Nutritionist shares the correct way of cooking rice to reduce sugar spike: ‘When you are cooking and cooling rice for…’

If you are a frequent rice eater, make sure you know the correct preparation to lower sugar spikes.

Rice is a staple in Indian meals. But often rice gets a bad rep and is discarded entirely from the diet, over concerns for blood sugar spikes. But turns out the issue may not be with the rice always, but how it is cooked and consumed.

Rice forms the backbone of everyday meals across different regions of India, (Picture credit: Freepik)

Nutritionist Deepshikha Jain took to Instagram on December 27 to address this, clarifying that rice does not automatically cause blood sugar spikes. Instead, the cooking method determines how the body is going to digest and respond to it.

According to her, a plate of rice can either be a source of sugar or fibre. The difference is based on how you prepare it. This also suggests that rice is not entirely the villain, it is often made out to be. You can change the nutritional benefit just by a simple tweak in the preparation.

When rice is a source of sugar

So, when is rice a source of sugar spikes? Deepshika elaborated, "Rice is rich in starch. When you are freshly boiling and eating the rice, it is very rich in starch that can actually create a very big sugar spike and also is heavier in calories that is not good for you." This is typically the usual way of preparing rice. The dietician's insight is very important as it reveals that rice is not inherently bad. For people with diabetes, prediabetes and weight issues, this type of cooking method may pose risks, spiking blood sugar.

When rice is a source of fibre

Deepshika highlighted how and when rice is consumed can influence how the body reacts to it. Contrary to freshly boiled rice, cooling rice helps create a type of starch that is essentially fibre. Since fibre slows down digestion, blood sugar spikes are not as rapid.

The dietician elaborated, "Whenyou are cooking and cooling rice for eight to 10 hours, the starch gets converted into resistant starch, which is a type of fibre that is good for your gut health, will not give you a sugar spike and has much fewer calories as compared to this (boiled rice).”

In other words, rice is usually misunderstood as a major dietary villain. From being frowned upon to feared outright, there is actually more to this supposed antagonised food than meets the eye. It also shows that preparation, and more broadly, context matters, further reaffirming the notion that context matters when it comes to food consumption and how the body responds to it.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.