foto: YouTube/ABC
Brilio.net - White rice is a staple food that is almost always present on the dining table of Indonesian people. As the main source of carbohydrates, rice can make you feel full longer, so many people rely on it for their daily menu. In addition, rice is also easy to get and affordable.
However, behind its deliciousness, white rice has a fairly high starch content. Reported from healthline.com, in one cup of white rice contains about 45 grams of carbohydrates which can produce 206 calories. This amount is quite large, especially for those of you who are maintaining your daily sugar and calorie intake.
Calories in rice also come from rice water, which is the liquid that comes out when rice is cooked. According to research from the 249th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society quoted from cen.acs.org, rice contains two types of starch: easily digested starch and hard-to-digest starch. Hard-to-digest starch is rich in fiber, so it is good for the digestive system. Conversely, easily digested starch will turn into sugar in the blood more quickly.
Unfortunately, most of the starch in rice water is the easily digestible type. This can be a problem for people with diabetes because it can cause blood sugar spikes. In addition, for those of you who are on a diet, white rice can also be a challenge because the high sugar content can trigger the formation of fat in the body, which leads to weight gain.
For this reason, many people are looking for ways to reduce the sugar content in white rice. One trick that is quite popular is adding coconut oil when cooking rice. Coconut oil is believed to reduce the levels of easily digested starch, so that the resulting rice is healthier and lower in calories.
However, besides using coconut oil, there are other ways you can try to make rice healthier.
A YouTube user with an account named ABC once shared a tutorial on cooking rice to make it lower in sugar. In the uploaded video, he admitted that he did not use additional ingredients. However, there is a special way that needs to be done so that the rice is healthier.
As reported by BrilioFood , the method used is to throw away the rice water. As reported by timesofindia.indiatimes.com, this rice water is high in sugar and contains simple carbohydrates. Therefore, the rice water must be thrown away to reduce the sugar content in the rice.
The method is also easy. First, wash the rice as usual. Then put it in the rice cooker and fill it with enough water. This amount of water can be measured with the joints of the fingers.
photo: YouTube/ABC
If so, cook as usual. In this process, you should pay attention until the rice cooker emits steam. If the condition is like that, open the rice cooker and lift the pan using a cloth (because it is hot). Now, throw away the rice water from the boiled rice while the rice is still not cooked.
photo: YouTube/ABC
After the rice water is drained, put it back into the rice cooker. Then add enough new water until the rice is submerged. No need for a finger-thick layer because the texture of the rice will be too soft. If so, close the rice cooker and continue the cooking process.
"By throwing away the rice water, it will reduce the sugar content in the rice," explained YouTube ABC.
photo: YouTube/ABC
After the rice is cooked, you can stir the rice. It is better to consume rice when it is cold so that the sugar content is lower and healthier to consume. Reported from sugarfit.com, cooled rice tends not to contribute to increased blood sugar.
photo: YouTube/ABC
FAQ about how to cook rice to lower sugar1. Does throwing away rice water really reduce the sugar content in rice?
Yes, throwing away the rice water during the cooking process can help reduce the digestible starch in rice. This starch is what can quickly turn into sugar in the blood.
2. Is chilled rice healthier than freshly cooked rice?
True. According to research from sugarfit.com, cooled rice has a higher resistant starch content, so it doesn't spike blood sugar levels as quickly.
3. Apart from throwing away the rice water, what else can be done to reduce the sugar content in rice?
In addition to throwing away the rice water, you can add coconut oil when cooking rice. Coconut oil can help change the structure of the starch in rice, making it harder to digest and not raising blood sugar as quickly.
4. Can this method be used for all types of rice?
Yes, this method can be applied to any type of rice, including white rice, brown rice, or red rice. However, red and brown rice are naturally healthier because they are higher in fiber and have a lower glycemic index than white rice.
5. Does rice cooked this way still taste good and soft?
Yes, as long as the amount of water used after throwing away the rice water is still considered. It is better not to use too much so that the rice does not become mushy.
(brl/tin)
