7 Reasons why pre-cooked Rice, Pasta & Mash are better for your health, but & waistline
Not all white rice, pasta and mashed potato are equal….
Cooking, cooling and then storing them has been found to increase their resistant starch content. The primary effect is lowering of the glycemic response – the effect that they have on blood sugar/glucose levels after eating.
The Takeaway - Main benefits can include:
1. Lower calorie intake
2. Longer lasting energy
4. Improved gut health
5. Blood glucose levels fluctuate less
6. Easier for diabetics to control blood glucose levels
7. Reduced risk of diabetes
The Explanation:
According to Ohio State University cooking then cooling starches also results in fewer calories; “a portion of the starch is not absorbed and used as calories or glucose in the bloodstream. It’s called “resistant starch.”” (1)
According to the CSIRO: “Resistant starch promotes gut health by feeding the 'good bacteria' that live in our large bowel. They can use resistant starch as food because it resists digestion in our small intestine, and moves on to the large bowel. (2)
University Hospitals also points out that: “Cooling down high-carbohydrate foods like pasta before eating them increases the level of resistant starches, making them more like high fiber/high protein foods…..it passes through the stomach and arrives in the bowel largely undigested which increases feelings of fullness. The friendly gut bacteria then feed on it, producing short-chain fatty acids that reduce inflammation and promote a balanced microbiome.” (3)
In one study cooked white rice was cooled for 24 hours then reheated and showed a “significantly lowered glycemic response” (4)
Other studies highlighted the effects: “may reduce the risk for type 2 and gestational diabetes” (5)
Because they are pre-cooked, chilled/frozen, stored and then reheated - these are some of the ways in which the rice, pasta and mashed potato in our meals can actually be better for your health than freshly cooked and eaten versions.
3. https://www.uhhospitals.org/.../improve-your-gut-health... starch#:~:text=“Cooling%20down%20high%2Dcarbohydrate%20foods,clinical%20dietitian%20at%20University%20Hospitals.
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5452205/ Effect of Cold Storage and Reheating of Parboiled Rice on Postprandial Glycaemic Response, Satiety, Palatability and Chewed Particle Size Distribution
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26693746/ Effect of cooling of cooked white rice on resistant starch content and glycemic response