We discover the most important carbohydrate in the human diet.
When humans began to cultivate cereals, during the Neolithic revolution about 10,000 years ago, they gained a powerful source of energy. The use of starch found in cereals accelerated the development of civilizations, favoring the progress of those populations that consumed it.
Currently starchy foods represent between 25 and 30% of our recommended diet . In this article we explain what this highly energetic molecule is and some of its functions.
what is starch
Starch is a branched polysaccharide molecule. This means that it is made up of several small glucose molecules, joined by different covalent bonds and placed in chains that diverge at certain points, from which auxiliary chains will sprout.
Starch is made up of two types of macromolecules (large molecules formed by the joining of smaller molecules), which gives it several of its unique characteristics, such as its insolubility in cold water. These macromolecules are called amylose and amylopectin , both of which are long carbohydrates that are joined by plants in different proportions to form starch.
Amylose represents between 20-25% of starch. It is a molecule with few branches and a helical (spiral) structure. Attached to amylose is amylopectin, which represents the remaining percentage of starch. Amylopectin is characterized by having a tendency to branch into long, large chains, causing each molecule of amylopectin to contain between 2,000 and 20,000 glucose units .
One of the characteristics of starch molecules is their tendency to crystallize into granules, which can be solubilized in water by increasing its temperature. Its structure in the form of branched chains increases the viscosity of the liquid where it is dissolved, which is why it is commonly used in cooking as a thickener .
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Where is it located
Starch is found in nature fulfilling the function of an energy reservoir for plants . These generate glucose molecules through photosynthesis, which they will then bind and store as starch in specialized organelles for this task, allowing the subsequent consumption of excess glucose obtained during photosynthesis.
Most of the starch we consume comes from cereals such as rice, corn or wheat, although it can also be found in tubers such as potatoes . There are many starchy plant species specific to certain geographic areas or climates, such as yams or taro.
Of course, this means that foods derived from these plants will also contain a large amount of starch. Bread or pasta are good examples of this, although the processing necessary to obtain these foods tends to eliminate beneficial elements for our health that were found in the original plants.
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Benefits of starchy foods
Eating foods rich in starch has the main benefit of being a great source of carbohydrates , which gives us a huge supply of energy that we can use to function better in our day to day lives. Its plant origin means that starchy foods often have accompanying benefits, such as being rich in vitamins or fiber.
Consuming whole grains or foods with a high content of starch without industrial processing, such as eating potatoes with skin, gives us vitamins and fiber in greater quantity, so opting for “whole” foods is usually the most positive option for our health if compared to consuming other more processed foods.
Apart from its high caloric intake and ease of obtaining, not many nutritional benefits of starch are known. Its role in different body processes is currently being investigated, such as its ability to regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids, or to reduce our appetite. Additionally, there are indications that it works as a powerful prebiotic .
Its role as a prebiotic is not yet characterized with certainty, but it is believed that the starch that we are unable to digest would be used by our intestinal flora , causing different effects on our health. A better intestinal flora facilitates our nutrition and digestion, while making us resistant to gastrointestinal diseases.
In addition, consuming carbohydrates in the form of starch is healthier than consuming simpler forms of glucose, since starch is more complicated for our body to process. This means that a part of the starch that we consume is not used, which favors lower levels of glucose compared to the consumption of simpler forms of carbohydrates.
Once assimilated, starch enters our body in the form of small sugar molecules, where it will fulfill the same function as the rest of glucose : Mainly that of energy supply.
Uses of starch in industry
The structure of the starch molecule allows us to obtain a large number of tremendously useful compounds for different industries through its selective degradation .
This means that the multiple molecules of amylose and amylopectin in starch can be separated and cut, to obtain carbohydrates of smaller size and with different properties that can be used in various industrial processes.
They are used, for example, in the paper industry , to strengthen the final product, since the starch network supports the structure of the cellulose fibers, giving higher quality paper. Adhesives of different strengths can also be obtained, it can be used to provide rigidity to clothes after ironing, or as a raw material to generate biofuels and bioplastics.
Applications in the field of biofuels and bioplastics are good news for the so-called “green economy” , which is trying to reduce its carbon footprint and not depend on petroleum products and fossil fuels. Currently, an example of a bioplastic derived from starch could be seen in biodegradable shopping bags.
Its nutritional value is indisputable, but the fact that starch may be the key to the sustainable industries of the future, after being the key to the development of the first cultures in the past, makes starch a faithful ally of human progress.
Bibliographic references
- Nugent, AP (2005), Health properties of resistant starch. Nutrition Bulletin, 30: 27-54.
- Revedin, A, et al. (2010). Thirty thousand-year-old evidence of plant food processing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(44), 18815–18819.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.