Nutrition Bites: The Changing Conversation Around Starch

For years, “starchy” foods like potatoes, corn, and lima beans have gotten a bad rap, despite recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to include 5 cups a week of starchy vegetables in a balanced diet.

But new evidence highlighting starch’s health benefits is helping change the conversation.

Enter resistant starch. Resistant starch—which is found naturally in potatoes—is a type of carbohydrate that is “resistant” to digestion by human digestive enzymes, similar to dietary fiber. Although additional studies are needed to corroborate these findings, emerging research in both animals and humans suggests that resistant starch may help us feel full, favorably impact blood lipid and blood glucose levels, and increase good bacteria in the colon. Resistant starch is highest in potatoes that have been cooked and cooled.

These promising findings have sparked considerable interest, resulting in rising media coverage. For example, the New York Times published an in-depth explanation of resistant starch, describing how it can be increased in potatoes after they are cooked and cooled.

Starch also emerged as one of the most prominent topics in potatoes’ news coverage in July-September 2024, according to media data tracked by Potatoes USA. Starch has always been a topic in potatoes’ media coverage, but only in the past six months did starch become more consistently positive. The increasing volume and positive sentiment were driven by favorable coverage of resistant starch. The topic has also seen an increase in mentions on social media throughout 2024.

Hopefully this information has gotten you excited for more conversations about starch. Here’s a quick guide to some frequently asked questions:

“Are starchy foods bad for me?”
No! The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that we get 5 cups of starchy vegetables per week. There’s also a specific type of starch called resistant starch found in potatoes that may provide a host of benefits like increasing our good gut bacteria.

“Don’t potatoes cause weight gain?”
No. A medium potato (5.3 oz) has just 110 calories and zero fat, along with many other important nutrients like potassium, fiber and vitamin C. If you’re trying to lose weight or avoid weight gain, great news – research demonstrates that people can eat potatoes and still lose weight. Even better, potatoes have a special type of starch called resistant starch that might help you feel full longer, which may help you eat less.

“Shouldn’t I avoid potatoes if I’m watching my blood sugar?”
People watching their blood sugar can include starchy vegetables like potatoes in their diet. The key is focusing on portion size, making carbs about one-quarter of your 9-inch dinner plate. You can also pair carbs with protein and good fat at meals for better blood sugar management. One more piece of good news is that potatoes—especially ones that have been cooked and cooled like in potato salad—have resistant starch, which may positively affect blood sugar.