Starch: The best and worst of nutrients

Abstract

The link between diet and health has been long known, as well as the fact that an increase in saturated fats and simple, refined carbohydrates in the diet, combined with our modern sedentary lifestyle, is contributing to an epidemic of diseases such as obesity and diet-related metabolic conditions. Although these can be multi-factorial disorders, simple lifestyle changes such as eating more fruit and vegetables in the diet and physical activity are known to be major factors in decreasing their prevalence. This has led to a focus on how dietary habits are affecting our overall health and how this information can be utilized to provide dietary solutions to combat the obesity epidemic. Of particular interest is the relationship between the digestion of starchy foods, which comprise 55 -75% of dietary energy intake, and the subsequent effects on health.