No doubt: insight into the best ways to manage our prebiotic fiber intake is an evolving process.
Those of you who have been following these Wheat Belly conversations for some time recognize that we view bowel flora, the 3-pound or so collection of trillions of microorganisms concentrated in the colon, as a crucial player in human health. The species composition and relative numbers within each species play roles in bowel health, regularity, protection from colorectal cancer, even yielding metabolites that have metabolic impact on our bodies and modulate, for instance, blood insulin, blood sugar, triglycerides, and blood pressure. There is even discussion about a “gut-brain” axis that reflects the profound effect bowel flora metabolites exert on brain health.
And we all begin with various degrees of dysbiosis given our prior exposure to the many factors in modern life that modify species composition, such as occasional antibiotics, antibiotic residues in meats and dairy, chlorinated/fluoridated water, wheat and grain consumption, and many others. To help you understand the process we go through to re-establish something close to healthy bowel flora, we view our bowel flora as a garden. The “seeds” are high-potency probiotic preparations with as high a CFU count and as many species believed to be healthy as possible, while the “water” and “fertilizer” are prebiotic fibers that nourish healthy species and promote their proliferation. Wisdom in both areas, probiotics and prebiotic fibers, are evolving rapidly. We could, of course, wait 20 years until much of the science has been clarified. But I don’t think that is necessary—we can start now. Even with the limited knowledge we now have, it is still possible to obtain substantial health benefits by adopting a rational program for bowel flora cultivation.
In particular, there are some important lessons surrounding prebiotic fibers that you should know about to help maximize your chances of success:
- Vary your choice of prebiotics–Over and over again, the studies point towards species diversity—having many different bacterial species—is a marker for health. Slender people have greater species diversity than obese people. Non-diabetics have greater species diversity than diabetics. People without cancer have greater species diversity than people with cancer. Primitive people unexposed to modern disruptive factors have greater species diversity than modern people. Because different prebiotics feed different species, we cultivate species diversity by varying our choices of prebiotic fibers: inulin one day, GOS the next, a raw white potato the next, a green unripe banana, the next, etc.
- Avoid carbohydrate overexposure—Raw unmodified potato starch and green banana flour are, unfortunately, dehydrated at a temperature of 140 degrees F, a temperature high enough to degrade nearly 50% of fibers into sugars. While such flours do indeed contain prebiotic fibers, they also expose you to lots of sugars. So use these very sparingly, e.g., no more than 1-2 tablespoons.
- Heat—While heat degrades the fibers in potatoes and bananas, inulin (longer chain) and FOS (shorter chain) are the exceptions and are more resistant to degradation from heat. Inulin and FOS even remain intact at the temperature of boiling water (212 degrees F, 100 degrees C), meaning you can add it to coffee or tea without converting to sugar. (For this reason, you can use the Wheat-Free Market Virtue Prebiotic Mix made with inulin to create hot cocoa without degrading the fibers.) Just be careful in very acidic liquids, such as lemon juice or vinegar, as an acid pH can, more than heat, break fibers down into sugar.
- Aim for a total daily prebiotic fiber intake of 20 grams per day—The average person obtains between 5 and 8 grams per day, 3-4 grams of which are from grains. Measurable benefits begin at 8 grams per day. We banish all grains from our diets, leaving us with a small deficit. We therefore compensate and increase to the ideal daily intake of 20 grams per day for full benefit. At the start, however, aim for no more than 10 grams per day to avoid excessive bloating, abdominal discomfort, or emotional effects, as prebiotics can also cause proliferation of unhealthy microbial species. (This is why we also begin the Wheat Belly process with a high-potency probiotic to encourage proliferation of healthy species.)
