Is Starch an Inflammatory Food? The Complex Truth About Carbs

November 23, 2025 •

4 min read

Research suggests that a high intake of processed sugars and refined carbohydrates significantly contributes to chronic inflammation. This complex reality challenges the simple question of whether starch is an inflammatory food. The answer depends heavily on the type of starch consumed and its impact on your digestive system.

Quick Summary

The impact of starch on inflammation depends on its type. Refined starches cause blood sugar spikes and promote inflammation, while resistant starches act as fiber, feeding beneficial gut bacteria and producing anti-inflammatory compounds.

Key Points

Refined vs. Resistant Starch: The inflammatory potential of starch is determined by its type. Refined starches are typically pro-inflammatory, while resistant starches are anti-inflammatory.
Blood Sugar Spikes: Refined starches cause rapid blood sugar spikes, which can lead to insulin resistance and a chronic low-grade inflammatory state.
Gut Health is Key: Resistant starch acts as a prebiotic, nourishing beneficial gut bacteria. A healthy gut microbiome is crucial for mitigating inflammation.
Butyrate Production: The fermentation of resistant starch by gut bacteria produces short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, a potent anti-inflammatory compound.
Cook and Cool Technique: You can increase the resistant starch content of foods like rice and potatoes by cooking and then cooling them before eating.
Whole Foods are Better: Prioritizing whole, unprocessed sources of carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, and certain starchy vegetables, supports an anti-inflammatory diet.

The idea that all starches are equal is a misconception that overlooks differences affecting health, particularly chronic inflammation. Not all starches are inflammatory; the key lies in how the body processes them. The refining process strips starches of fiber and nutrients, creating a quickly digestible carbohydrate that can trigger an inflammatory response. Unrefined, fiber-rich starches—especially resistant starches—promote a healthy gut environment that actively reduces inflammation. This article explores the science behind why the type of starch you eat determines its inflammatory potential and provides guidance for healthier choices.

The Inflammatory Nature of Refined Starches

Refined starches are carbohydrates that have been processed to remove the fibrous bran and nutrient-rich germ, leaving the starchy endosperm. This high-glycemic material is rapidly digested and absorbed, causing a significant spike in blood glucose levels. This rapid rise triggers events that promote inflammation:

Blood Sugar Spikes and Insulin Resistance: Blood sugar surges cause the body to release insulin to move glucose into cells. Frequent, large spikes can lead to insulin resistance, a condition where cells become less responsive to insulin. This results in elevated blood glucose, which can fuel chronic, low-grade inflammation.
Increased Pro-inflammatory Cytokines: The immune system responds to these blood sugar fluctuations by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Continuous production of these markers is a hallmark of chronic inflammation and has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis: Diets high in refined starches and added sugars can shift the balance of gut bacteria, favoring pro-inflammatory species. This imbalance, known as dysbiosis, can increase the permeability of the gut lining, allowing bacterial toxins to enter the bloodstream and trigger a systemic inflammatory response.

Examples of refined starches include:

White bread and pastries
White rice and refined pasta
Breakfast cereals with low fiber
Potato starch and cornstarch used in many processed foods

The Anti-Inflammatory Power of Resistant Starch

Not all starches behave the same way. Resistant starch is a type of dietary fiber that escapes digestion in the small intestine and ferments in the large intestine. This fermentation process is where the anti-inflammatory effects occur.

Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) and Butyrate

As resistant starch feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), with butyrate being particularly significant. Butyrate provides the primary energy source for the cells lining the colon, reinforcing the gut barrier and promoting mucosal integrity. This prevents a 'leaky gut' and suppresses inflammatory substances while stimulating anti-inflammatory ones. Studies have shown that resistant starch consumption can reduce circulating levels of inflammatory markers like IL-6 and TNF-α.

Sources of Resistant Starch

Resistant starch is naturally present in certain foods and can also be increased through cooking and cooling.

Type 1: Found in beans, lentils, and seeds.
Type 2: Present in raw potatoes and green (unripe) bananas.
Type 3: Formed when certain cooked starchy foods, like potatoes, rice, and pasta, are allowed to cool.
Type 4: Chemically modified starch created for commercial use.

