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Starch Retrogradation: A Simple Way to Reduce Your Glucose Spike

by Aashka Sevak  

Entering college, we are presented with a new responsibility of  making your own decisions on what to eat. Sadly, time limitations, money, location restrict our access to certain foods. The foods that comprise the American diet are not always nutritious and can be chock-full with excess carbs and combined with an unbalanced lifestyle can take a toll on our bodies. One toll that is currently affecting one in eight Americans, is Type II diabetes. However, with a balanced lifestyle, healthy relationship with food, and understanding of biological concepts, we can reduce the likelihood of being affected by these diseases.  

Diabetes is a chronic condition where your body has difficulty regulating blood sugar. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the body destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. This condition is often diagnosed at a young age and is caused by a genetic predisposition and environmental triggers, not diet or lifestyle choices. Type II diabetes occurs when your body continuously experiences high blood sugar levels and the body can not properly make or process insulin. Spikes in blood sugar levels occur from the food we eat, with each food varying its impact based on its glycemic index volume (GI). The GI is a way to measure how quickly or slowly a food can raise a person's blood sugar. Foods with a relatively low GI will raise blood sugar steadily over time, whereas high GI foods will raise blood sugar quickly leading to glucose spikes. In the short-term, glucose spikes can cause people to feel tired and more hungry, but in the long-term, recurring glucose spikes can lead to Type II Diabetes. Still, other genetic and environmental factors contribute to one’s susceptibility to Type II diabetes, as those with one parent with Type II diabetes have a 40% chance of developing the disease, and this likelihood jumps to 70% if both biological parents have the condition. Additionally, other preexisting conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), gestational diabetes, or being overweight, can increase diabetes risk. Also, the social determinants of health can increase the risk of diabetes, as inequities in housing, workplace environments, access to healthcare, and food access all have a direct impact on biological and behavioral outcomes associated with diabetes prevention and control. Those residing in resource-deprived environments are often forced to ignore or are wholly unaware of how diet affects their long-term health outcomes. This may contribute to the higher incidences of Type II diabetes in African American, Native American, and Hispanic communities, as all of these marginalized communities have a higher rate of diabetes than non-Hispanic whites. Therefore, numerous factors contribute to the possibility of developing diabetes, however, there are numerous ways to avoid developing the disorder.  

Starch retrogradation is a chemical process in which starches containing the sugars amylose or amylopectin are realigned into a more ordered and crystallized molecular structure. Additionally, syneresis occurs, where water is forced out of the ordered sugar structure. These changes result in more resistant starch. Resistant starch is harder to digest, so once it enters the small intestine, it does not break down easily, leading to less glucose being released into the bloodstream. It also begins to become probiotic, aiding the healthy bacteria in the gut. When starch is heated, especially in water, it swells and gelatinizes. This loosens the amylose and amylopectin structures and creates a gel. Once it cools, retrogradation truly happens. The amylose and amylopectin start to come together, forming new hydrogen bonds. Crystallization occurs, creating a more organized structure that is harder to digest in the stomach and mouth by amylase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down these sugars.  

 We can use starch retrogradation as a tool for our benefit in our own daily eating. This can be accomplished by boiling, steaming, or microwaving food and then freezing or chilling your food in a container that allows for ventilation. Once the food cools for at least thirty minutes but no more than two hours, your starch has been retrograded, and is ready to be reheated. Though it is a simple method, it is enough to make a better impact for your body and prevent diabetes in adulthood. 

Starch retrogradation can aid populations that do not have access to healthy and affordable food options. This process is not a substitute for eating healthy, but can help ease the sharp impact glucose spikes have on our bodies — we only have one.  

As college students, we often do not have the time, money, or energy to devote to creating a diet that will set us up for a long, healthy life. However, quick and easy changes to food storage and reheating can be one step we take towards a life without Type II Diabetes. So the next time you indulge in pasta or bread, take a moment to consider starch retrogradation.