- If you follow all of the above, but are still experiencing excessive bloating, discomfort, or emotional effects—stop the prebiotic fibers while continuing the probiotic. This means you start with a substantial dysbiosis and prebiotic fibers are causing unhealthy species to proliferate. An initial simple workaround: continue the probiotic for another 4 weeks, then re-attempt the prebiotic fiber. This often works, allowing more time for the probiotic alone to cause shifts in bowel flora composition. If even this 4-week probiotic-only period does not allow you to resume the prebiotic, then it is time to seek help. You will likely have to either engage in a FODMAPS program for several months to essentially starve bowel flora and/or antibiotics to wipe the bowel flora “slate” clean.
I attended a recent conference on the emerging science behind bowel flora. But, even here among the experts, there was no agreement—actually very little discussion—about the nuts and bolts on how to best cultivate healthy bowel flora. So we are left with using logic and applying existing knowledge to crafting a program. But, given the thousands of people engaged in this process, it is working with reductions in blood pressure, blood sugar, better bowel habits, and improved mental/emotional states.
What about Plexus? The Slim program has helped my daughters so very much. (They have fibromyalgia and PCOS,, the latter seeming to be genetic in my family, though I do not have it). We would like to know WHY it works so well with hormone issues and HOW it levels blood glucose—without the wheatbelly–or ANY–diet.
Toni wrote: «What about Plexus? The Slim program has helped my daughters so very much.»
I suspect that for someone following Wheat Belly, that product provides no extra benefit.
«They have fibromyalgia and PCOS…»
You can search this blog on either of those. You’ll see, for example, several reports of relief from PCOS symptoms. Dr. Davis has said: “Grains are potent endocrine disrupters explaining why women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS, are much worse with grain consumption…”
«WHY it works so well…»
That would be hard to say. Considering some independent reviews of the product, it appears that Plexus reformulates on a regular basis. I wouldn’t know where to begin on speculating about the effects of the various ingredients (which, by the way, currently appear to be harmless except to your pocket book – if we assume that the green coffee bean extract is the key ingredient, you can get that for ⅓ the price in non-MLM products).
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Bob,
It has been many days since I last wrote to you on Apr 9 under the post titled AM I TOO SKINNY ?, but here I am again.
You asked about several unanswered questions.
1. My reference info is WB book 2011, this blog ( I learned about carb counting and gut flora and prebiotics on this blog ), and some other interviews with Davis that I have read elsewhere. Don’t worry about annoying me with any advice or questions ( repetition aids my learning ) – I am pursuing this whole affair because I know that I am uninformed and I must learn from someone. I am quite glad that y’all are making the effort to help me (and others).
2. I have not had thyroid assessment. My wife says that my lack of weight gain over last 45 years , in spite of a large appetite, may be an indication of some thyroid issue.
3. Our probiotics have been yogurt and kefir, almost consistent for the last few months.
4. Our prebiotics have been green bananas, unsweetened chocolate (cacao powder), lentils and beans. The last two we have abandoned after investigating the carb content about a month ago. Prebiotics have been irregular most of the time.
5. From early March until 2 weeks ago I was taking liposomal spray for vit D. Now I am relying on sunlight since I have been working outside for at least 4 hours daily for over 5 years.
6. For Omega 3 DHA EPA I have flax seeds almost daily for last 3 months, 4 homegrown eggs daily for at least a year, tossed salad almost daily, and for the last month we have taken fish oil pills daily.
7. We have no pre-existing medical conditions or medications.
Regarding that supper and lunch I had mentioned that caused the rise in blood sugar — we re-examined the carbs and found both meals to be over 20 per person.
We would also ask for a recommendation for a source of carb quantities for various foods. Tonight when my wife looked around to find the carb count for an acorn squash, she found about 10 sources that listed one cup of acorn squash as containing anywhere from 10 to 55 carbs.
John H. wrote: «…My reference info is WB book 2011, this blog ( I learned about carb counting and gut flora and prebiotics on this blog )…»
The original book didn’t discuss gut flora at all, and the net carb rules weren’t prominent. Wheat Belly Total Health is the current comprehensive reference, but as you’ve discovered, you can learn at lot from the available web resources.
