Archive · 1 Jan 2026
Cooling Rice Turns Starch into Gut-Friendly Fibre
A nutritionist named Deepsikha Jain explained that rice can be healthier if you let it cool after cooking.
When rice is freshly cooked, it has a type of starch that turns into sugar quickly in your body, which can be bad for people with diabetes or those trying to lose weight.
But if you cook the rice and then let it cool for about 8 to 10 hours, the starch changes into something called resistant starch.
This acts like fibre, which is good for your gut and doesn't cause a big sugar spike.
So, eating cooled rice can help you feel full longer and keep your blood sugar levels steady.
Jain says this is a simple way to make rice healthier without giving it up entirely.
Cooling cooked rice transforms its starch into resistant starch, which acts like fibre.
Resistant starch is harder to digest, contains fewer calories, and doesn't cause sudden blood sugar spikes.
Freshly cooked rice is high in digestible starch, leading to rapid blood sugar increases and higher calorie intake.
Cooling rice for 8 to 10 hours promotes better blood sugar control and satiety.
Nutritionist Deepsikha Jain advises against eating freshly cooked rice to manage weight and metabolic health.
- Who
- Deepsikha Jain, a nutritionist
- What
- Cooling cooked rice transforms its starch into resistant starch, which acts like fibre
- When
- After cooking and cooling for 8 to 10 hours
- Where
- Not specified, but relevant to rice-consuming populations, particularly in Asia
- Why
- To manage blood sugar levels, reduce calorie intake, and improve metabolic health
- Starch Type
- Digestible starch in freshly cooked rice
- Transformation
- Converts to resistant starch when cooled
- Health Benefits
- Better blood sugar control and promotes satiety
- Cooling Time
- 8 to 10 hours
- Caloric Impact
- Fewer calories in cooled rice
- Target Audience
- People with diabetes or prediabetes, weight management
- Expert
- Deepsikha Jain, Nutritionist
