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Resistant Starch 3 May 2014
OK, my latest n=1, single cohort clinical trial is complete. This one was for raw green plantains. I ate 30 grams of a very green one, which is reported to contain 10 grams of carbohydrate (starch). Guides that I have report green uncooked plantains have 35-68 grams of resistant starch per 100grams, depending on how ripe it is.
I know... it's pretty yucky, but sometimes we need to make sacrifices for the good of science. Take a look at the clinical studies that have been done on prebiotics and the gut biome in the last dozen or so years. It will make you look at food and health in a different way.
As per my usual modus operandi, I waited until all food and bolus insulin was out of my system (5.5 hrs in this case). I recorded my blood glucose with my Freedom Lite meter (very accurate and, most importantly, very repeatable) and my continuous glucose monitor (CGM) at the start and every 30 minutes for 4 hrs (when my BG still hadn't gone up and I was getting hungry). In this case I took no bolus insulin. Here are the results of that trial:
Time BG
1320 90 Start
1350 89
1420 82 1hr
1450 80
1520 73 2hr
1550 70
1620 71 3hr
1650 72
1720 78 4hr
In short, there was no significant increase in my blood glucose during the 4 hr test. In fact, I had a net decrease in BG by the end of the test. I'll repeat this n=1 several times before making any definitive conclusions. But my preliminary impression is that this food does not raise (my) BG. The net dietary carbs (starch) of 10g that is reported for this quantity of plantain should raise my BG by around 65 mg/dl. Apparently, all of the starch in this sample was the resistant type. I will need further testing to see if the decrease I recorded was due to the resistant starch or some other factor. Remember this is for a raw GREEN plantain. These are reported to have the highest percentage of resistant starch of any whole food, so a ripe or cooked one may not(probably won't) have the same results.
Raw green plantains are far from a delicious food. I would say it is barely palatable, actually. However, my reason for eating plantains is not to enjoy a bannana-like fruit. It is for the prebiotic effects of the resistant starches it contains on the gut biome. So, I will consider it as an additive to other foods.
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1291 kcal
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Fat: 92.16g | Prot: 65.08g | Carbs: 77.37g.
Breakfast: Now Sports MCT Oil, Sweet Leaf Liquid Stevia, Hershey's Natural Unsweetened Cocoa, Coffee (Brewed From Grounds), Nutmeg (Ground), Cinnamon, Butter. Lunch: Raw Green Plantain. Dinner: Sabatino's Smoked Mozzarella with Artichokes & Garlic Chicken Sausage, Cooked Broccoli (from Fresh). Snacks/Other: Pecan Nuts, Potato Starch, Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt. more...
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2561 kcal
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Exercise:
Walking (slow) - 2/mph - 6 hours, Yard Work (gardening) - 1 hour, Sleeping - 8 hours, Resting - 9 hours. more...
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