rezkrr / Getty Images Potato starch is made from a carbohydrate extracted from potatoes called starch. Potato starch is used in commercial food production and home cooking and can also be taken as a dietary supplement.

Consuming potato starch may offer a few health benefits, such as improving digestive health and supporting better blood sugar management.12 May Improve Digestive Health

Resistant starch naturally exists in certain foods, such as raw potatoes, legumes, and grains. Raw potato starch contains large amounts of resistant starch—around 60%, according to some research.34

Resistant starch resists digestion in the small intestine, passing through to the large intestine, where it’s fermented (broken down) by bacteria. This process releases beneficial compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).4

SCFAs strengthen the gut lining, support mucus production, and regulate intestinal inflammation. SCFAs also affect immune function, appetite, and many other essential processes in the body.5

Ingesting potato starch may improve gut health by increasing SCFA production. Some research suggests that potato starch may be more effective for increasing SCFA production than other types of carbohydrates, including the soluble fiber inulin.

One study found that daily supplementation with 28-34 grams of resistant starch from potatoes was the most effective in increasing fecal SCFA concentrations, compared to resistant starch from corn and inulin derived from chicory root.1

Research also suggests that increasing your intake of potatoes can improve gut health. A study found that eating a serving of cold potato salad daily (containing 2.0–2.9 grams of resistant starch) increased the abundance of butyrate-producing gut bacteria, compared to an equal caloric intake of couscous (low in resistant starch).6

While fecal concentrations of SCFAs remained unchanged in the study participants, these results suggest that eating resistant starch-rich foods may increase levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut.6Raw potato starch and potato starch supplements are much higher in resistant starch than cooked potatoes. However, cooking and then chilling potatoes increases levels of resistant starch, making cooked, cooled potatoes a good choice for gut health.7Some research also suggests that potato starch supplements may improve diarrhea and constipation symptoms and increase levels of beneficial probiotic bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, in healthy adults. […]

Health Benefits of Potato Starch