Rice is a food that is present in almost every cuisine in the world. It is a cultural symbol deeply embedded in culinary traditions, reflecting the rich diversity and history of these regions like the Far East, Middle East, India, and most of the South and Central American countries.
There are a few reasons behind the popularity of this food – it is cheap, it can be used in a combination with almost every other food and people can use different herbs and spices in it to get a specific taste from their meal.
Rice (all of its varieties) has an excellent nutritional value and that’s why many nutritionists recommend it. However, a recent study conducted by a team from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that people who eat large quantities of white rice daily have about 50% more chances of developing diabetes compared to people who consume “normal” amounts. The main reason for that is that white rice contains so-called digestible starches, which can degrade very fast and turn into glucose at first and to glycogen after a while.
These substances increase blood sugar levels fast which ultimately leads to an imbalance of these levels (instability) and the risk of developing diabetes is significantly increased. This is especially true for cases when people eat large amounts of rice in combination with other food that contains unprocessed sugars.
Besides digestible starch, white rice also contains resistant starch. This is a fast way to increase your energy levels because the digestible starch is released in the sugar. However, the resistant starch remains unprocessed by the body. This starch plays the role of a soluble fiber in the body. In other words, white rice gives you a fast energy boost and fiber.
To be honest, white rice is a little bit dense food and it comes with many calories too. However, thanks to its price (one of the most cost-affordable foods on the market) and the feeling of satiety it provides, this is still one of the most used foods in almost every country in the world.
The chemical and basic structure of the food can be altered depending on the process of food preparation. In this way, the quantity of good starch can be changed. That’s why cooking science is getting more interesting and grabs the attention of the public. For instance, there are numerous articles claiming that cooking tomatoes leads to better use of lycopene found in tomatoes.
There is also evidence about the possibility of using the minerals and vitamins found in spinach to the maximum if the spinach is cooked. Rice is not an exception and different cooking methods can lead to different chemical changes that take place in rice on a micro level.
Cooking science is a discipline that constantly evolves and expands. The recent discoveries have provided an answer to the question – how to prepare rice in the best way.
According to Dr. Pushparajah Thavarajah (University of Sri Lanka) leading scientist in research dedicated to rice and rice preparation, those who want to use digestible starch in the best way should try steamed rice, because this rice contains fewer calories and provides all the health benefits.
Keep in mind that the sugar-forming starch in rice is the digestible starch and not its resistant version, which plays the role of a soluble fiber. This means that if we can reduce the amount of digestible starch we will avoid the effect of increased sugar levels caused by rice and reduce the intake of calories. The possibility to get all the necessary nutrients and keep the level of calories low is an excellent way to extend life expectancy.
To test their theory, this team of scientists has tried eight different recipes with more than 35 different varieties of rice that are grown in Sri Lanka. They have confirmed that adding coconut oil (lipid fat) right before the cooking of rice begins and cooling down the rice after the cooking is over leads to radical structural changes in rice.
How To Reduce Calories and Glycogen in Rice
According to Sudhir James, a scientist who was part of this study presented at the National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society a few days ago, the oil affects the structure of rice by interacting with the starch. The cooling of rice when the cooking is finished boosts the conversion of starches. This means that we get a healthier meal. The cooking is completely the same except you will need to add some coconut oil (3% of the total weight of rice that is going to be cooked). After that, the scientists cooled down the rice in a fridge for about 12 hours. Thanks to this specific cooking style, they were able to reduce the amount of calories in rice by 12%, but scientists believe that this amount can be higher in different varieties. This discovery will surely affect people from around the globe because rice is a popular food in many countries, especially in third-world countries where because of its low price it is consumed more than anywhere else. A simple procedure that involves coconut oil and rice cooling in a fridge can reduce the amount of calories and eliminate the negative effects of bad starch (increased blood sugar levels). This is certainly a revolutionary discovery for people who enjoy eating rice and making combinations with this food. So, include coconut oil in the preparation process, and don't forget to cool it in the refrigerator once the rice is prepared. P.S. This cooking method is very simple and this is one short example to prove that. If you want to cook 2 pounds of rice, 32 ounces means that you should use about 28 grams of coconut oil (3%). Use 28 grams of coconut oil and then put the rice in the fridge for about 12 hours. You don't have to be worried about reheating because the effects will remain. Via Washington Post
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