Cool Trick: Why Cooled Carbs are Better for You

Did you know that carbs like rice, pasta, and potatoes can actually be healthier after you cool them down and then reheat them? It sounds strange, but it’s true—and it has to do with something called resistant starch.

What Happens When You Cool Carbs?

When you cook starchy foods like rice, pasta, or potatoes, the starch in them is easy for your body to digest. That means they raise your blood sugar quickly—this is known as having a high glycemic index (GI). But when you cool these foods down like we do here at San Mateo Supper Club, the starch changes. It turns into something called resistant starch, which is harder for your body to break down. That’s a good thing!

Why Is Resistant Starch Better?

Because resistant starch doesn’t break down easily, it acts more like fiber in your body. It passes through your digestive system more slowly and doesn’t spike your blood sugar the way regular starch does. Even when you reheat the food, a lot of that resistant starch stays in place! That means when you order meals from San Mateo Supper Club you're actually getting more fiber and healthier meals--so you're not just saving time and effort, you're increasing fiber and lowering your blood sugar.

*More fiber with each meal from our supper club!*

This Is Great News for Everyone—Especially Diabetics

Foods with more resistant starch and lower GI are better for keeping blood sugar levels stable, which is very helpful for people with diabetes or people who want to control their blood sugar and energy levels. Plus, resistant starch can also:

Help you feel full longer
Improve gut health
Lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and colon cancer

What the Science Says

Researchers have found that cooling and reheating starchy foods increases resistant starch--it started when diabetics started noticing their blood sugar didn't spike after eating starchy foods that were reheated. A study published in Nutrition Bulletin (2008) explained how resistant starch works like fiber and helps with blood sugar control [1]. Another study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that cooking and then cooling pasta lowered its glycemic response [2].

Try It Yourself!

We know so many of you already love the extra time you get when you order meals from San Mateo Supper Club, but now you know our meals are actually healthier. So you can order now HERE, and save yourself time and effort and you’ll still get all the taste—with added health benefits! You can also employ this technique at home to help with you and your family's overall health.

Sources:

Nugent, A.P. (2005). Health properties of resistant starch. Nutrition Bulletin, 30(1), 27–54.
Robertson, M.D. et al. (2005). Insulin-sensitizing effects of dietary resistant starch and effects on skeletal muscle and adipose tissue metabolism. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(3), 559–567.