There are three types of carbohydrates: fiber, glucose and starch. While many weight loss diets suggest limiting your intake of starches and other carbohydrates, researchers are increasingly saying this is nothing but a myth. And even starchy flour will not settle with fat on the sides. Doctors also said their word about this substance. And it is also ambiguous. So what is starch, what is the most popular - potato starch, the benefits and harms of which are the topics of scientific discussion?
Biochemical properties
Starch (formula - (C 6 H 10 O 5) n) is a white granular organic matter which is produced by all green plants.
It is a tasteless powder, insoluble in cold water, alcohol and most other solvents. This substance belongs to the group of polysaccharides. The simplest form starch is a linear polymer of amylose. The branched form is represented by amylopectin. In reaction with water, it forms a paste. Starch hydrolysis occurs in the presence of acids and an increase in temperature, resulting in the formation of glucose. Using iodine, it is easy to check the completion of the hydrolysis reaction (no more blue color will appear).
In green plants, starch is produced from excess glucose produced by photosynthesis. For plants, this substance serves as a source of energy. Starch in the form of granules is stored in chloroplasts. In some plants, the highest concentration of the substance is found in the roots and tubers, in others - in the stems, seeds. If the need arises, this substance can break down (under the influence of enzymes and water), creating glucose, which plants use as fuel. AT human body, and also in the bodies of animals, the starch molecule also breaks down into sugars, and they also serve as a source of energy.
How it works in the human body
Carbohydrates are the main source of "fuel" for our body. After digestive system converted food into glucose, the body uses it to activate all cells and organs. The rest is stored in the liver and muscles. As a universal source of "fuel" they call flour products containing starches and fiber - carbohydrates that promote healthy digestion of food and control blood sugar. Such sources of carbohydrates break down more slowly than simple ones, provide long-term energy supplies and a feeling of satiety between meals.
Functions in the body
The only role of starch in the human diet is to be converted to glucose for additional energy.
Exist different varieties rice, and all of them are useful for humans, as they contain vitamins, fiber and. This product can be consumed both in the form of hot dishes and cold snacks. But in order for it to be truly useful, it is better not to reheat the cooked dish, and if necessary, store it in the refrigerator between heatings, which will protect against the growth of harmful bacteria. But under any circumstances ready rice dish should not be stored for more than 24 hours. And during reheating for 2 minutes, keep at a temperature of about 70 degrees Celsius (you can over steam).
Pasta
It is better to give preference to dough made from durum varieties wheat and water. It contains iron and B vitamins. Even more useful are pasta made from a whole grain base.
| Product | Starch (in percent) |
|---|---|
| Rice | 78 |
| Spaghetti | 75 |
| Cornflakes | 74 |
| Flour (wheat, barley) | 72 |
| Millet | 69 |
| Fresh bread | 66 |
| Corn | 65 |
| Noodles | 65 |
| Buckwheat | 64 |
| Wheat | 60 |
| Rye | 54 |
| potato chips | 53 |
| Peas | 45 |
| Rye bread | 45 |
| Puff pastry | 37 |
| French fries | 35 |
| raw potatoes | 15,4 |
| Boiled potatoes | 14 |
Acrylamide in starchy foods
Acrylamide is a chemical that can be found in some types of flour products after frying, grilling or heating at very high temperatures.
Some studies have shown that this substance can be dangerous to humans. Therefore, nutritionists are against toasting (and especially burning) starchy foods such as potatoes, toast, root vegetables.
Acrylamide is practically not produced in the process of cooking, steaming or baking in the microwave. And by the way, storing potatoes at a very low temperatures, increases the concentration of sugar in its composition, which also contributes to the release of a large portion of acrylamide during cooking.
Combination with other substances and assimilation
Starches in terms of combination with other nutrients are very demanding. Usually, they do not interact well with other products, and only go well with each other. For maximum benefit starchy foods are best combined with raw vegetables in the form of salads. And by the way, the body will more easily digest raw starch than after heat treatment. And also this substance is metabolized faster if there are enough B vitamins in the body.
