Does Cooling Cooked Rice and Pasta Really Help With Weight Loss?

Social media wellness influencers claim that cooling cooked carbohydrates like rice and pasta can reduce calories and aid weight loss. While the science shows some benefits for blood sugar control, experts say the weight loss effects aren't as dramatic as promoted online.

Social media wellness gurus are promoting a technique they say can transform high-calorie foods like rice, pasta, and potatoes into diet-friendly alternatives simply by refrigerating them after cooking.

While their claims aren’t entirely accurate, researchers have found some legitimate science behind this cooling method that could benefit those trying to manage their weight.

For years, health and nutrition influencers have been advocating for a scientific process known as retrogradation. They encourage followers to cook starchy foods, refrigerate them, and then warm them up again, promising this technique will reduce the caloric content.

The process of retrogradation does exist, though the reality is more nuanced than social media suggests.

The bulk of carbohydrates and calories in these foods comes from starch, which exists in two forms: amylose, which resists digestion, and amylopectin, which breaks down easily. Amylopectin gets processed rapidly and causes blood sugar to surge, while amylose digests slowly and keeps blood sugar more steady.

Raw starchy foods like uncooked potatoes contain primarily the difficult-to-digest variety (known as resistant starch), but the cooking process transforms it into the easily processed type. This transformation explains why people with diabetes must carefully monitor their intake of cooked starches.

The cooling process that excites influencers works like this: refrigerating cooked starches initiates retrogradation, which changes the easily digested starch back into the resistant form, making it harder for the body to process even after reheating.

So what does this mean for calorie counts and blood sugar management? Here’s what research reveals:

Scientific investigations into retrogradation’s dietary effects have typically been limited in scope and have concentrated on how resistant starches affect blood glucose, especially in diabetic patients.

Several research studies conducted since 2015 have demonstrated that participants who consumed rice that had been cooked and subsequently chilled experienced notably lower blood glucose responses compared to those who ate freshly prepared rice. These results have gained broad scientific acceptance.

However, fewer studies have examined whether retrogradation actually decreases the available calories in these foods.

Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital, offers a measured perspective. “It doesn’t appreciably change the calorie content of that food,” he explained. “(But) it may well affect your hormones and metabolism in a way that makes controlling calories a lot easier.”

While retrogradation’s impact on calories isn’t as immediate or significant as some claim, Ludwig believes it still holds value as part of a healthier eating approach.

Consuming foods rich in resistant starch prevents the typical blood sugar spike that occurs after eating cooked carbohydrates, he noted. This benefit extends beyond diabetic patients.

Research indicates that these sugar spikes stimulate the brain’s reward pathways and create cravings, increasing the likelihood of overeating during snacks and subsequent meals.

Additionally, these blood sugar surges boost insulin production, which not only increases hunger but also shifts the body’s metabolism toward storing more calories as fat, Ludwig explained.

“When the food retrogrades, it digests more slowly,” he said. “It’s going to keep your blood sugar more stable. You’ll have less insulin to drive fat storage and likely have an easier time avoiding overeating.”

While chilling can theoretically reduce some negative effects of a diet heavy in refined starches, Dr. Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, questions its practicality. He says it would need to be done consistently to be effective, and he doubts whether most people can maintain this practice.

The process also isn’t universally applicable. Retrogradation produces better results with certain grain types than others. Food manufacturers often prefer rice varieties that naturally contain less resistant starch because they cook faster. Since this information typically isn’t available to shoppers, consumers can’t easily determine when chilling will make a meaningful difference.

Willett also emphasized that retrogradation only addresses blood sugar concerns.

“Chilling does not restore the losses of fiber, minerals and vitamins that have been removed in the refining process,” he said.

Instead, he recommends a simpler approach: replacing refined grains with minimally processed whole grains prepared using standard cooking methods.