Potato Diet: Lose 25 Jin with Resistant Starch
Welcome back to Learn English with Podcasts! Sarah, could you eat potatoes every day for 6 months?欢迎回到 Learn English with Podcasts！Sarah，你能连续6个月每天吃土豆吗？
Every day for 6 months? That sounds crazy. I love fries, but every day? Why would anyone do that?连续6个月每天吃？听起来太疯狂了。我爱吃薯条，但天天吃？谁会这么干？
A 43-year-old man in Shantou, Guangdong did it. His family name is Chen. Last year his health check showed fatty liver, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.广东汕头一位43岁男子就这么干了。他姓陈。去年体检查出脂肪肝，血压、血糖也都超标了。
At 43, those three problems together are scary. Did the doctor tell him to take many pills?43岁，这三个问题加在一起挺吓人的。医生让他吃很多药吗？
He wanted to fix his body with food first. So he made a very simple plan. He kept his home dishes the same. He only changed his staple food.他想先靠吃来调理身体。所以他定了一个很简单的计划。家常菜照常吃，只换了主食。
Staple food is a useful phrase. It means the main food you eat every day, like rice or noodles. So what did he use instead?Staple food 是个有用的表达，就是你每天吃的主食，比如米饭或面条。那他换成什么了？
Potatoes. No rice, no noodles. Just potatoes with his normal dishes. He did not go hungry. He ate three meals as usual.土豆。不吃米饭，不吃面条。就用土豆配平常的家常菜。他不用饿肚子，一日三餐照常吃。
Just change the staple? That sounds easy. But is it cheap? Potatoes every day for 6 months?只换主食？听起来很简单。但便宜吗？连续6个月天天吃土豆？
Very cheap. He spent only about 300 yuan a month on food. People online call it the cheapest way to lose weight.非常便宜。他每个月食材只花大约300元。网友叫它最便宜的减肥法。
300 yuan a month? In a big city that is less than a few cups of coffee. Did it really work?一个月300元？在大城市还不够买几杯咖啡。真的有效吗？
He kept it for 6 months. He lost 25 jin. His blood pressure and blood sugar are mostly normal now. His fatty liver is much better. Now he even does strength training.他坚持了6个月。瘦了25斤。血压、血糖基本恢复正常。脂肪肝也大幅好转。现在他还加上了力量训练。
25 jin in 6 months, without hunger? Wait, potatoes have a lot of starch. Why did he not get fatter?6个月瘦25斤，还不用挨饿？等等，土豆淀粉很多啊。为什么他没变胖？
That is the science part. Potatoes have something called resistant starch. Normal starch turns into sugar in your small intestine. Resistant starch does not.这就是科学的部分了。土豆里有一种叫抗性淀粉的东西。普通淀粉会在小肠里变成糖，抗性淀粉不会。
Where does it go then? If the small intestine cannot digest it, does it just stay inside us?那它去哪了？如果小肠消化不了，它就留在我们身体里吗？
It goes to your large intestine. There, good gut bacteria eat it. Gut bacteria means the tiny living things in your stomach system. They help your body stay healthy.它会进入大肠。在那里，好的肠道菌群会吃掉它。Gut bacteria 就是肠道里的微小生物。它们帮身体保持健康。
So it feeds your gut, not your fat. Does science really support this? Or is it just one lucky man?所以它是喂肠道，不是长脂肪。有科学依据吗？还是只是一个幸运的人？
There are real studies. In 2024, a study in Nature Metabolism found resistant starch plus balanced food can help with obesity by changing gut bacteria.有真正的研究。2024年《自然代谢》的一项研究发现，抗性淀粉配合均衡饮食，能通过调节肠道菌群帮助缓解肥胖。
What about his fatty liver? That was his biggest problem at the start.那他的脂肪肝呢？那可是他一开始最大的问题。
Studies show food rich in resistant starch can lower triglycerides and liver enzymes. Those two things are linked to liver damage. So fatty liver gets better.研究表明，富含抗性淀粉的饮食能降低甘油三酯和肝酶。这两项都和肝损伤有关。所以脂肪肝会好转。
And blood pressure and blood sugar? His numbers were all too high before.血压和血糖呢？他之前指标全都超标了。
Yes. Studies found lower total cholesterol, lower triglycerides, and lower bad cholesterol. Another study gave people resistant starch for 8 weeks. They lost weight and their insulin got much better.对。研究发现总胆固醇、甘油三酯和坏胆固醇都明显改善。还有一项研究让人补了8周抗性淀粉。他们体重下降，胰岛素抵抗也明显好转。
