隔夜饭对身体有什么好处
From congealed curry to cold pasta, you may think there's nothing more dispiriting than a fridge full of leftovers.
凝固的咖喱、冰凉的意大利面，你会发现没有什么比打开冰箱后发现满是剩菜更令人沮丧啦。
But scientists are saying these dishes could have surprising health benefits, thanks to the chemical reactions that take place when food is left overnight.
From glowing skin to trimmer waists, we reveal why yesterday's supper could be so good for you.
COLD RICE TO STAY SLIM
Rice, when chilled overnight can contain up to 60 per cent fewer calories than when freshly cooked -- potentially dropping from 130 calories per 100g to just 52. But you need to cook it in the right way, according to research presented to the American Chemical Society.
When the water is boiling, before the rice is added, pour a little coconut oil into the pan -- about 3 percent of the weight of the rice you're using. When cooked, leave in the fridge for 12 hours to hugely reduce the calories.
When cooked rice is eaten, its starch is turned into the sugar -- glucose -- by the body and converted into fat if not burned off.
However, when rice is chilled, its starch becomes what is called 'resistant starch', which the body cannot digest. This means it is not included in the calorie count.
BEEF SOUP FOR SKIN
Bone broth is a big nutritional trend. Low-calorie and rich-tasting, the soup also appears to be packed with ingredients to make your skin glow.
As the name suggests, it contains the bones from meat -- beef, lamb or chicken -- cooked with water and ideally a little cider vinegar to help the process.
Collagen from the bones breaks down into gelatin, which is easy to digest and excellent for the skin.
VEG TO BEAT IBS
We all know that cooking vegetables for longer removes vitamin C. But some believe that people with digestive problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome, ought to overcook vegetables containing insoluble fibre, such as onions and garlic, which can cause bloating. Reheating the next day could supposedly soften them further.
Dr Christie is unconvinced. 'Sorry, you aren't going to make any real difference to the molecular structure,' she says.
'GOOD GUT' POTATOES
A 1992 UK study found cooked potatoes contained just 7 percent resistant starch (the indigestible type). But when cooled, it jumped to 13 percent.
Separate research has discovered this starch has the same benefits as dietary fibre, that protects against colon cancer, increases the feeling of fullness and might even reduce fat storage.
'When potatoes are cooled after heating, the starch molecules expand and crystallise,' says Dr Christie. 'Once swallowed, this resistant starch is treated like fibre by the digestive system.'
HEART-FRIENDLY CURRY
Even the fieriest curry is gentler the next day. What's more, it may be easier to digest and contain more nutrients as the meat tenderises overnight.
'If you leave a meat curry for a few hours, the animal proteins degrade and become softer,' says Dr Christie.