«I have not had thyroid assessment. My wife says that my lack of weight gain over last 45 years, in spite of a large appetite, may be an indication of some thyroid issue.»
Considering how pervasive hypothyroid is (and perhaps a chance of hyperthyroid in this case), a proper assessment is always worthwhile. See:
https://drdavisinfinitehealth.com/2015/04/thyroid-tune-up-update1/
«Our probiotics have been yogurt and kefir, almost consistent for the last few months.»
Commercial or home made? The beneficial bacteria in commercial products are too few CFUs of too few strains, often all dead. With home made, there are usually too few strains.
«Our prebiotics have been green bananas…»
Vary that over time from other sources, at 20 grams/day, and as you’ve become aware, within net carb guidelines on the “limited” sources. I might add that a US$25 blood glucose meter can be a handy tool for evaluating carb and fiber sources.
«From early March until 2 weeks ago I was taking liposomal spray for vit D.»
Do you have any estimate for what dose was being absorbed?
«Now I am relying on sunlight since I have been working outside for at least 4 hours daily for over 5 years.»
At your likely age (based on your remark above), and your latitude (no guess on that), I’m wondering if you can reach the desired titer from sun exposure alone. You’d need to get tested to be sure.
«For Omega 3 DHA EPA I have flax seeds almost daily for last 3 months, 4 homegrown eggs daily for at least a year, tossed salad almost daily, and for the last month we have taken fish oil pills daily.»
As you may be figured out now, flax Omega 3 is all ALA – no DHA or EPA. With eggs, the ω3 DHA & EPA content is going to depend on what they eat. Without testing the eggs, it’s hard to know if it’s a useful amount. We also have chickens, but don’t rely on their eggs for DHA & EPA.
«We would also ask for a recommendation for a source of carb quantities for various foods.»
I usually use nutritiondata dot self dot com (with portion size set to 100 grams, so that the breakdowns are more or less direct percentages), but keep in mind the limitation of that reference. Using a glucometer to measure actual BG response can provide welcome clarity.
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I use green banana and do not use other types of prebiotic at the time for lack of money , because to use the raw potato , it must be organic, at least here in Brazil that rather uses the pesticide . my gut eg when using other fibers and feel the difference in time when not use. As for Probiotic I intend to consume because I need to heal my intestinal flora. It is missing lactobacilli and other beneficial bacteria. I thank Dr. Davis for bringing medical information to ordinary people.
“Another nutrition blogger has a less charitable opinion on why Freelee’s diet appears to work for her, and it hasn’t anything to do with what’s going into her mouth.”
Sorry. I’ll have you know I wasn’t serious at all. It was more of a mockery statement than anything. I think her diet and diet advice is ridiculous.
J wrote: «I’ll have you know I wasn’t serious at all.»
That was my assumption, But I wasn’t sure everyone else would read it that way, on the general observation that sarcasm doesn’t work on the internet ☺
«I think her diet and diet advice is ridiculous.»
Perhaps even more dangerous than the USDA diet, if such a thing can be imagined.
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“kidney beans (limited),”
But Freelee the Banana Girl says to “Carb the f— up”
J wrote: «But Freelee the Banana Girl says…»
To possibly forestall another fruitless discussion of Freelee, this search string finds all the back traffic about her on this blog:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=freelee&as_sitesearch=wheatbellyblog.com
Another nutrition blogger has a less charitable opinion on why Freelee’s diet appears to work for her, and it hasn’t anything to do with what’s going into her mouth.
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More about banana girl:
http://anthonycolpo.com/the-ugly-truth-about-harley-durianrider-johnstone/
Just a question concerning the fiber mixed with acidic liquids. I usually eat a salad with a vinegar and oil based dressing at noon. I always sprinkle some fiber (acacia, inulin, psyllium, flax meal) over the salad for extra fibre. Is this acidity from the vinegar in de dressing going to convert the fibre to sugar? What about the fibres in the veggies? Would they also be converted into sugar if one uses a vinegar based dressing ?
