Cold rice is low in calories, can it help control weight? The real killer of starch that causes obesity is…

When it comes to eating, everyone likes to eat hot food. However, there is a rumor on the Internet that "eating cold rice is lower in calories and can also ease blood sugar and control weight." Is this true? Nutrition experts say that hot white rice contains less resistant starch and is easier to digest and absorb, but it may cause blood sugar to rise. Although the proportion of "resistant starch" in rice that is heated and then cooled becomes higher, eating cold rice is not the only way to ease the fluctuations in blood sugar. Pay special attention to starch, the real fattening killer.

There are 4 types of resistant starch

Many plant foods that people commonly eat, such as grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc., are rich in starch, which is carbohydrates. Its structure is a polysaccharide composed of many long chains of glucose. Digestive enzymes must be secreted through the mouth and small intestine to break down starch into glucose before the human body can further absorb and utilize it. But not all starches can be broken down, such as fiber and resistant starch.

Nutrition expert Bai Xiaoliang mentioned in his new book "Don't Let the Wrong Nutrition View Harm You" that resistant starch is divided into the following 4 types, which can coexist in the same food:

Type 1 resistant starch: It exists in grains, seeds and legumes and is resistant to digestion, which means that the human small intestine cannot secrete digestive enzymes to break down and absorb resistant starch because it is bound to the fiber cell walls.

The second type of resistant starch: exists in raw potatoes and green unripe bananas. When bananas ripen and turn yellow, the resistant starch is converted into starch that is easily digested and absorbed by the human body.

Type 3 resistant starch: Certain starch-containing foods, including potatoes and rice, will decrease in proportion during the heating process. Conversely, when the rice cools down again, the resistant starch will be converted back and increase.

The fourth type of resistant starch is artificial resistant starch formed by chemical treatment, that is, certain processed rice, which makes its digestion and absorption rate in the digestive system lower.

To control the impact of food on blood sugar, you don't have to eat cold rice.

Resistant starch is low in calories and does not easily cause blood sugar to rise or fall quickly

Each gram of resistant starch provides only 2.8 calories on average, which is lower than the 4 calories provided by regular starch. In addition, because resistant starch is difficult to absorb and digest, it will not cause blood sugar to rise or fall rapidly. It is also a favorite food for probiotics in the intestines. Simply put, resistant starch functions similarly to soluble fiber, and has therefore been touted by the food industry in recent years as helping to improve blood sugar and weight management.

You don’t have to eat cold rice to lower your blood sugar

Although hot white rice and potatoes, as well as ripe bananas with black spots, contain less resistant starch, they are easier to digest and absorb, causing blood sugar to rise. However, to control the impact of food on blood sugar, you don't have to eat cold rice. You just need to enjoy hot white rice and potatoes while consuming fiber-rich vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. You can still increase the intake of resistant starch and ease blood sugar fluctuations.

Eating too much refined starchy food will make you fat

Finally, a reminder that foods containing starch do not necessarily lead to excessive obesity or are unhealthy. Rather, refined starch foods make sugars easy to absorb, and when there is excess, they are converted into fat that accumulates in the body. This is especially true for starchy foods that are made with a lot of added oil, such as cakes, fried dough sticks, French fries, etc. The more you eat, the fatter you get.