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Made with almond flour, organic cocoa and other high fiber, high protein, low glycemic ingredients, our all-natural desserts are rich in omega-3 and antioxidants and contain NO trans fat, NO artificial sweeteners, and NO refined grains.
: Resistant Starch
Resistant Starch

When you hear "starch" you probably think of white potatoes, fluffy white bread and processed foods. And if you're concerned about your health, you know that these "whites" top the list of foods to avoid.

But there is another kind of starch you shouldn’t “resist”… it’s called resistant starch.

The other starches you've come to know (and avoid) are rapidly digested and cause sharp spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. And that's really bad news for your health, especially if you're watching your waistline or concerned about diabetes and other chronic diseases.

But resistant starch is altogether different. Instead of being quickly digested, resistant starch actually “resists” digestion, helping to balance blood sugar and keep you feeling full, longer.

It might surprise you that resistant starch has been around, well, forever. It's found naturally in unprocessed whole grains, sushi rice, cooked and chilled potatoes and pastas. And as of recently, this standout starch has been recognized as a separate category of fiber by the World Health Organization and U.S. National Academy of Sciences. That's quite a nutritional honor!

You see, most dietary fibers are classified as either a soluble or insoluble. But resistant starch is both! Because of its fibrous dietary duality, resistant starches provide some truly amazing health benefits.

First, resistant starches boost your body's fat burning capability by 20-25%. No, this is not a misprint. Dr. Janine Higgins at the University of Colorado has conducted years of clinical research and found that enjoying a resistant starch product for breakfast provides a substantial boost in fat-blasting power that lasts the whole day (that's right... as you're tapping your keyboard, your Chocolate Bliss breakfast is blasting through fat).

Functional foods made with resistant starch also help to boost that feeling of fullness or "satiety". In fact, resistant starch boosts two key satiety hormones including glucagon-like-peptide (GLP-1) and Peptide YY (PYY). Less hunger means less cravings and snacking... and therefore fewer calories to burn off later.

At the other (ahem!) end of the spectrum, resistant starches provide a variety of digestive health benefits. As a prebiotic, resistant starches encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. And because 70% of the cells of your immune system lie in your digestive tract, maintaining these healthy bacteria is essential to your overall well being.

But the benefits don't end there. Resistant starch may also help to guard against one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers we face today – colon cancer. Because of its unique prebiotic properties, resistant starch produces a myriad of cancer-fighting effects. It reduces inflammation in the cells of the colon, creates an environment where cancer cells can't thrive by lowering pH, protects colon cells from DNA damage and promotes the body's natural process of "cell suicide" for the cancer cells that do exist.

We're delighted to include this amazing functional ingredient in Chocolate Bliss Cake for the spectrum of health benefits it provides. But we first fell in love with (couldn't resist) its classic, all-purpose use in our baking mixes. We think you'll love the light texture and filling satisfaction this nutritional superstar imparts.

A Slice of Cake with More Fiber than a Bowl of Bran Flakes!

Would you believe that one slice of Chocolate Bliss Cake provides 40% more fiber than a serving of bran flakes! In fact, there are ELEVEN different ingredients in our cake that add fiber.

Some add moisture, taste and texture. Others are “invisible”, with virtually no effect on taste. But they ALL offer AMAZING health benefits. A fiber-rich diet can help you maintain your optimal weight, reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease, balance your blood sugar and improve digestion and detoxification.

To learn more about the many functional ingredients in our healthy desserts and to try a delicious slice for yourself, please read our Letter to Dessert Lovers.

References:

  1. Brighenti, Furio et al. "Colonic fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates contributes to the second-meal effect." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 83.4 (2006): 817-822.
  2. Higgins, Janine. "Resistant Starch: Metabolic Effects and Potential Health Benefits." Journal of AOAC International 87 (2004):761-8.
  3. Higgins, Janine, et al. "Resistant starch consumption promotes lipid oxidation." Nutrition and Metabolism 1.8 (2004): 1743-7075.
  4. Le Leu, R.K., Brown I.L., Hu, Y., Morita, T., Esterman, A., Young.G.P. Effect of dietary resistant starch and protein on colonic fermentation and intestinal tumourigenesis in rats. Carcinogenesis. Advance On-line Access published Dec 13, 2006.
  5. Brown M, Higgins J, Storlien L. Consumption of resistant starch decreases postprandial lipogenesis in white adipose tissue of the rat. Nutrition Journal 2006, 5:25.
  6. Toden S, Bird AR, Topping DL, Conlon MA. Resistant starch prevents colonic DNA damage induced by high dietary cooked red meat or casein in rats. Cancer Biol Ther. 2006 Mar;5(3):267-72.
  7. Zhou J, Hegsted M, McCutcheon KL, Keenan MJ, Xi X, Raggio AM, Martin RJ. Peptide YY and Proglucagon mRNA Expression Patterns and Regulation in the Gut. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006 Apr;14(4):683-9.
  8. Robertson, M.D., Bickerton, A.S., Dennis, A.L., Vidal, H., Frayn, K.N. Insulin-sensitizing effects of dietary resistant starch and effects on skeletal muscle and adipose tissue metabolism. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, (2005), 82, 559-567.
  9. Le Leu, R.K., Brown, I.L., Hu, Y., Bird, A.R., Jackson, M., Esterman, A., Young, G.P. A synbiotic combination of resistant starch and Bifidobacterium lactis facilitates apoptotic deletion of carcinogen-damaged cells in rat colon. Journal of Nutrition, (2005), 135, 996-1001.
  10. Toden, S., Bird, A.R., Topping, D.L., Conlon, M.A. Differential effects of dietary whey and casein on colonic DNA damage in rats. The Australian Journal of Dairy Technology, (2005), 60, 44-46.
  11. Yang, C.Z., Shu, X.L., Zhang, L.L., Wang, X.Y., Zhao, H.J., Ma, C.X., Wu, D.X. Starch properties of mutant rice high in resistant starch J Agric Food Chem (January 25, 2006) 54(2):523-8.
  12. Granfeldt,Y., Wu, X., Bjorck, I. Determination of glycaemic index; some methodological aspects related to the analysis of carbohydrate load and characteristics of the previous evening meal. (January, 2006) European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60(1):104-112.
  13. Hernandez-Salazar, M., Agama-Acevedo, E., Sayago-Ayerdi, S.G., Tovar, J., Bello-Perez, L.A. Chemical composition and starch digestibility of tortillas prepared with non-conventional commercial nixtamalized maize flours International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition (February/March 2006) 57(1/2): 143-150
  14. Behall KM, Scholfield DJ, Hallfrisch JG, Liljeberg-Elmstahl HG. Consumption of both resistant starch and beta-glucan improves postprandial plasma glucose and insulin in women. Diabetes Care. 2006 May;29(5):976-81.
  15. Bauer-Marinovic, M., Florian, S., Muller-Schmehl, K., Glatt, H., Jacobasch, G. Dietary resistant starch type 3 prevents tumor induction by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine and alters proliferation, apoptosis and dedifferentiation in rat colon Carcinogenesis (September 2006) 27(9): 1849-1859.