Refined vs. Resistant Starch: A Comparison

The following table illustrates the differences between these two types of carbohydrates and their impact.


Feature	Refined Starch	Resistant Starch
Digestion Speed	Very fast; quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.	Resists digestion; ferments in the large intestine.
Effect on Blood Sugar	Causes rapid, high blood sugar spikes.	Minimal impact on blood sugar levels.
Impact on Gut Health	Can cause gut dysbiosis and increased gut permeability.	Nourishes beneficial gut bacteria and improves gut barrier function.
Inflammatory Effect	Pro-inflammatory; promotes chronic low-grade inflammation.	Anti-inflammatory; reduces inflammatory markers.
Nutrient Content	Low in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.	Acts like dietary fiber; associated with additional nutrients.
Food Examples	White bread, white pasta, pastries, most processed cereals.	Beans, lentils, oats, cooked and cooled potatoes, green bananas.

Practical Steps to Make Starch Anti-Inflammatory

Incorporating more anti-inflammatory starches is simpler than you might think. By focusing on whole, unprocessed sources and utilizing specific cooking techniques, you can enjoy the benefits of starchy foods while minimizing their inflammatory potential.

Prioritize Whole Grains and Legumes

Swap white rice for brown rice, wild rice, or quinoa.
Choose whole-grain breads and pastas over their white flour counterparts.
Incorporate more lentils, chickpeas, and beans into your meals, which are excellent sources of resistant starch.

The Cook-and-Cool Method

For starchy vegetables like potatoes, rice, and pasta, a simple technique can increase their resistant starch content. Cooking and then cooling these foods for several hours or overnight causes the starch to retrograde, or recrystallize, making it resistant to digestion. Reheating can decrease some resistant starch, but it still retains more than it had when originally cooked hot.

Embrace Starchy Vegetables with Fiber

Sweet potatoes are a fantastic starchy vegetable rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene, which offer anti-inflammatory benefits.
Instead of processed potato products like french fries, opt for baked sweet potatoes or a hearty lentil soup.

Conclusion

Answering the question, "Is starch an inflammatory food?" is not a simple yes or no. The effect of starch depends entirely on its type and how it is processed. Refined starches can contribute to chronic inflammation by causing blood sugar spikes and negatively impacting gut health. Resistant starches act as a powerful prebiotic, promoting beneficial gut bacteria that produce anti-inflammatory compounds like butyrate. By choosing whole-grain options, incorporating legumes, and using the cook-and-cool method, you can harness the health-promoting benefits of starch while actively working to reduce inflammation. Making mindful choices about your carbohydrates is a powerful step toward better overall health.

For more information on the effects of diet on inflammation, consult authoritative resources like the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Frequently Asked Questions

No, not all starches are inflammatory. The type of starch matters significantly. Refined starches are often inflammatory, while resistant starches are anti-inflammatory.

Refined starches are quickly broken down into sugar, causing rapid blood sugar spikes. This triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and can lead to insulin resistance and gut dysbiosis, all of which contribute to inflammation.

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine. Instead, it reaches the large intestine where it feeds beneficial gut bacteria, acting like a dietary fiber.

When resistant starch is fermented in the large intestine, it produces anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids like butyrate. Butyrate supports gut barrier integrity and suppresses inflammatory markers.

Foods rich in resistant starch include legumes (beans, lentils), whole grains, green bananas, and cooked and cooled starchy vegetables like potatoes, rice, and pasta.

Yes, cooling cooked starchy foods like rice, potatoes, and pasta increases their resistant starch content through a process called retrogradation. Reheating these foods will reduce the resistant starch slightly, but a significant portion will remain.

As a highly refined corn product high in carbohydrates, cornstarch can be inflammatory, particularly if consumed in large quantities. The inflammatory potential depends on context and serving size.

Avoiding all carbohydrates is not necessary. Instead, focus on replacing refined carbohydrates with high-fiber, complex carbohydrate sources like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which can help fight inflammation.