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integrated science
why do we test food for starch
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Starch is a high calorie food substance that converts to sugar during the digestion process. This creates a concern for people who are observing a low calorie diet and have problems with insulin (such as diabetics). Since starch becomes glucose when broken down and is synthesized in the liver and kidneys it can be difficult for some people with liver and/or kidney problems to consume starch without negative side effects.
Because of these basic health concerns regarding eating habits, you may want to test different foods and fruits to determine if they contain starch and estimate their relative starch contents.
Studies show that starch is white, odorless, tasteless carbohydrate powder soluble in cold water. Because of this, it's quite easy to do a quick test to see if a food probably contains starches or a high amount of starch.
Starch is made in green plants by photosynthesis, and is one of the main forms in which plants store food. Animals ingest starch from plants and store it as glycogen. Both plants and animals convert starch to glucose when energy is needed, such as cellular respiration. Glucose is a simple sugar and is helpful for energy boosts.
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