Adding this ingredient to your rice could cut calories in half (2024)

By Jessica Firger

/ CBS News

It seems counterintuitive, but new research finds adding a certain type of healthy fat to rice while it's cooking may actually cut the calories in this starchy, carb-laden food staple.

A cup of cooked rice typically contains 240 calories and is made up of both digestible and resistant types of starch. Humans do not have the enzyme to digest resistant starch, which means the body is unable to convert some of that starch to sugar and absorb it into the bloodstream.

Researchers at the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka successfully tested out their theory that using a specific heating and cooling process could increase the presence of resistant starch and thereby minimize the body's calorie absorption.

Here's how to cut the calories in your rice by more than half, according to the researchers: Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to boiling water, then add half a cup of rice. Simmer for 40 minutes or boil for 20 to 25 minutes. The cooked rice should then go into the refrigerator for 12 hours, which means you'll need to cook it ahead of time.

The researchers say this method causes the oil to enter in starch granules while it cooks and adds a protective layer, which ostensibly changes the structure of the rice granules so they becomes resistant to the digestive enzyme. Ultimately, this means that fewer calories from the rice are absorbed by the body.

It turns out the cooking process is only part of this magic food chemistry experiment. During the extended cooling process, as the rice starts to "gel," the amylose -- the starchy part of the rice -- leaves the granules. The 12-hour cooling period also leads to the formation of hydrogen bonds between the the amylose and molecules outside the rice grains. This converts it into the starch the body is unable to digest.

Thankfully, you won't need to eat your rice cold and gummy to maintain its lower calorie content. The scientists say reheating the rice at a later time doesn't alter the rice's chemical composition. Additionally, the researchers say rice cooked this way won't only help a person maintain a trim waist; it may also result in a healthier gut, since the bacteria in the rice provides a potent energy source to the "good bacteria" in the human body.

These findings were presented at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

Next the researchers plan to conduct studies with humans to find out which varieties of rice work best for this calorie-reduction process, and whether it can also be done with other types of oils.

Jessica Firger

Jessica Firger covers health and wellness for CBSNews.com

Adding this ingredient to your rice could cut calories in half (2024)

FAQs

Adding this ingredient to your rice could cut calories in half? ›

So, what can be done? According to research, one efficient way to cut down calories in rice is by adding one teaspoon of coconut oil to boiling water and then cooking rice in it for about 25 minutes. Its that simple!

How do you cut rice calories in half? ›

How to cut the calories in your rice by more than half. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to boiling water, then add half a cup of rice. Simmer for 40 minutes or boil for 20 to 25 minutes. The cooked rice should then go into the refrigerator for 12 hours, which means you'll need to cook it ahead of time.

Does removing starch from rice reduce calories? ›

Yes it would, it is a healthier way of cooking rice. Rice cooked this way had at least 10 times the resistant starch as normally prepared rice and 10-15% fewer calories. But researchers think that with certain kinds of rice, the method could cut calories by 50-60%.

What is the healthiest rice for weight loss? ›

For calorie-conscious individuals, wild rice stands out as the lowest-calorie option, followed by black rice and then basmati rice. When comparing other popular varieties like jasmine rice and basmati rice, DeGore points out that jasmine rice typically carries a slightly higher glycemic index.

Which rice has low calories? ›

Brown rice is the most recommended variety for those hoping to lose weight. Loaded with dietary fibre, brown rice boosts metabolism and has 111 calories for every 100 grams.

Should I stop eating rice to lose belly fat? ›

White flour and rice

Try to cut back on the white carbs if you are truly determined to see your belly vanish. Trade your white bread, flour, rice, and pasta for whole grain products such as brown bread and rice. White carbs have already been processed and are therefore digested rapidly by the body to be stored as fat.

Is quitting rice good for weight loss? ›

While Riya Desai, Senior Dietitian, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road agreed that giving up rice completely for a month might result in some amount of weight loss but only if the rice is not replaced with another cereal and the calories and total amount of carbohydrates are restricted in the diet.

Can you eat a lot of rice and still lose weight? ›

Yes, you can still lose weight if you eat rice—as long as you maintain a calorie deficit. That means you're burning more calories than you consume. Rice has a moderate caloric density, meaning that it has more calories for its weight than less calorie dense foods like fruits or vegetables.

Does refrigerating cooked rice reduce carbs? ›

It can be assumed that for every 100 grams of chilled rice, the digestible carbohydrate content is reduced by about 5 grams compared to a freshly prepared product.

How many calories are in 1 cup of white cooked rice? ›

White Rice Calories

One cup (186g) of cooked short-grain white rice has 242 calories. Of which, 88% comes from carbs, 1% is from fat, and 7.2% comes from protein.

What cancels out carbs? ›

Summary: A portion of fiber and sugar alcohols can be subtracted from total carbs to calculate net carbs. Formula: total carbs minus fiber (or half of IMO) minus half the carbs from sugar alcohols (other than erythritol) = net carbs.

Does adding vinegar to rice actually reduce its glycemic effect? ›

In “Glycemic index of single and mixed meal foods among common Japanese foods with white rice as a reference food”, authors found that vinegar lowered the glycemic index of white rice by almost 40%.

Does refrigerating rice make it healthier? ›

Refrigerating the rice is important because it expels the digestible part of the starch, and once the digestible part is outside of the rice granule, these molecules form strong bonds turning them into resistant starch. Interestingly, the amount of resistant starch did not change when the rice was reheated later.

How do you portion rice? ›

A standard serving of rice is usually half a cup for a side dish or one cup as a main dish per person. One cup of cooked rice serves 1-2 individuals, but one cup of uncooked rice yields approximately 3 cups of cooked rice, enough to serve 3-6 people.

What is the 2 1 rule for rice? ›

What is the ratio of water to rice? For basmati and all kinds of white rice, we recommend a ratio of 1:2 when cooking on the stove. So this would mean for every 1 cup of rice, you add 2 cups of water.

How do you portion rice for one person? ›

To cook: Allow approximately 50g of rice per person. Place the rice in a large pan of boiling water, add salt to taste if required. Boil for 10-12 minutes and drain thoroughly before serving.

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