Arnold Schwarzenegger has left a legacy in all the professions he set foot in. With his extensive experience in bodybuilding and fitness, he is now helping people by providing health tips through his newsletter, Arnold’s Pump Club. In the recent edition, Schwarzenegger talks about how “cooling starchy foods” might have health benefits.
In the second section of his newsletter, “Why Leftover Carbs Are Less Caloric,” Arnold Schwarzenegger elaborates on how certain carb-rich edibles, after cooling, contain half as many calories as fresh-cooked food. The Austrian Oak also mentions a couple of food items that might be healthier than one thinks.
“Your leftover rice and pasta might be healthier than you think. That’s because cooling starchy foods could give them unexpected health benefits and reduce how many calories they contain.”
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The seven-time Olympia cites cooling food (rice and pasta in this case) as the primary reason to lower the calories, as their chemical structure changes after chilling. The chemical structure of the food changes into “resistant starch” (a dietary fiber and a prebiotic) that ultimately fosters a healthy microbiome. This further enhances digestive health and supports the immune system.
Arnold Schwarzenegger explains why cooling starch-rich food is a good option
The former governor of California states a study that shows how resistant starch works in reducing the absorption of calories in the body.
“Resistant starch appears to bend the law of calories, so your body absorbs approximately half as many calories as regular starch. That’s because resistant starch is not completely digested, meaning you absorb fewer calories from those foods.”
So, if one is consuming carbohydrate-rich food, one would digest only half the amount of calories, instead of all the calories that come from it, in the form of resistant starch. Though ingesting fewer calories is one of the major benefits, that is not the only one. It also helps control blood sugar levels and appetite and lowers your cholesterol.
“Resistant starch has less impact on blood sugar levels, making it an excellent choice for those aiming to maintain stable blood sugar levels.”
So, ultimately, it comes down to what foods have resistant starch?
Potatoes, less-ripe (think green) bananas, legumes, whole grains, and cooked and cooled rice or pasta are a few food items that have resistant starch. One can eat the same carb-rich, delicious foods while consuming fewer calories, but just with a little twist.
