Resistant Starch: Chipotle Honey Lentil Salad
Resistant starch, which is present in the lentils in the salad below, is formed when a carbohydrate is cooked and then cooled, causing it to ‘resist’ digestion in the small intestine and become fermented in the large intestine. This mechanism allows the food’s fiber content to act as a prebiotic and feed gut bacteria to improve the gut microbiome.
When dietary fiber, and, therefore sources of resistant starch are consumed and fermented, the body produces short chain fatty acids (SCFA) as metabolites from the reaction; the main SCFA are acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Many studies have demonstrated the effect of SCFA on the physiology of the body.
SCFA production has been shown to decrease chronic inflammation, regulate homeostasis in the central nervous system and improve cognitive function, affect emotion and mood by inducing the secretion of GABA and serotonin, and promote cell signaling to the vagus nerve (which is the longest cranial nerve in the body that controls cardiovascular, respiratory, immune and endocrine systems).
Consuming sources of resistant starch and dietary fiber can not only help to reduce chronic inflammation from heavy workout training demands, chronic disease, chronic stress, and/or poor dietary choices, but it can also have positive effects on your mood and well-being. Lastly, resistant starch and dietary fiber can also be viable treatment options for CNS disorders. Studies in animals and humans have shown that gut microbiota dysbiosis has been implicated in behavioral and neurologic disease pathologies, including depression, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and autism spectrum disorder.
Examples of resistant starch are:
Cooked then cooled: beans/peas/lentils/rice
Whole grains
Green bananas
Overnight oats
And no, it does not matter if you reheat these after they’re cooled. It does not decrease the amount of resistant starch in it. Try my Chipotle Honey Lentil Salad to start off your conscious effort of including more sources of resistant starch in your diet:
Dressing:
6 T EVOO
6 T Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 T Chipotle Peppers in Adobo (or 1 chipotle pepper)
1/2 tsp salt, pepper, oregano
Juice of 2 limes
Salad:
4.5 cups cooked and cooled lentils
1 cup cucumbers, chopped
2/3 cup red onion, chopped
2/3 cup grape tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, chopped
Method:
Cook lentils according to package. Allow time to cool.
Chop all veggies and combine in a large bowl with the lentils.
Mix all dressing ingredients in a high speed blender and pour over lentil and veggie mixture.
Top with fresh herbs. Enjoy!
PMID: 27988382
PMID: 32082260
