugary toppings, etc. When you eat nuts, use the unsalted variety and do not smother them in candy coatings. Try to work a small portion of both into your diet often.

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BE A BAD HOST TO CANCER!

Integrative oncologist Donald Abrams, director of clinical programs for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, tells his patients by way of analogy that when it comes to cancer, you need to be a bad host!  "I tell them that cancer is a weed, you are the garden, and our job is to make your soil as inhospitable as possible to further growth and spread of the weed.  The first approach I take is through diet and nutrition."

I first saw this quote in 2011 but I continue to think we need to make our bodies a "bad host" to cancer. There are many short articles on this blog about diet and cancer, if you are interested.

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WHICH COFFEE ROAST IS MOST BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR HEALTH?

You may not give much thought to which coffee roast is the healthiest. After all we buy coffee for the flavor and yes, often the caffeine. Really, who bothers to think about such trivial things as how it was roasted, right? Actually, we should. According to a study a few years ago from the University of British Columbia, you should choose a medium-blend coffee for the most health benefits. Coffee beans have two types of antioxidants. Some are natural to the bean while others develop from a chemical reaction when they are roasted. As the beans darken, the amount of disease-fighters gradually decreases while the quantity of the antioxidants from the color change increases. Medium roast gives the best mix of both types of antioxidants, which is most likely to be most beneficial to the human body in different ways. Look for the words American, regular, or breakfast when choosing your coffee blend. 

This is one of the small ways we can give our bodies the most natural protection. If we learn to make small changes like this on a daily and routine basis, it is amazing how much our bodies can benefit without any big change in our lifestyles.

Note: This picture is not to support this particular brand but to show the roast on the front of the can.

BLUEBERRIES AND VITAMIN K

Did you know that eating a half cup of blueberries a day will give you approximately 20% of your daily requirement for Vitamin K.  Vitamin K helps to keep bones healthy and strong.  And the little blueberry is full of other great nutrition, too.  If you have osteoporosis or other bone problems, or you just want to work to prevent them, eat some blueberries several times a week, if not daily.

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OLIVE OIL FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Studies have shown that the high concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil seem to protect against joint inflammation.  The participants in one study who consumed approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil a day lessened their chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis by 60%.  If you suffer from RA, it might be worth it for you to add more olive oil to your diet.  Beware though that olive oil can be high in calories so use as a replacement for butter, etc. Don't be afraid of olive oil because of the fat content. Olive oil contains healthy fats your body needs.

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SOUP FOR A COLD?

Studies show that your mother was right!  Eating soup can reduce inflammation and help clear away mucous therefore easing the symptoms of colds and upper respiratory tract infections.  And, yes, when you don't feel well, you may not want to make homemade soup.  That is okay, too.  As we the public have become more attuned to how the foods we eat affect our bodies, the food manufacturers have come up with ways to keep our business!  After all, if they don't have us the consumers, they have no business!  You can now find soups with lower fat, lower sodium, organic, etc on the grocer's shelves.  Just be sure to read the labels!  And did you know you can also find soup in the freezer section?  The plus for frozen soups is that they usually contain much less sodium since they don't need it as a preservative.  Next time you are grocery shopping, check out the soups and purchase one or two to have on hand when needed. Broth based soups are better for this than rich creamy soups.

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CALORIES - AN UGLY WORD!!

Calories - what an ugly word. But remember, calories do count whether you count them or not. The only way to lose weight, and most diabetics should (me included!), is to use up more calories than you take it in. Sounds simple, doesn't it? It is simple, we just don't like doing it!!

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