How healthy is to reheat pasta?

Resistant starch in the digestive system behaves similarly as the fibers.

New research by American scientists revealed that reheated pasta may be healthier than fresh-cooked, at least when it comes to blood sugar levels.

Prof Chris Van Tulleken with their expert conducted a study in which they participated healthy adults. The aim of this study was to examine how reheated pasta impact on health, compared to freshly boiled and cooled or unheated.

Participants in the period of 3 days each day were eating pasta. One day they ate hot (freshly cooked), another cold day, a third day reheated. Participants were giving blood samples every 15 minutes over a period of 2 hours.

The results were surprising. Scientists have noted that the change in blood glucose was most dramatic after eating hot pasta. Was slightly lower after consumption of cold pasta, and the lowest, even 50% lower than the hot, after eating warmed pasta.

When the pasta is cooled, molecules, known as amylose and the amylopectin are in the process of retrogradation, during which changes its structure and turn into a resistant starch.

Resistant starch in the digestive system behaves similarly to the fiber, undigested travels to the digestive intestine and prevents sudden changes in blood sugar levels, which is common after eating simple carbohydrates.

Photo by Lali Masriera CC BY