Taking this to another question. What if one uses baking soda and ACV in a baking recipe that also includes fibre? Would love to get some more information on this.
Sofie wrote: «Just a question concerning the fiber mixed with acidic liquids.»
I suspect we all have a question on that, and until more is known, the way to resolve it is via postprandial blood glucose measurement (compared to fasting BG). No rise = no problem.
«I always sprinkle some fiber (acacia, inulin, psyllium, flax meal) over the salad for extra fibre.…»
Psyllium and flax meal have not so far appeared in any of Dr. Davis’ recommendations for prebiotic fiber sources.
In the case of psyllium, this may be because this powder is 11% insoluble fiber (roughage), that just provides bulk, does not feed the microbiota, and may be an intestinal irritant if used chronically.
Flax meal is 28% “dietary fiber”, but I’ve so far been unable to discover what fraction of that is soluble/prebiotic vs. insoluble/roughage. This might be another case of too much roughage at useful levels of prebiotic. With ground flax, do mind the expiry date, and keep it refrigerated until consumed, as the oils oxidize.
«What if one uses baking soda and ACV in a baking recipe that also includes fibre?»
That raises two problems, and exacerbates one of them.
1. heating many prebiotic fibers converts them to sugars
2. heat and acid accelerates any acidic reaction
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Thank you so much Bob!
I was changing my pre-biotics (RS and inulin) weekly. Was this ineffective? Should I go into a daily relay? Am I doomed?
palo wrote: «I was changing my pre-biotics (RS and inulin) weekly. Was this ineffective?»
For some perspective, consider what contemporary H-G cultures do today, which presumably is similar to what they have always done: they may pay no particular attention to rotation. They wouldn’t even know what we are talking about.
They gather what’s available, which changes seasonally and nomadically, and probably consume a variety every day, perhaps some days none, maybe even none for stretches of days after an ample kill (then perhaps getting equivalent resistant material from animal parts that most of us don’t eat). They might even store some root crops that can tolerate that. These folks are of course topping off their gut bugs daily, via casual hygiene (including the soil residue on the crops).
What can we learn from all this?
That we have a lot to learn.
«Should I go into a daily relay? Am I doomed?»
My guess is that Dr. Davis has some suspicions behind his suggestion for daily, not yet supported by satisfactory science. But you are not doomed. By paying any attention to your microbiome, you are decades ahead of your neighbors who aren’t (and who are also likely assaulting their microbiomes with meds, gratuitous topical/oral/ingredient antibiotics, and gut-hostile food-like substances, such as, oh, wheat).
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Bob, whole I am well aware that heating potato starch turns it from a resistant starch to an available starch, I had no idea the manufacturing process involved temps high enough to cause this problem. I don’t think this is well known.
Linda Duffy wrote: «…I had no idea the manufacturing process involved temps high enough to cause this problem.»
That appears to be the case with green banana flour (and I suspect green plantain flour)so far tested.
The recommended prebiotics, such as Bob’s Red Mill Unmodified Potato Starch are so far OK, but because manufacturers aren’t necessarily aiming these products at microbiome-focused consumers, they might at any time change their process and introduce either accidental or deliberate heating (e.g. drying).
So, periodic checking with a glucometer is not being paranoid.
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Bob’s Red Mill is what I was using and yes, it does cause a meter spike. Apparently I am not the only one noticing this.
Linda Duffy wrote: «Bob’s Red Mill is what I was using and yes, it does cause a meter spike.»
How prepared (if at all) and served? And what else is in the meal?
I’ll dig out our glucometer the next time I use that product (I think we’re on another brand at the moment, due to not finding any BRM when last shopping for it).
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Simply mixed with some cashew milk, a splash of cream, some ice and sugar-free sweetener.
