Transform your carbohydrates and improve your health with this simple kitchen trick
You are likely to experience a drop in energy after eating certain foods, such as rice, pasta or bread. This depletion is due to the blood sugar spikes that occur after consuming carbohydrates. When we eat these foods, the body quickly breaks them down into glucose, which causes a spike in blood sugar levels. This glucose spike is followed by a drop, which can lead to feelings of fatigue, hunger or even discomfort. But what if I told you there was a way to mitigate these glucose spikes and improve your well-being? A simple culinary trick could help you keep your energy levels more stable, and the best part is that you won't have to eliminate your favorite carbs. Let's see how:
Resistant starch is the key
Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that is not digested in the small intestine, but reaches the colon intact. Here it acts in a similar way to dietary fiber, helping to slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream and feeding the beneficial bacteria in our gut. This not only promotes healthier digestion, but also helps reduce inflammation and improves intestinal health.
How to change the starch structure in certain foods
And here's the trick: when cooking, cooling and freezing starch-rich foods, such as rice, pasta or potatoes, the starch structure changes, increasing their resistant starch content. A study published in the Journal of Functional Foods in 2015 showed that this process can significantly increase the amount of resistant starch compared to foods that do not undergo this treatment.
Benefits for your health, sugar control and weight management
Freezing carbohydrates has important benefits for those seeking to control blood glucose levels, especially in people with diabetes. It is also useful for those interested in weight loss, as the resistant starch helps prolong satiety and reduce cravings. In addition, by releasing energy more slowly, it helps maintain stable energy levels throughout the day.
Freezing carbohydrates is not always necessary to achieve these benefits, though. Research published in 2024 in Frontiers in Nutrition found that simply refrigerating carbohydrates can also have a similar effect, although the resistant starch content did not reach the levels of frozen foods. In addition, the study noted that reheating these foods in the microwave increases the resistant starch content more than boiling or steaming them.
How to incorporate resistant starch into your daily diet
To reap the benefits of resistant starch, follow these simple steps:
- Cook your carbs: Prepare foods such as rice, pasta or potatoes in the usual way.
- Cool and freeze: After cooking, let them cool to room temperature and then freeze them. This process transforms part of the starch into resistant starch.
- Reheat before eating: At the time of eating, reheat frozen foods. This final step helps to further increase the resistant starch content.
A slight swelling?
Although this practice is safe, some people may experience slight bloating when increasing their consumption of resistant starch. To minimize this discomfort, it is advisable to introduce these foods gradually into your diet and combine them with proteins and healthy fats that facilitate digestion.
So that:
Freezing your carbohydrates before eating them is a simple and effective strategy that can transform the way your body processes these foods. Benefits range from improved glucose control to increased satiety. This small adjustment in your culinary routine could have a significant impact on your digestive and metabolic health. Do you dare to try it and discover its effects on your well-being? Share this article with friends and family so they can also benefit from this practice. Remember that sometimes small changes can lead to big results in your health.
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