Industrial use
In industry, rice, corn, wheat, tapioca starch is found, but potato starch is perhaps the most popular.
It is obtained by crushing the tubers and mixing the pulp with water. Then the pulp is separated from the liquid and dried. In addition, starch is used in brewing, in confectionery products as a thickener. It is also able to increase the strength of paper, used for the manufacture of corrugated cardboard, paper bags, boxes, rubberized paper. In the textile industry - as a sizing, which gives strength to the threads.
also in Food Industry actively used amylopectin starch obtained from waxy corn. It is used as a thickener in sauces, dressings, fruit and milk desserts. Unlike the potato counterpart, this substance is transparent, has no aftertaste, and its unique Chemical properties allow repeated freezing and heating of the starchy product.
The presence of E1400, E1412, E1420 or E1422 in the list of ingredients of the product indicates that a modified food was used in the production of this food. corn starch. It is distinguished from other species by its ability to swell and form gelatinized solutions. In the food industry, it is used as an anti-caking agent, to create the necessary texture of sauces, ketchups, yoghurts and dairy desserts. Also used in bakery products.
Tapioca starch is also an ingredient in the food industry. But as a raw material for it, they use not the usual potatoes or corn, but cassava fruits. In terms of its abilities, this product resembles a potato one. Used as a thickener and anti-clotting agent.
Starch is one of the products, the benefits and harms of which are not yet unequivocal. Meanwhile, there is excellent advice that people have been guided by at different times: everything should be in moderation and then food will not be harmful. This also applies to starches.
One of the suppliers of carbohydrates to the human body is starch. It breaks down and turns into glucose. It is essential for all processes in the body. Therefore, it is very important to know which foods contain starch in order to be sure to include them in your diet. Most of all it is in vegetables, fruits, cereals and legumes. It is no coincidence that since ancient times, these products have been the basis of the diet for all peoples. And the Russian heroes became strong, eating mainly porridge.
For all plants, starch is the main source of nutrients. Therefore, foods of plant origin contain this substance. Most of it is found in seeds, fruits and roots of plants. Having learned which foods contain starch, you can understand that this substance should be in the diet of all people. After all, this is the food that all experts recommend healthy eating. This food has long been the staple of many peoples.
So what foods contain starch? First of all, these are all grains, especially rice, barley, buckwheat, wheat and corn. Vegetables include potatoes, carrots, beets and all legumes. Natural starch is a slowly digestible substance that breaks down into glucose. This process begins in the mouth, therefore, in order for it to be better digested, food must be chewed thoroughly.
For better assimilation of starch, it is recommended to subject products containing it to heat treatment. But with prolonged exposure to high temperature, a toxic substance is formed from it, which causes cancer. It is not recommended to fry these products for a long time. For example, or chips are a very indigestible food. Therefore, cereals or potatoes are best boiled, baked or stewed.
Those who want to lose weight try to eliminate foods from their diet,
containing starch. In fact, people who lead a sedentary lifestyle do not require a lot of carbohydrates. You can simply find out which foods are high in starch and limit their consumption. Indeed, with poor digestion and low energy costs, excess carbohydrates will be deposited in fat.
Although everything that is said about the dangers of this substance refers primarily to refined starch. It is most often extracted from potatoes or corn, using phosphates, defoamers and bleaches for this. It is this white powder that causes digestive problems and metabolic disorders.
What foods contain artificial starch? It's all confectionery, sweets, pastries, bread and pasta. It is added to all canned food, children food, sausages, ice cream, yogurt and even drinks. Sometimes it is artificially broken down into more easily digestible substances. Such starch is called modified. It is used to create a homogeneous product, better mixing and thickening.
You need to know which foods contain starch, also in order to properly combine food. After all, it is almost not digested in the presence of other sugars, proteins or acids. Therefore, it is harmful to eat bread with cheese, porridge with jam or potatoes with meat. It is these combinations that create the problems attributed to starch.
Although the starch small quantities is part of all vegetables, we know much less about this substance than we should. Let's talk about the benefits and dangers of starch, about what types of this carbohydrate are and what foods are the most starchy.