Linda Duffy wrote: {on Bobs’ Red Mill Unmodified Raw Potato Starch spiking BG}
«Simply mixed with some cashew milk, a splash of cream, some ice and sugar-free sweetener.»
Since an elimination and re-challenge is what I plan to do, have you tested this recipe for BG response with and without the BRM RPS?
Is that a commercial cashew milk, or home made? The commercial sweetened milks contain a lot of sugar, as I’m sure you know, and consequently I doubt that’s what you are using. The unsweetened variants have very low net carbs, due to having almost zero cashew content (but they are loaded with all sorts of toxic junk). Home made might be expected to contain a credible amount of cashew, and cashews can pose a net carb issue.
Cream will present lactose, but the amount obviously matters.
Which SF sweetener? Some, like xylitol, are not truly zero GI.
So the BG effect can be evaluated by elimination trial, or by analysis, or both.
The effect might well be real, and may or may not be idiosyncratic (unique to a few individuals). If it’s real, the world needs to know. If it’s happening to everyone, someone needs to chat up Bob.
I’m not that Bob, but I do want to know.
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There is ZERO sugar in my cashew milk. The sweetener is erythritol. I’ve used these items in other dishes without the modified potato starch and have had no upward move on my glucose monitor. This leads me to the conclusion that it is, in fact, the modified potato starch that is the issue and not any of the other ingredients.
Linda Duffy wrote: «This leads me to the conclusion that it is, in fact, the modified potato starch that is the issue and not any of the other ingredients.»
Did you mean to say “UNmodified”?
Bob’s Red Mill (BRM) Potato Starch product says Unmodified on the package front.
Modified PS is a completely different thing, and BRM doesn’t sell any.
BRM does sell Potato Flakes and Potato Flour, and I’d bet they provoke BG.
But I’m guessing that you are using BRM Unmodified RPS.
With RPS, a key question is how it was dehydrated and then how it was converted to powder: simple heating, low-temp dehydration, solar, freeze-dry. Grinding could introduce mechanical heating.
I’m not at all confident that any random RPS on the market hasn’t been overheated one way or another. With BRM’s product, given that they seem to be unaware of a major appeal of the product, I’m concerned that at any time they could change how they make it, and wreck it as a prebiotic. So reports like yours need investigation (after gaining clarity on the exact scenario).
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Typo…. it’s UNMODIFIED
Linda Duffy wrote: «Typo…. it’s UNMODIFIED»
What was the measured spike, by the way, and how often have you seen it?
One big problem in sleuthing out these matters is that home BG testers are not as accurate and repeatable as we might like. The current FDA standard allows for a home tester to be as much as 20% off from a lab test, and even two measurements taken simultaneously can differ by 10-15%. A spike of say, 10 mg/dL, may or may not be real. A spike of 20 or more; that’s more likely to have detected a real shift.
What this means is that to nail down a culprit, one elimination/rechallenge test of a recipe without/with the suspect ingredient may not suffice. We need to repeat the trial a few times and average the results.
There was an FDA proposal in 2014 to improve the accuracy of home BG meters, but it doesn’t so far seem to have gone anywhere. Individual brands, of course, are presumably at liberty to improve their products, and promote them to customers seeking more reliable numbers.
In the relatively near future, inexpensive wearable patch-like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) that report to a phone app are going to be the tool of choice for this. CGMs exist today, but are not inexpensive.
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It was a 40 pt spike on 2 tbsp. Retested several times. Spike lowered with a smaller dose.
Even if my meter isn’t that accurate, it’s still too much of a jump.
Linda Duffy wrote: «It was a 40 pt spike on 2 tbsp. Retested several times. Spike lowered with a smaller dose.»
That looks like a significant and reliable result.
«Even if my meter isn’t that accurate, it’s still too much of a jump.»
Agreed.