Okay, I am sold on resistant starch. But I cannot eat potatoes for 6 months. Where else can I find it?好吧，我被抗性淀粉说服了。但我吃不了6个月土豆。别处还能找到它吗？
Many places. Doctors put them in two groups. Natural foods, and cooled foods. Natural foods include whole grains, beans, potatoes, and green bananas.很多地方。医生分成两大类。天然食物，还有放凉的食物。天然食物包括全谷物、豆类、土豆和青香蕉。
Green bananas? You mean bananas that are not ripe yet? I only eat sweet yellow ones.青香蕉？你是说还没熟的香蕉？我只吃甜甜的黄香蕉。
Yes, that is the point. Sweet yellow bananas have little resistant starch. Green ones have a lot. Cooled foods are even more interesting. Cooked rice or potatoes, then cooled in the fridge, make new resistant starch.对，关键就在这。甜甜的黄香蕉抗性淀粉很少。青的才多。放凉的食物更有意思。米饭或土豆煮熟后放进冰箱冷藏，会产生新的抗性淀粉。
So yesterday rice can be healthier than fresh hot rice? Is there a ranking? I need a simple list.所以昨天的剩米饭可能比新鲜热米饭更健康？有排行榜吗？我想要个简单清单。
Yes. High level: oats, brown rice, green bananas, cooled rice or cooled potatoes, chickpeas, red beans and green beans. Middle level: corn, whole-wheat pasta, sweet potatoes.有。含量高的：燕麦、糙米、青香蕉、放凉的米饭或土豆、鹰嘴豆、红豆和绿豆。中等的：玉米、全麦面食、红薯。
And low level? Let me guess. White rice and white flour.那含量低的呢？我猜是精米白面。
Exactly. White rice, white flour, sticky rice, tangyuan and zongzi are all low. They turn into sugar very fast.没错。精米白面、糯米、汤圆和粽子都低。它们很快就变成糖了。
Got it. But how do I eat more of it? Do I have to eat everything cold?懂了。但怎么才能吃到更多呢？难道都要吃冷的吗？
No. Here is tip number one. Cook, cool, then warm a little. Cook rice or potatoes, put them in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours, then heat for 1 minute before eating. You can keep 60 to 70 percent of the resistant starch.不用。这是第一个小技巧。煮、冷、微热。米饭、土豆煮熟后，冷藏12到24小时，吃前微波加热1分钟。能保留60%到70%的抗性淀粉。
Cool first, then warm a little. What are tips two and three?先冷藏，再微热。第二和第三个技巧呢？
Tip two: add a little vinegar or lemon juice. Sour taste helps make more resistant starch. Tip three: do not cook too soft. Just cooked and a little chewy is best.第二个：加一点醋或柠檬汁。酸性环境能促进抗性淀粉形成。第三个：别煮得太烂。刚熟、有点嚼劲最好。
That is easy. But can I eat a lot of it? If it is healthy, more is better, right?这很简单。但能多吃吗？如果健康，多吃点更好，对吧？
No, be careful. If you eat too much in a short time, you may feel bloated, pass more gas, or feel sick. Start slow, eat a balanced diet, and add these foods step by step.不行，要小心。如果短时间吃太多，容易腹胀、排气多、恶心甚至呕吐。要慢慢来，饮食均衡，一点点加。
Good warning. Online comments are so funny. One person said, now potatoes will get more expensive. Another said, chips are the best potatoes, haha.提醒得好。网友评论太好笑了。有人说，完了，土豆不会涨价吧。还有人说，薯片超好吃，哈哈。
My favorite comment is: after 1 month of potatoes, you want to throw up when you see them. And someone asked: can people with diabetes eat this way?我最喜欢的一条是：连吃1个月，看到土豆都想吐。还有人问：糖尿病能这么吃吗？
Good question. One reader said she has high blood sugar. She eats cooled potatoes for dinner, and it works for her. But everyone should still ask their own doctor first.问得好。有读者说她血糖高，晚餐吃放凉的土豆，对她有用。但每个人还是要先问自己的医生。
Yes, do not copy him blindly. But think about this: for years we thought fresh hot rice was best. Now the cooler yesterday rice might help you lose weight.对，不要盲目照搬。但想想看：多年来我们觉得新鲜热米饭最好。现在放凉的剩米饭反而可能帮你减肥。
That is funny. The cheapest diet food is leftovers. Thanks for listening to Learn English with Podcasts. Have you ever tried to change your staple food? Tell us, and see you next time.真有意思。最便宜的减肥餐居然是剩饭。感谢收听 Learn English with Podcasts。你试过换主食吗？告诉我们，下期见。