Starchy foods like noodles, rice, steamed buns, and potatoes, which serve as staples, firmly occupy people's dining tables. However, the accusations that eating too much of them can raise blood sugar levels and lead to weight gain are well-founded, to the point that diabetics and obese individuals have no choice but to add them to their "blacklists."
The reason starchy foods are said to cause a spike in blood sugar is that they are digested relatively quickly. This is especially true for foods made from refined white rice, such as rice and rice cakes, as well as sweet breads made from refined white flour. Their digestion speed is comparable to that of sugar, another carbohydrate, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. After blood sugar levels increase, the body instinctively secretes insulin, which in turn promotes fat synthesis and reduces fat breakdown, naturally making one prone to obesity. Moreover, excessive insulin secretion can cause blood sugar levels to drop too quickly, leading to a return of hunger and a significant increase in appetite.
Therefore, if we can find a way to slow down the digestion of these foods, we can fundamentally solve the series of problems mentioned above. So, how can we slow down the digestion of starchy foods? The answer is to eat them cold.
In nutrition, starch is divided into three main categories: "rapidly digestible starch," "slowly digestible starch," and "resistant starch." Among them, resistant starch is digested the slowest in the body. Its properties are similar to soluble fiber, and most of it passes through the intestines, providing very few calories. Research has shown that the cooling method can actually promote the formation of more resistant starch in food, thereby slowing down digestion. Therefore, it is recommended that when we eat potato noodles, we should not rush to eat them. Waiting for them to cool before eating is more beneficial to our health.