Carbs are often vilified for spiking blood sugar. But what if you could use a smarter strategy for consuming them, one that reduces the risks of blood sugar spikes? Simple adjustments in how you prepare everyday foods can help you with blood sugar management.
There are many approaches to curbing blood sugar spikes, from changing the order in which you eat foods to smart food pairings. One more hack is present, and this one involves temperature. New Jersey-based endocrinologist Dr Alessia Roehnelt shared in a March 22 Instagram post that cooling your carbs is another simple and effective option.
“Always freeze your bread. Cooling down starches like bread, potatoes, rice actually changes the structure of the starch,” she said, suggesting how a simple change can make your everyday carbs healthier. The starch molecules reorganise, turning a bit healthier.
Why should you freeze your starch?
Further elaborating on the molecule reorganisation, the endocrinologist noted that freezing foods like bread, potatoes, and rice results in resistant starch. Why is this healthier? She elaborated,“ Resistant starch is a special type of fibre that your body digests more slowly. This leads to less of a blood sugar spike and more stable energy levels.”
Besides better blood sugar management, she also highlighted one more benefit: improved gut health. This is because resistance starch also acts as a prebiotic, feeding good bacteria in the gut, which can reduce inflammation and improve the gut microbiome. It is a win-win situation: not only are you managing blood sugar, but you are also improving your gut health.
What’s the trick
The doctor shared a simple trick for eating these foods: “The trick is to cook them, then cool them, and then either eat them cold or reheat them, just an easy way to make those starches a little better for your body,” she stated. This sequence enables your body to process carbs much better.
What does this suggest? It means your usual foods, even the carbs which get a bad rep, can be optimised with a simple technique. In this case, it is all about temperature management to enhance foods. You can cook foods like, as the doctor mentioned, potatoes, rice, pasta, oats, or lentils, then cool them, and enjoy them either cold or reheated. This simple hack helps improve digestion, stabilise blood sugar, and support gut health.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
