The (scientific) trick that reduces rice calories by up to 60% –

Few things are as tasty as fresh rice, right? But the grain is usually avoided by those who are looking to lose those extra pounds – although studies have already shown that it is not necessary to exclude it from the diet. But if you still can’t eat the food guilt-free, science is on your side.

In a study released in March 2015, researchers from the Faculty of Chemical Sciences of Sri Lanka, a country located in the south of the Asian continent, discovered a way to reduce the energy value of rice by more than half – a very common ingredient not only in Brazilian cuisine. , but also across Asia.

Read more: Diabetes: the rice you eat is worse than sugary drinks

From a specific method of heating and cooking, the scholars were able to increase the concentration of resistant starch in the grain – a type of carbohydrate that takes time to be absorbed by the body and, therefore, prevents the body from making new fat stores .

To achieve this feat, experts added 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to the boiling water used to cook 1/2 cup of rice. After 40 minutes in the fire, the preparation stayed in the refrigerator for 12 hours. The researchers noticed that the procedure increased the concentration of resistant starch in common white rice by 10 times – and this was reflected in a reduction of up to 60% in the amount of calories.

Understand: Skinny rice: trick to make your dish less caloric

According to Sudhair A. James, leader of the investigation, this happens because the oil enters the starch granules during cooking, altering the structure of the carbohydrate. With this, the common rice starch – quickly digested – becomes resistant. Result: the body absorbs fewer calories. As for the hours of refrigeration, James explains that this step is important because it consolidates the transformation of the starch. And don’t think you’ll have to eat cold rice forever – reheating it won’t interfere with anything.

“Considering that obesity is a growing problem, especially in developing countries, we wanted to find food solutions,” comments Sudhair A. James. And they did! But calm down: even following the findings of this research, it is not worth sticking your foot in the jackfruit and stuffing yourself with rice. After all, there is no scientific trick that compensates for exaggeration at the table!