| Resistant Starch Type 1 (RS1) |
Physically protected -- barrier blocking access to the starch by digestive enzymes. Example: seed coatings in whole grains. RS1 is heat stable and highly resistant to digestion. |
Whole or partly milled grains and seeds, legumes, pasta |
Ruminococcus bromii (key in starch degradation), Bifidobacterium (produces acetate, supports gut barrier function), Lactobacillus (enhances SCFA production) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Resistant Starch Type 2 (RS2) |
Ungelatinized resistant starch granules commonly found in uncooked potatoes or green bananas. RS2 resists digestion due to the crystalline starch structure which restricts accessibility to digestive enzymes. |
Raw potatoes, green bananas, some legumes, high amylose starches |
Bifidobacterium (enhances gut health, anti-inflammatory), Lactobacillus (ferments sugars to lactic acid), Akkermansia muciniphila (supports mucosal health) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Resistant Starch Type 3 (RS3) |
Retrograded Starch; cooked and cooled starch that reforms new crystalline starch structures resistant to digestion. |
Cooked and cooled potatoes, bread, cornflakes, breakfast cereals, dehydrated mashed potatoes, parboiled rice, Chinese rice vermicelli |
Ruminococcus bromii (essential for RS3 breakdown), Bifidobacterium (increases SCFA production), Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (anti-inflammatory, butyrate producer), Eubacterium rectale (produces butyrate, supports colon health) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Resistant Starch Type 4 (RS4) |
Chemically modified resistant starch often produced through chemical cross-linking, esterification, and etherization. |
Man-made starch with beneficial properties for food processing |
Ruminococcus bromii (efficient RS4 degrader), Bifidobacterium (prebiotic effects), Parabacteroides (SCFA producer), Akkermansia muciniphila (benefits mucosal integrity), Actinobacteria (broad spectrum carbohydrate degradation), Bacteroidetes (diverse roles in carbohydrate metabolism) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Resistant Starch Type 5 (RS5) |
Starch complexes bound to other fractions such as fats (lipids), peptides, polysaccharides, amino acids, or polyphenols. |
Starches cooked with a fat source (e.g., bread containing added fats, etc.) |
Ruminococcus bromii (efficient RS4 degrader), Bifidobacterium (supports overall gut health) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Cellulose |
- |
Vegetables (broccoli, kale, cabbage), whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats), fruits (apples, pears, berries) |
Bacteroides (versatile carbohydrate metabolism), Prevotella (associated with plant-rich diets, produces propionate) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Hemicellulose |
- |
Whole grains (whole wheat, corn bran, oat bran), bran (wheat bran, rice bran), nuts (almonds, walnuts) |
Bacteroides (broad spectrum enzyme production), Bifidobacterium (promotes gut health, anti-inflammatory) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Pectin |
- |
Apples, citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits), carrots, apricots, peaches, plums |
Bacteroides (efficient pectin fermentation), Prevotella (benefits from complex polysaccharides), Bacillus, Agrobacterium, Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Dickeya (all involved in fermentation) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Beta-Glucan |
- |
Oats (oatmeal, oat bran), barley (barley soup, barley bread), mushrooms (shiitake, maitake) |
Lactobacillus (enhances immune function, produces lactate), Bifidobacterium (prebiotic effects, supports gut health) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Inulin and Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) |
- |
Chicory root, onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, bananas |
Bifidobacterium (significant prebiotic effects, SCFA production), Lactobacillus (promotes gut health, produces lactate), Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (anti-inflammatory, produces butyrate) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) |
- |
Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas), dairy products (low levels naturally), supplements |
Bifidobacterium (bifidogenic effects, gut health), Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (produces butyrate, anti-inflammatory) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Psyllium |
- |
Psyllium husk (Metamucil), psyllium-enriched cereals, psyllium fiber supplements |
Lactobacillus (supports digestion, lactate production), Bifidobacterium (improves gut health, SCFA production) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Lignin |
- |
Flaxseeds, wheat bran, vegetables (carrots, green beans, cauliflower) |
Bacteroides, Prevotella (both involved in the breakdown of complex polysaccharides) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
| Arabinoxylan (AX) |
- |
Whole grains (wheat, rye), bran (wheat bran, corn bran) |
Bifidobacterium (enhances gut health), Lactobacillus (supports digestion), Roseburia (butyrate producer), Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (anti-inflammatory) (SpringerOpen) (BioMed Central) |
