As cooler weather sets in, hearty autumn dishes like beef bourguignon with rice gain popularity. If you're calorie-conscious, this proven method significantly lowers rice's calorie impact using coconut oil. A typical cup of rice packs about 240 calories, but science shows how to transform it. Researchers at the 249th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) analyzed 38 Sri Lankan rice varieties, finding that converting digestible starch to resistant starch cuts calorie absorption.
Resistant starch bypasses breakdown in the small intestine, unlike regular starch that turns into glucose and potentially fat. Here's the simple process: Add coconut oil to boiling water, stir in rice, cook for 40 minutes, then refrigerate for 12 hours. For a half-cup serving, this boosts resistant starch up to 10 times. "Because obesity is a growing problem, especially in developing countries, we wanted to find solutions that include other foods," explains study lead Sudhair A. James. He adds: "Once the body converts carbohydrates into glucose, the remaining fuel source turns into a polysaccharide called glycogen. The liver and muscles store glycogen for energy and turn it into glucose when needed. Excess glucose that is not converted into glycogen becomes fat, which can lead to overweight or obesity." Refrigeration is the critical step for forming resistant starch. Easy to implement—why not try it?