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“Raw unmodified potato starch and green banana flour are, unfortunately, dehydrated at a temperature of 140 degrees F, a temperature high enough to degrade nearly 50% of fibers into sugars. While such flours do indeed contain prebiotic fibers, they also expose you to lots of sugars.”
Well this explains why some of us are having blood sugar spikes when using the potato starch. I will be ditching it and replacing it with inulin.
Linda Duffy wrote: «Well this {heat} explains why some of us are having blood sugar spikes when using the potato starch.»
That’s the difference between raw potato starch and cooked potato starch, which from either a net carb or microbiome perspective might as well be different foods from different planets. The heating issue has long been known or suspected, but having specific temperature advice is useful.
«I will be ditching it and replacing it with inulin.»
Also take note of the:
“Just be careful in very acidic liquids, such as lemon juice or vinegar, as an acid pH can, more than heat, break fibers down into sugar.”
Awareness of the issue of exposure to acid prior to ingestion may be more recent. A user on the Cureality forum reported a BG spike traced to this effect with inulin.
It was asked recently; well what about stomach acid? Good question.
Our ancestors (and surviving hunter-gatherer cultures today) would get their prebiotic fibers from consuming whole or minimally processed root crops, and not as powders. Whole and fragmented/crushed foods might transit to the lower intestine before the resistant starches could be depolymerized to any great degree. This does suggest that with finely divided prebiotic fibers, consuming them early in the meal, or with fats, might minimize any BG effects.
In any case, the glucometer is the final authority.
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If I now have regular bowel movements after taking a 50 billion probiotic for 3 months after my last round of antibiotics, does this mean that candida overgrowth is gone? I have been WB for almost 2 years and know that after all the antibiotics I have taken over the years I may have to continue the probiotics for a long time, and that’s okay. I don’t seem to need the prebiotics at this time.
Barbara P. Ulvestad wrote: «If I now have regular bowel movements after taking a 50 billion probiotic for 3 months after my last round of antibiotics, does this mean that candida overgrowth is gone?»
Not being any sort of expert on this, I doubt that improved motility status is dispositive on the matter. It would need to be confirmed by whatever tests are used to diagnose candidiasis, perhaps a culture.
I’m also wondering what you’ve been doing for gut flora in addition to the probiotic. I suspect that dietary prebiotic fiber, essential for restoring a balanced microbiome, needs to be increased with some care, to prevent fostering candida.
What probiotic was used, by the way? And what other supplements (and meds, if any) are in use?
«I don’t seem to need the prebiotics at this time.»
It’s not harmful to continue them, and if you haven’t ramped up to 20 grams of prebiotic fiber daily, I’d suggest looking into doing so while optimizing fiber intake.
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Renew Life 50 billion probiotic and all the supplements that Dr. Davis recommends in Total Health. I eat some protein every day, and a lot of greens, peppers, etc. along with olive oil. coconut oil, Kerrygold butter and cocoa butter. I don’t make any of the breads very often; don’t like to bake. I do eat fat bombs every day. I have tried inulin and Renew Life Clear Fiber; even the smallest dose seems to upset my stomach at this time, so will just continue the probiotic since it seems to do the job.
Barbara Ulvestad wrote: «Renew Life 50 billion greens, peppers, etc. along with olive oil. coconut oil, Kerrygold butter and cocoa butter. I do eat fat bombs every day.»
Sounds great.
«I have tried inulin and Renew Life Clear Fiber; even the smallest dose seems to upset my stomach at this time, …»
Interesting. The RLCF is acacia. Because two different prebiotic fibers have this effect, it suggests that the candida (or its complications) are not completely resolved, but only specific testing can nail that down.
