Have you ever heard of the phrase ‘cold rice era’? Cold rice used to be a term used to describe something insignificant or inferior, but that has changed. Cold rice is gaining attention as a helpful food, not just an annoying presence overshadowed by warm, freshly cooked rice. Particularly popular among dieters, what are the unique benefits of cold rice?
Cold Rice Becomes ‘Useful Rice’
The ‘cold rice diet,’ which involves eating cold rice, is based on the principle that cooled rice has a lower absorption rate in the body, thus aiding in weight loss compared to eating hot rice. In the past, cold rice, which was often leftover or served to guests, was looked down upon. But now, it has become quite a ‘useful’ food. Although it has a drier and harder texture than warm rice, it requires more chewing, which can prevent overeating and provide a sense of fullness.
Cold Rice Contains Plenty of Resistant Starch
Cold rice contains resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion. It’s a type of starch that contains up to 90% dietary fiber. Resistant starch is not digested in the stomach but instead goes to the colon, where the microbes ferment it. This type of starch increases when rice is cooked and cooled.
Benefits of Resistant Starch
Resistant starch increases the production of ‘short-chain fatty acids’ created when gut bacteria consume dietary fiber, providing nutrients to the cells in the colon and aiding various immune functions. It is similar to dietary fiber in promoting gut health and preventing obesity. Also, because it slowly raises blood sugar levels, people with diabetes should eat cold rice instead of freshly cooked rice.
What Other Foods Contain Resistant Starch?
Resistant starch can be divided into four types: hard-to-digest seeds, grains such as beans, types that contain a lot of resistant starch when raw but lose it when ripened, types that have low resistant starch when warm but increase when cooled, and chemically manufactured starch types.
What if You Quickly Cool the Rice?
It’s pointless to cool the rice quickly just for the resistant starch. Resistant starch is created when starch molecules move and clump together, but if the water around the starch freezes instantly due to freezing storage, the starch can’t move, and resistant starch isn’t produced. Resistant starch is produced when stored at 39.2°F for at least five hours.
Can You Lose Weight with a Cold Rice Diet?
There are rules to the cold rice diet. You won’t see the proper effect if you freeze hot rice immediately, as it changes the freezer’s temperature and negatively affects the storage of other ingredients. Two steps need to be followed to maximize the effects of weight loss and blood sugar management. When cooking rice, use cooking oil, and when cooling the rice, eat it refrigerated, not at room temperature or frozen. People often confuse cold rice with frozen rice because cold rice is generally stored in the freezer, but you should eat ‘refrigerated’ cold rice for it to be effective. Also, it’s good to warm up the cold rice in the microwave for a minute before eating it.
What About Instant Rice?
So, what about room-temperature instant rice? According to manufacturers, the principle of making instant rice is the same as cooking rice at home. Instant rice is a preservation method produced and processed in a sterile state to prevent microbial proliferation and spoilage at room temperature, but it does not contain additional resistant starch. This is due to the characteristics of instant rice, which is vacuum-packed and sold at room temperature.
What About Triangle Kimbap or Fried Rice?
Unlike instant rice, triangle kimbap or frozen fried rice, which are stored at refrigerated temperatures, can be assumed to contain resistant starch. These foods require refrigeration, so there’s a difference. However, if you eat only triangle kimbap or fried rice every day, either usually or while dieting, you could face nutritional imbalance, so it’s best to refrain from eating these foods continuously.
It’s About Gaining Less Weight, Not None At All
Resistant starch helps you gain ‘less’ weight, not prevent weight gain. Also, when you eat cold rice, the calories of the rice itself do not decrease, but the calories absorbed from the rice decrease. It would be best if you remembered this. You should consume about 20g of resistant starch daily, but consuming too much can cause digestive problems, so be careful.
Instead of Forcing Yourself to Eat It
It’s Better to Eat a Balanced Diet
No one eats, just rice without any side dishes. What you eat with rice is important. If you eat food high in fat, it stays in the stomach longer and increases satiety. Still, it also increases the likelihood of indigestion. Just because you feel full doesn’t necessarily mean you will lose weight. Instead of forcing yourself to eat cold rice, eating a balanced diet with nutritious side dishes is more helpful.
By. Jeon Shin Young
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