Dante Carrillo
The keto diet is a popular eating plan that involves eating very few carbohydrates and a high proportion of fat. This means that certain foods, such as rice, are usually avoided. However, some people wonder whether eating cold rice is compatible with the keto diet. This is because cold rice has a higher resistant starch content, which may improve gut health, as well as blood sugar and cholesterol levels. However, it's important to note that the benefits of resistant starch can also be obtained from other sources that are more in line with the keto diet, such as raw potato starch.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is cold rice keto-friendly? | No, rice is not keto-friendly. |
| Why? | Rice is a whole grain and is high in net carbs. |
| Is resistant starch keto-friendly? | Yes, resistant starch is not digested and does not contribute to the daily net carb count. |
| Benefits of resistant starch | It improves gut health, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. |
| Risks of eating cold rice | It increases the risk of food poisoning from Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that survives cooking and may cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, or vomiting. |
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What You'll Learn
Cold rice may improve gut health and blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Cold rice may offer several health benefits, including improved gut health and more stable blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
When cooked rice is refrigerated, the starch undergoes a process called 'retrogradation', where rapidly digestible starch is converted into resistant starch. This resistant starch is a type of fibre that the body cannot digest, but that gut bacteria can ferment, acting as a prebiotic or food for good bacteria. The fermentation process produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which influence hormones that regulate appetite and are associated with improved insulin sensitivity and reduced abdominal fat. Thus, cold rice may help improve gut health and control blood sugar levels.
A study published in the Nutrition and Diabetes journal found that consuming rice that has been cooked and then cooled results in a lower increase in postprandial blood glucose in subjects with type 1 diabetes. Another study in rats found that consuming retrograded rice powder significantly improved blood cholesterol levels compared to a control group.
However, it is important to note that consuming cold rice may increase the risk of food poisoning from Bacillus cereus, a bacterium typically found in soil that can contaminate raw rice. To reduce this risk, it is recommended to cool rice within one hour of cooking and store it properly in the refrigerator before consumption.
While cold rice may have potential health benefits, it is always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian to determine if it aligns with individual health goals and dietary needs.
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Cold rice is safe to eat as long as it's properly cooled and stored
Cold rice can be eaten as part of a keto diet, but it must be properly cooled and stored to be safe. Cooking and then cooling rice increases resistant starch content, which is a type of fibre that your body cannot digest. However, the bacteria in your gut can ferment it, so it acts as a prebiotic, or food for the bacteria.
Resistant starch is keto-friendly because, although it is technically a carbohydrate, it is not digested and converted to glucose. It "resists" digestion and doesn't contribute to your daily net carb total. It also actively reduces blood sugar spikes and crashes, helps reduce appetite, and improves insulin sensitivity.
However, it is important to note that cold rice may increase your risk of food poisoning from Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that survives cooking and may cause abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, or vomiting. To reduce this risk, make sure to cool the rice within one hour of cooking and keep it properly refrigerated before eating it.
Therefore, cold rice is safe to eat as long as it is properly cooled and stored.
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Resistant starch is keto-friendly
Resistant starch is a unique type of fibre called a "prebiotic fibre". It is a type of dietary plant fibre that resists digestion in the digestive tract and instead feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome. This is why it is called "resistant" starch.
In fact, incorporating resistant starch into a keto diet may have additional health benefits. This is because the starch is fermented into metabolites called short-chain fatty acids, of which butyrate is one of the most important. Butyrate has been shown to have positive effects on virtually every single bodily system, including regulating insulin and enhancing the production of the gut "hunger" hormone GLP-1.
However, it is important to note that foods containing resistant starch can also contain digestive carbohydrates that will convert to glucose and potentially kick you out of ketosis. Therefore, while resistant starch is keto-friendly, it should be consumed carefully as part of a keto diet.
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Brown rice is not keto-friendly
Brown rice is a whole grain, which automatically disqualifies it from keto eating plans. A half-cup of brown rice has 23 grams of net carbs, according to USDA data. People on a keto diet aim to eat upwards of 80% of their calories from fat and very few carbs.
Rice, in general, is not advisable on a keto diet because it is naturally high in carbohydrates. Since the keto diet aims to achieve ketosis by limiting carbs and forcing the body to use fat as fuel, consuming carbs can cause the body to exit ketosis.
However, it is possible to develop resistant starch in brown rice by cooking it and then letting it sit in the fridge overnight. As the rice cools, the carbohydrate chains become longer and more complex, eventually reaching a point where some of it cannot be digested. However, it is unclear whether the reduction in net carbs is significant enough to make resistant-starch brown rice a viable option for keto dieters.
There are several keto-friendly alternatives to brown rice, such as cauliflower rice, cabbage rice, broccoli rice, zucchini rice, and wild rice. These alternatives have a similar texture to rice but with fewer calories and more protein.
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Cooking and then cooling rice increases resistant starch
Resistant starch is a unique type of dietary fibre that is not digested and does not convert to glucose. It is called "resistant" because it resists digestion in the digestive tract. Instead, it bypasses the digestive process and makes its way to the large intestine, where it feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome. This improves gut health and does not contribute to your daily net carb count.
The benefits of resistant starch include reducing blood sugar spikes and crashes, improving insulin sensitivity, reducing appetite, and enhancing the production of the gut "hunger" hormone GLP-1. Incorporating resistant starch into a keto diet may have additional health benefits, such as improving the health of the cardiovascular system, heart, mental health, and skin health.
However, it is important to note that cooking and then cooling rice may not be enough to make it keto-friendly. While the process increases resistant starch, there may still be a significant amount of digestible starch left in the rice that could kick you out of ketosis.
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Frequently asked questions
Cold rice is not keto-friendly. Brown rice and white rice are whole grains, which are not keto-friendly.
Resistant starch is a type of fibre that the body cannot digest. It acts as a prebiotic or food for the bacteria in the gut.
Yes, resistant starch is keto-friendly. It is not digested and does not convert to glucose. It also does not contribute to your daily net carb count.
Yes, cooking and then cooling rice increases resistant starch.
It is safe to eat cold rice as long as it is properly cooled and stored. Eating cold rice may increase the risk of food poisoning from Bacillus cereus, which may cause abdominal cramps, vomiting, or diarrhea.