You might cautiously try some of the other WB suggested prebiotic fiber sources, such as:
Ѯ bananas (green, whole),
Ѯ chickpeas (limited),
Ѯ FOS (fructooligosaccharide),
Ѯ GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides),
Ѯ green peas (limited),
Ѯ hummus (limited),
Ѯ IMO (Isomalto-oligosaccharides),
Ѯ kidney beans (limited),
Ѯ lima beans (limited),
Ѯ lentils (limited),
Ѯ PGX,
Ѯ plantains (green, whole),
Ѯ potato, raw (whole peeled or unmodified starch), and
Ѯ Prebiotin
Notice that the legumes (beans) are “limited”, due to their tendency to provoke blood sugar. You may not be able to get 20 grams prebiotic fiber from these without busting the meal’s net carb budget.
I suspect that in the future, the indication for FMT (presently limited to C.Diff in the US) may be expanded to include candida.
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There is no reason to suggest raw potato over potato starch. Here’s a list of resistant starch in foods:
https://freetheanimal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Resistant-Starch-in-Foods.pdf
Cooked and cooled potatoes have 19.2 grams of resistant starch per 100 grams of potato. Bob’s Red Mill potato starch has between 67-79 grams of resistant starch per 100 grams of potato (per the cited document), and some people say even a higher percentage:
“That being said, you can add resistant starch to your diet without adding any digestible carbohydrates. For this purpose, many people have recommended (and are getting good results with) Bob’s Red Mill Raw Potato Starch.
Raw potato starch contains about 8 grams of resistant starch per tablespoon and almost no usable carbohydrate. It’s very cheap too.”
https://authoritynutrition.com/resistant-starch-101/
As for the amount of resistant starch in raw potato, I cannot find that. If you find it, let me know.
Personally, I use Bob’s Red Mill potato starch, green plantains, and potatoes (either raw or cooked by heating and cooling and reheating). I’ve also started using some other prebiotics. However, just by eating a ton of different fermented foods (no probiotics in pill form), and prebiotics, I’ve almost cured any dysbiosis. I still have some minor effects, so I’m going to try pill probiotics to see what happens. I personally think we should get all of our probiotics and prebiotics from real food, so once I feel I’ve cured what little dybiosis I still have, I’m going to switch to food and fermented foods only (no Bob’s potato starch).
BobM wrote: «There is no reason to suggest raw potato over potato starch.»
Actually, there is. For someone with a BG response to the starch, whole raw potato (well, the chewed fragments of it, anyway) are more likely to transit the upper intestine largely intact, and thus less likely to have any BG effect at all.
«Here’s a list of resistant starch in foods:»
That chart is a great place to start for candidate sources of prebotic fibers, but it has some limitations. The method_A data is going to vary with specific cultivars, brands, preparation and what else is consumed with the fiber. The method_B data is hypothetical (plus the considerations for method_A).
The final authority is postprandial BG response, which is what triggered the discussion above.
«Cooked and cooled potatoes have 19.2 grams of resistant starch per 100 grams of potato.»
Be aware that cooling often re-polyermizes only 10-15% of the simple sugars released by cooking.
«However, just by eating a ton of different fermented foods (no probiotics in pill form), and prebiotics, I’ve almost cured any dysbiosis. I still have some minor effects, so I’m going to try pill probiotics to see what happens.»
The big thing that quality probiotics bring to the game is diversity (plus CFU count). Food sources of these microbes tend to be too few CFUs of too few strains, and in commercial products, they can easily all be dead.
Wheat Belly presently suggests Garden of Life, Renew Life and Sigma-Tau VSL#3 brands, 30-50 billion CFUs, and a wide variety of Lactobacillus and Bidifobacteria. Note that two of those must be sold from, shipped in, and stored refrigerated. Inexpensive room temp retail shelf products are very likely to be useless.
«I personally think we should get all of our probiotics and prebiotics from real food…»
Our ancestors got their PROs primarily from eating a lot of dirt, periodic animal bowels, and fermented foods (depending on culture and climate). Some of these source present issues for moderns.
On PREs, yes, food is the ideal source. Some of the current prepared products add a lot of convenience, tho.
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