What few people probably know is that starch can be good or bad. By default, it is considered that foods containing starch have an increased glycemic index, that is, they are absorbed quickly and contribute to an increase in blood glucose levels.
However, not all starch is the same. There is starch that is digested quickly, that is digested slowly, and even that is not digested at all.
What it depends on and how to determine which one is better, I will try to simply and clearly explain in this material.
What is starch and its role in human nutrition
Starch is a complex carbohydrate. For a long time it was believed that complex carbohydrates capable of raising blood glucose levels less than different types sugars. However, practice has shown that some types of starch have an even higher glycemic index than sugar.
People who are forced to monitor their blood sugar levels should also avoid foods containing starch, as it breaks down very quickly and turns into glucose.
Which starch is digested quickly and which is slow?
First of all, let's remember that starch is found in varying amounts in all fruits and vegetables. It's just that somewhere there is a lot of it, and somewhere very little.
Here's what's really important: The rate of absorption of starch depends on the degree of processing of products.
All grains and legumes are very rich in this carbohydrate, but by grinding wheat, for example, into flour, making bread and buns out of it, we facilitate the absorption of starch. Thus, bread and pastries are able to raise blood sugar levels in minutes, even if traditional granulated sugar was not added to the recipe.
Starch with the highest glycemic index , exactly the one that is contained in white bread, pastries. And vice versa, whole wheat bread contains less “fast starch”, it is more difficult to digest, and even part of it is not absorbed. Such starch is called resistant, and it is able to lower blood glucose levels after hyperglycemia.
Interesting fact! One food that contains starch but takes a long time to digest is pasta. But not any, but high-quality pasta cooked “al dente”, that is, not quite to the end. It turns out that the starch molecules are so densely packed in the paste that only half of them are absorbed instantly.
What is the healthiest starch?
- Nutritionists consider beans and lentils the best sources"correct" starch;
- In second place are whole grains, such as, for example, buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, oats.
- If the level of glucose is an important indicator for you, then try to completely eliminate all white flour products from your diet.
- Also, breakfast cereals are a source of bad starch.
What are the benefits and harms of starch?
Many say that starch is very beneficial substance, since it is nutritious, it is. Glucose is also needed by the body. However, you need to be aware that every surge in blood glucose levels is always a burden on the cardiovascular system.
It just means that in everything you need to comply with the norm. Starch is needed by the body, as it turns into glucose, which enters the cells from the blood and nourishes them. Unnecessary strain on the cardiovascular system only happens when the cells are already saturated with glucose and blood sugar levels are still high.
It is believed that resistant starch is very important for the prevention of cancer. It is found in potatoes and fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes.
On the other hand, easily digestible starch can cause significant harm to health. Abuse of white bread sweet pastries, can lead to very serious illnesses, especially when it comes to of cardio-vascular system. Problems of the pancreas are not excluded. After all, every time when the level of glucose rises sharply, then it produces more insulin. If such surges are a constant occurrence, this cannot but increase health risks.
Foods containing starch
As you already understood, starch is found in all fruits and vegetables. The only difference is that where starch is negligible, it is simply considered that it is not there, since the volumes are so insignificant that it is even difficult to call this content, it would be more correct to “have traces of starch”.
herbal products which contain the most starch:
- Beans
- Lentils
- Potato
- Corn
- Buckwheat
- potato sweet potato
- Amaranth
Foods with low starch content:
- Carrot
- Beet
- Eggplant
Non-starchy vegetables:
- cucumbers
- Leaf salad
- Spinach
- bell pepper
- Sorrel
- Cabbage
- Tomato
Is there starch in apples?
There is. Only the amount of starch depends on the variety and on the ripeness. An apple that is less sweet tends to have more starch than sugar.
Starch is a necessary carbohydrate, but only when the measure is observed in use, as in everything, however. Starchy foods are the right way get an extraordinary dose of energy, this is what starch is valuable for. Nevertheless, I recommend listening to the opinion of experts, and limiting, if possible, the consumption of rapidly digestible starch in order to reduce the risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Eat right and be healthy!
