Happy Monday friends – I've got a couple of things for you to take into the week and beyond to better your health.
Resistant starch and it's benefits
One of the most underrated and possibly overlooked nutrients for gut health is a type of carbohydrate known as resistant starch.
Resistant starch acts exactly as it goes by name: it resists digestion in the small intestine and makes it to the colon intact – and that's where the magic begins.
And once it reaches the colon, it becomes fuel for our existing gut bacteria to feed on.
Why is that beneficial? Gut bacteria ferment resistant starch and turn it into short-chain fatty acids which help immunity, strengthen the gut lining and reduce gut inflammation.
It also helps with blood sugar control, helping keep you fuller for longer and even potentially reducing cancer risk according to this study.
Alright, that's the sciencey bit out of the way.
The foods we should eat (the most important thing really) are below:
- Potatoes/rice that are cooked and cooled (this process generates this resistant starch)
- Green bananas (underripe)
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Oats
- Sorghum
Your mission: Start getting these into your diet more regularly (if you aren't already) to further bulletproof your gut.
If your overnight oats are looking sorry, read this
As you know, I love cooking my oats – but when I know I've got a busy morning, every minute counts (especially as a Dad)
Overnight oats are a pretty close second, and a very regular staple in my routine right now.
And as with cooked oats, there is a way to elevate them.
What is great about overnight oats as well is that if you're someone who has issues with digesting them, soaking them overnight in the form of overnight oats breaks down the starches and can potentially make them less heavy on the gut.
Here is my recent go-to for overnight oats which you should steal:
- Base of wholegrain rolled oats - I use an organic one from Flahavans, an Irish company
- Berries - blueberries and goji berries are a great go-to for antioxidant support and fibre
- Seeds - plenty of options here but hemp and chia are two I use regularly - Omega 3 fats in abundance plus minerals (zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium)
- Natural sweeteners - chopped dates or bananas fit the bill here
- Milk - if you're plant-based like me I like coconut milk (often fortified with calcium) but go with what you like
- Protein powder - add a scoop in there to ensure you're maintaning those gains
Note: if you're adding chia seeds, you might have to slightly increase the amount of milk as they can get quite thick!
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is your overnight oats gone from sad, sorry and basic – to nutrient-rich, great-tasting and quite frankly elite (if I may say so myself). See below:
Use both of these frameworks to improve your overnight oats game, and to supercharge your gut health by getting more resistant starch into your rotation.
As always, stay healthy!
Jeff