Roberto A. Ferdman/Washington Post
It sounds almost too good to be true, but scientists in Sri Lanka think they have uncovered the secret to making white rice healthier.
A cup of rice can have close to 200 calories but thanks to a new method of cooking, that number could be drastically reduced. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
By chemically altering the properties of the starch in rice, namely by adding a type of oil (in their case coconut oil) and cooling the rice down before eating and reheating, researchers found the rice went from 200 calories a cup to 100. That is groundbreaking, considering rice is an affordable crop for many poor countries but carry with it, a stigma for being unhealthy.
The researchers say the reason this is possible is due to the oil interacting with the starch in rice and changing its architecture. Chilling the rice then helps foster the conversion of starches into an indigestible starch, meaning the body excretes it versus converting it into glucose, which is stored without exercise. This could mean a healthier outlook for a lot of Southeast Asian countries who are facing unprecedented cases of obesity and diabetes.
To find out more, click here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/03/25/scientists-have-figured-out-a-simple-way-to-cook-rice-that-dramatically-cuts-the-calories/