In everyone's diet healthy person must include vegetables. The list of cultivated vegetables is extremely wide and includes many dozens of items. But not all vegetables can be combined in nutrition with other food groups.
Non-starchy vegetables
Their list includes vegetables such as cucumbers, gherkins, cabbage, (white, Brussels sprouts, red, broccoli), bell pepper, asparagus, pepper, turnip, onion and others.
In nutrition, they can be combined with fish, meat, fruits, herbs and fats. Starchy vegetables go well with non-starchy ones.
List not starchy vegetables wider than starchy ones. This is because it includes various greenery. These are parsley, dill, basil, celery, lettuce, rhubarb, purslane, leek, dandelion and nettle leaves, sorrel, asparagus, arugula, and so on. Non-starchy vegetables go well with many other food products and are an essential part of a healthy diet.
At separate meals only combinations of non-starchy vegetables and dairy products are unacceptable.
Starchy vegetables
The list of starchy vegetables includes: eggplant, zucchini, carrots, green pea, pumpkin, beetroot, radish, turnip, squash, corn, swede, Jerusalem artichoke, celery and horseradish. The list of products with which they are excellently combined includes non-starchy vegetables.
The list of vegetables that are rich in starches includes cauliflower, which is not entirely obvious. When eating starchy vegetables, it is necessary to supplement food with light fats (cream, sour cream, vegetable oil). With this addition, these products are useful for the human body and are well absorbed.
Special Products
Tomatoes have a special place. These vegetables are especially rich in acids. In terms of compatibility, they are similar to some fruits, such as pomegranates or citrus fruits.
We considered two classes of vegetables. And which of them includes our favorite potato? According to nutritionists, it does not apply to vegetables, but is included in the list of starchy foods, like cereals.
An intermediate link between the considered groups of vegetables with separate nutrition are legumes. Most legumes, like cereals, are high in starch. For example, beans, dried peas and lentils have up to 45% starches, but also contain a lot of vegetable protein. Therefore, for digestion, legumes and cereals are heavy foods. Only soy among legumes contains only 3% of starches.
Any vegetables that are listed in both groups of vegetables are best eaten raw or steamed. Only with this preparation they contain all the minerals, vitamins and fiber necessary for good nutrition.
The diet of the peoples of the world is based on foods containing starch. In our country it is wheat and potatoes, in China and India it is rice, in Central and South America it is corn. There is a lot of energy in starchy foods, but they do not participate in the construction of body tissues. Animal starch is healthier than vegetable starch. In some cases, both varieties can be harmful.
Composition and types of starch
The substance belongs to complex (polysaccharides), it contains residues of glucose molecules. It is poorly soluble in water, which helps to perform the main function - to retain nutrients for a long time.
Plants with its help accumulate energy reserves, form tiny grains in greenery.
Hydrolysis processes convert starchy grains into water-soluble sugars (glucose). Through cell membranes, they penetrate into various parts of the plant. Glucose feeds the sprout when it emerges from the seed.
When chewing foods containing starch, saliva partially breaks it down to maltose (complex sugar). Under the action of pancreatic secretion, the process is completed in the small intestine.
Vegetable products with starch bring maximum benefit if they are not consumed in cereals or soaked, but chewed thoroughly, not washed down.
- Before eating, it is useful to grind whole grains, add the resulting powder to a vegetable salad.
Animals store glucose in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen (animal starch). Its slow hydrolysis keeps the blood constant between meals.
vegetable starches
Potato. This product has a high absorption rate. It breaks down to glucose 10-12 times faster than starchy cereals and grains (several hours).
Fast absorption promotes a thin oily layer under the skin young potatoes. As a rule, it is cut off during cleaning. This is also why potatoes baked in their skins or boiled in their skins are useful.
Most potato dishes are quickly evacuated by the body; they do not burden the function of the digestive organs.
Rice. The product is rich in starch, has an astringent effect. Cooked without oil, rice is useful for diseases of the genitourinary system, enhances lactation, soothes, improves complexion. Round rice has the most starch, so the grains boil and stick together.
