Good news for those who meal-prep: Not only is it time-saving, it might be healthier than you think. As it turns out, chilling certain foods before eating them amps up their benefits.<\/p>\n
When rice, pasta, potatoes, or oats cool, their starch changes into something called \u201cresistant starch\u201d\u2014a fermentable fiber that has been linked in numerous studies to more stable blood sugar<\/a>, longer satiety, and happier intestinal flora.<\/p>\n For those who love a bit of nerdy nutritional info, here\u2019s a little more about resistant starch: Unlike other carbohydrates that break down into sugar, it passes through to the colon, where it eventually produces short-chain fatty acids called butyrate, which is considered the ultimate for a healthy intestinal barrier. Because this starch \u201cresists\u201d being digested in the small intestine and ferments in the large intestine, it also acts as a prebiotic<\/a> that feeds beneficial gut bacteria.<\/p>\n But the healthy cool-down effect also extends beyond our favorite carbs: studies show that polyphenols and antioxidants in some vegetables are better preserved or even enhanced when they are first heated and then cooled again.<\/p>\n Seven foods that are healthier cooled<\/p>\n #1 White rice<\/p>\n Several studies show<\/a> that rice<\/a> that has been cooked and cooled completely in the fridge contains significantly more resistant starch than freshly-cooked rice. After just twelve hours in the fridge, the proportion can increase many times over and has been shown to significantly lower increases in blood sugar.<\/p>\n #2 Pasta<\/p>\n Pasta also undergoes the same starch shift when chilled. A nutritional study showed<\/a> that after 24 hours of cooling and subsequent gentle reheating, cooked pasta has significantly slower starch digestibility than freshly prepared pasta. This less rapidly available starch may also lead to a milder rise in blood sugar after eating.<\/p>\n #3 Oats<\/p>\n Oats are already very healthy<\/a>. The grain is rich in beta-glucans, which clinical studies have repeatedly linked to better blood sugar regulation, cholesterol reduction, and a more stable microbiome.<\/p>\n But when oats are cooked and then cooled completely, the starch composition also changes. Several experimental studies<\/a> have shown that type 3 resistant starch is formed during cooling, producing the beneficial short-chain fatty acids known as butyrate. To get the benefits, swap your hot morning oatmeal for overnight oats.<\/p>\n #4 Potatoes<\/p>\n