Resistant starch has healthful benefits

Dietary fiber, an important part of everyone's food plan, is a complex carbohydrate found in whole grains. You also find fiber in fresh vegetables (peas and brussels sprouts are excellent sources), fruits (pears and raspberries are very good), beans (lentils top the list) and nuts.

Recently a unique form of fiber called resistant starch, showed up on the radar. Until resistant starch entered the picture, dietary fiber had been subdivided into just two types: soluble (dissolves in water forming a gelatinlike substance) and insoluble (does not dissolve in water and creates a sense of fullness). Neither form can be digested by the body's enzymes, so few if any of dietary fiber's calories can be absorbed.

Resistant starch has been around as long as the fiber that we're already know about. What's new, however, is our awareness of it and how it can contribute to health and weight loss.

Based on more than 160 studies it appears that resistant starch works better and becomes more available if consumed chilled; like potatoes in a potato salad or beans in a cool summer bean salad.

"Resistant" refers to this starch's ability to resist digestion and thus being absorbed so it doesn't enter the bloodstream as non-fiber carbohydrates would. It's a carbohydrate that doesn't trigger the release of insulin, as sugars do.

In fact, resistant starch increases our bodies ability to burn fat, both stored body fat and consumed fat (I like that), and its unique metabolization increases the burning of consumed calories.

All fiber's forms boost our sense of fullness, which is why fiber is a useful tool for folks trying not to overeat. Today, most weight loss programs recommend that participants get at least the daily recommended amount of dietary fiber, somewhere between 25 and 30 grams.

In addition to its fiber benefits, resistant starch may boost good internal bacteria formation from live cultures (Like in yogurt and kefir) that keep not-so-good bacteria at bay.

Instead of eating cold potatoes, you could add resistant starch to your food plan in the form of Hi-Maize 260. Made from corn, Hi-Maize looks and feels like cornstarch but doesn't thicken like cornstarch does. It also can be used to make breads with less flour (substituting Hi-Maize), which not only increases bread's fiber content, but also cuts calories from flour's carbs. I add a couple tablespoons of Hi-Maize 260 to my protein shakes (they aid in my 4.5 hours of weekly workouts) to boost fiber content and fat-calorie burning.

I believe my ability to maintain my 165-pound weight loss is due, in part, to my use of resistant starch rich foods: chilled cooked potatoes, beans, slightly green bananas and chilled brown rice salads, as well as my addition of Hi-Maize to my protein shake and other foods (like sauces, such as spaghetti and salad dressings).

To buy a less-than a-pound quantity of Hi-Maize resistant starch, go to King Arthur Flour's Web site, www.kingarthurflour.com, for Hi-maize Natural Fiber ($5.95 for 12-ounces, plus shipping). The site also has directions for using it to make bread making. For larger, but more reasonably priced quantities of Hi-Maize (5 pounds, $16.99 plus shipping), check out store. honeyvilleg rain.com/index.asp and search for "starch".

Resistant starch, it's the new power food that can contribute to better health and weight loss; hard to ask for more.

• Don Mauer appears Wednesdays in Food. He welcomes questions, shared recipes and makeover requests for your favorite dishes. Address them to Don Mauer, Daily Herald Food section, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or don@theleanwizard.com.

Classic Summertime 3-Bean Salad

¾ cup fat-free, lower sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

⅓ cup cider vinegar

½ cup granulated sugar (or equivalent sugar substitute)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

1 can (14.5 ounces) French-cut green beans, drained

1 can (14.5 ounces) yellow wax beans, drained

1 can (14.5-ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup minced green or red sweet pepper

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup minced onion

To a small bowl add 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth and cornstarch and whisk together until blended. Set aside.

Heat remaining chicken broth, oil, vinegar, sugar (or sugar substitute), salt and pepper in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes a boil and the sugar dissolves, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add and whisk in cornstarch mixture. Transfer to a heat-safe, large nonreactive bowl (such as stainless steel) and cool to room temperature.

Add green and yellow beans, kidney beans, sweet pepper, celery and onion, to cooled vinegar mixture; tossing well to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors blend. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Serves 10.

Nutrition values per serving: 120 calories (22.1 percent from fat), 2.9 g fat (0.4 g saturated), 21.1 g carbohydrate, 5.2 g fiber, 4.8 g protein, 0 cholesterol, 548 mg sodium.

LeanNote: Substituting artificial sweetener for the sugar reduces the calories per serving to 96.

SaltSense: Omitting the added salt reduces sodium per serving to 316 milligrams.