By Rebecca Rose of ChoiceEating.com

Are carbs the reason you find yourself tipping the scales above your optimum weight?

You may be surprised to learn that not all starches have a negative effect on weight. In fact, a class of “resistant starches” actually may help you shed pounds.

Having more in common with dietary fibers than with starches dietary fiber, resistant starch delivers the benefits of both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fibers are foods that are converted into gases, and insoluble fibers absorb water as they move through the gastrointestinal tract.

Though most starches are absorbed as glucose as they pass through the small intestine, resistant starches – as their name suggests – resist digestion.

The four types of resistant starch are as follows:

1. That found in legumes or unprocessed whole grains. The highest levels are found in navy beans, bananas and yams.

2. That found in green banana flour or high amylose corn.

3. That found in foods that have been cooked or processed, such as some breads and some cereals.

4. Processed foods that are not found in nature but specially formulated and processed to resist digestion.

Resistant starches can be used as replacements for flour and other carbohydrates that are too easily absorbed, making it an effective tool in the diets of those seeking to lose weight. Several studies published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nutrition Research and Journal of Nutrition have demonstrated resistant starches contribute to the feeling of fullness and allow those who consume them to feel full longer, reducing their intake of foods as a whole.

A study in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism also suggests that resistant starch actually may enhance the burning of fat and discourages the accumulation of fat.

In addition to its weight-control properties, resistant starch also is gluten free and helps control blood sugar.

Rebecca Rose is an award-winning writer based in Oak Park, IL, who routinely covers health and fitness, financial and women’s issues regionally and nationally.