Rice is the most common food staple in the world, it is consumed by more than half the world’s population, especially in Asian countries, this is because rice is a versatile grain and can adapt to any flavor or curry. Rice provides instant energy as its most important component is a carbohydrate (starch). Rice is best eaten fresh and hot, but you might often find some leftover rice, which you might plan on eating later, so is it safe to eat cold rice?
Benefits of Eating Cold Rice
Cold rice has a higher percentage of resistant starch than freshly cooked rice, Resistant starch is a starch, that escapes from digestion in the small intestine but the bacteria present in your gut can ferment it, so it acts as a prebiotic, which is good for your stomach, Resistant starch occurs naturally in rice. Studies have found that eating rice which has been cooled down and then reheated can reduce the blood sugar levels, results also showed that consuming cold rice can improve blood sugar levels.
Though it is safe to eat cold rice, you must be careful, as eating cold or reheated rice can increase the risk of food poisoning and can cause diarrhea, or vomiting within 15–30 minutes of digesting it, this depends on how the rice has been cooled or stored, if you let the rice cool by leaving it at room temperature, the spores will germinate on the rice and produce toxins, consuming it can make you sick. It can cause food poisoning or infections.
How To Store Rice
To refrigerate cooked rice, you should first let it cool down in an hour of its cooking, you can do this by putting in a container and then placing it in cold water. Make sure that you store rice in airtight containers. Leftover rice should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. By following these instructions, you can safely store and refrigerate rice.
