Wednesday, September 3, 2025
28.1 C
New Delhi

Spuds May Be The Secret To A Healthy Gut, Especially If You Eat Them This Way

Love spuds? Well, researchers behind a 2023 study have given you a science-backed reason to adore them even more.

The research found that when consumed daily, 3.5g of resistant potato starch worked as a probiotic, appeared to reduce gut-irritating histamines, and even could help with leaky gut (woah).

Resistant starch is starch that your body cannot digest.

It’s more plentiful in cold potatoes (and pasta) than hot ones, and has been linked to better blood sugar management and gut health.

How did the study work?

In this study, participants ranged in age from 18 to 69. They were divided into three groups, and were either given 7g or 3.5g of potato starch or a placebo to take for four weeks.

The placebos and starches were randomly assigned.

After four weeks, researchers compared the participants’ bowel movements and overall gut health with those at the start of the study. They also looked at the participants’ histamine levels.

All participants were told to maintain the same dietary and activity habits they normally had throughout the study.

So, what did they find?

Researchers found that the group that consumed 3.5g of potato starch daily “demonstrated significantly higher increases in the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium compared to the placebo arm”.

Bifidobacterium is a beneficial group of bacteria also known as probiotics.

The 3.5g group also saw a rise in beneficial Akkermansia bacteria. This degrades harmful mucin in the gut and is also a probiotic.

The bowel movements of those who took 3.5g of the potato starch daily tended towards the healthier end of the Bristol stool chart when compared to the placebo group (lovely).

Interestingly, the 7g group did see boosts in beneficial bacteria, but “while the relative abundance of bifidobacterium increased in response to 7 g of RPS, the average increase was approximately 33% lower than what was observed in the 3.5g arm.

“Curiously, this was also the case for Akkermansia.”

Researchers think that external factors, like the participants’ diet, could have played a role in the outcome.

Why might potatoes be good for your gut?

“RPS [resistant potato starch] significantly increased Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia levels and decreased diarrhoea- and constipation-associated bowel movements compared to the placebo, meeting the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus criteria for the definition of a prebiotic,” the researchers concluded.

But the scientists admitted “There are limitations to this study, including the short duration” – such as the short study period and small sample size.

Still, experts say that eating more resistant starch (like that in cold potatoes) is a great way to make your starches far healthier for your gut and blood sugar levels.

More reason than ever to devour my beloved Spanish potato salad…

Go to Source

Hot this week

Trump Orders Military Strike On Venezuela: 11 Dead in Drug War Clash | US Military | 4K | N18G

CNN name, logo and all associated elements ® and © 2024 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Read More

Janhvi Kapoor’s Tissue-Covered Back Left Fans Curious; Stylist Reveals The Reason

Published By : Last Updated:September 03, 2025, 09:33 IST Janhvi Kapoor arrived in a glamorous golden lehenga, but what caught everyone’s attention was her back, wrapped in what looked like rolls of tissue. Read More

‘No tax on tips’: Streamers and influencers included in the US Act; mid-level creators benefit

AI image Digital content creators, including streamers and influencers, will be able to claim tax deductions on the tips they earn starting next year. Read More

Who is Kim Ju Ae? Kim Jong Un’s 13-year old daughter makes debut international appearance in China; next likely leader of North Korea

AP file photo North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, took his teenage daughter to Beijing this week, marking her first public trip abroad and fueling speculation that she could be next in line to inherit the family’s dynastic r Read More

Shraddha Kapoor Adds Rani Pink To Our Monsoon Closet

Published By : Last Updated:September 03, 2025, 09:25 IST Shraddha Kapoor picked a bright, rani pink-hued saree for the recent paparazzi moment and looked every bit stylish. Read More

Topics

Trump Orders Military Strike On Venezuela: 11 Dead in Drug War Clash | US Military | 4K | N18G

CNN name, logo and all associated elements ® and © 2024 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Read More

Janhvi Kapoor’s Tissue-Covered Back Left Fans Curious; Stylist Reveals The Reason

Published By : Last Updated:September 03, 2025, 09:33 IST Janhvi Kapoor arrived in a glamorous golden lehenga, but what caught everyone’s attention was her back, wrapped in what looked like rolls of tissue. Read More

‘No tax on tips’: Streamers and influencers included in the US Act; mid-level creators benefit

AI image Digital content creators, including streamers and influencers, will be able to claim tax deductions on the tips they earn starting next year. Read More

Who is Kim Ju Ae? Kim Jong Un’s 13-year old daughter makes debut international appearance in China; next likely leader of North Korea

AP file photo North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, took his teenage daughter to Beijing this week, marking her first public trip abroad and fueling speculation that she could be next in line to inherit the family’s dynastic r Read More

Shraddha Kapoor Adds Rani Pink To Our Monsoon Closet

Published By : Last Updated:September 03, 2025, 09:25 IST Shraddha Kapoor picked a bright, rani pink-hued saree for the recent paparazzi moment and looked every bit stylish. Read More

Ganpati Visarjan Rules: Dos & Don’ts And Preparation Tips For Ganesh Visarjan

Published By : Last Updated:September 03, 2025, 09:24 IST Ganpati Visarjan Dos And Don’ts: Ganesh Visarjan falls on September 6 with Anant Chaturdashi. Read More

IMD warning: Red alert issued in J&K, Punjab, Himachal; heavy showers expected in 3 hours

NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued red alert warnings for several districts in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, northern Punjab, northern Haryana, eastern Rajasthan, southwest Uttar Pradesh Read More

Kolkata-Bound IndiGo Flight Delayed By Over 3 Hours After Crew, Passenger Clash In Delhi

Curated By : Last Updated:September 03, 2025, 09:20 IST A Delhi-Kolkata IndiGo flight was delayed for over three hours after an altercation between a passenger and cabin crew, with both parties filing police complaints, as per a report. Read More

Related Articles