Wheat. Products with wheat are useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, dissolution of salts in genitourinary system have a vasodilating effect. Outwardly baths with starch are used to get rid of itching, with children's diathesis.
Rye. Products are used in diabetes mellitus, to enhance resistance, bind and remove harmful substances.
Oat. Kissels and other products help to cope with physical and intellectual overwork. Remove excess, help with diabetes, anemia, insomnia.
Corn. Products have a rejuvenating effect. The extract from the grains prevent the development of tumors. Apply as cholagogue or to increase blood clotting.
animal starch
In fact, vegetable starch is nothing more than organic glue. If you forget to wash the plate after porridge or potatoes, hardened food residues are removed only hot water and a hard brush.
The complex formula of vegetable starch contains glucose, which is the body's main source of energy. Her chemical formula consists of the same elements as glycogen, but their spatial arrangement in plant and animal varieties is different.
Therefore, enzymes designed to break down glycogen do not completely break down glucose from the plant variety.
Such food is more difficult to digest, and by-products of cleavage accumulate in the body. They require additional energy costs for their removal. Accumulated harmful substances cause atherosclerosis, osteochondrosis, and other diseases.
Some researchers believe that diabetes develops due to the depletion of the enzyme system during the long-term processing of vegetable starch. It is not the level of glucose ("sugar") that increases in the blood, but the amount of products of incomplete breakdown. They clog tissue and disrupt microcirculation.
More beneficial to the body starch contains the liver of animals or fish, in which up to 10% glycogen.
Therefore, the less you consume starchy foods, the more health. Arnold Ehret wrote about the dangers of foods containing starch in the early twentieth century in his book The Healing System of the Mucusless Diet.
List and table of foods containing starch
Vegetables and fruits contain up to 10% carbohydrates. When apples ripen, the amount of starch increases, and during storage it decreases. There is a lot of it in green bananas, in ripe ones it turns into sugar.
The largest amount of starch in products from cereals, legumes, rice. The proportion recommended by nutritionists is 10% of the daily diet.
Non-starchy and green vegetables: cabbage, cucumbers, turnips, carrots, Bell pepper, onion, parsley, pumpkin.
| Product (100g) | Starch content, g |
|---|---|
| cereals | |
| Rice | 75 |
| Corn | 65 |
| oats | 61 |
| Buckwheat | 60 |
| Wheat | 60 |
| Millet | 59 |
| Barley | 58 |
| Rye | 54 |
| Flour | |
| Rice | 79 |
| barley | 71 |
| Wheat | 70 |
| corn | 65 |
| Dishes | |
| Pasta | 72 |
| Kashi | 55 |
| Kiseli | 50 |
| White bread | 47 |
| Rye bread | 44 |
| Legumes | |
| chickpeas | 50 |
| Peas | 48 |
| Lentils | 41 |
| Soya | 35 |
| Beans | 27 |
| Vegetables | |
| Potato | 18,2 |
| Swede | 18 |
| radish | 15 |
| Beet | 14 |
| Pumpkin | 2 |
| Garlic | 2 |
| Parsley | 1,2 |
| Eggplant | 0,9 |
| celery root | 0,6 |
| Cabbage | 0,5 |
| Tomato | 0,3 |
| Radish | 0,3 |
| Turnip | 0,3 |
| Carrot | 0,2 |
| Onion | 0,1 |
| Cucumber | 0,1 |
| Sweet pepper | 0,1 |
| Fruit | |
| Bananas | 7 |
| Apples | 0,80 |
| Black currant | 0,60 |
| Pear | 0,50 |
| Strawberry | 0,10 |
| Plum fresh | 0,10 |
Harm starch
Cereals are the most difficult to digest, even when boiled. Products from them cause fermentation and gas formation.
Grains, cereals, starchy foods are contraindicated in young children, because they do not produce the necessary enzymes. Even in a two-year-old, they are less active compared to an adult's body.
Therefore, before the age of two, it is better to prefer fruits to starchy foods - prunes, dates. They are easily digested, give enough energy, do not require long digestion.
Modified: 02/11/2019
