Carb load

 A

Great question — the carb load (meaning how much carbohydrate your body actually absorbs as glucose) can vary quite a bit depending on both the type of grain and how it’s prepared.

Let’s break it down:

🍚 1. 

Cold then reheated white rice

• Why it matters: When you cook, cool, and then reheat rice, some of its starch converts into resistant starch — a form your body doesn’t digest well, so it acts more like fiber.
• Effect: This process can reduce the glycemic impact (the blood sugar spike) by 10–15% or more, depending on how long it’s cooled (ideally ≥12 hours in the fridge).
• Digestible carbs (approx): Slightly less than fresh-cooked white rice.
• Glycemic index (GI): ~50–60 (reheated), vs. ~70–75 (freshly cooked).

🍞 2. 

Brown rice

• Brown rice has more fiber and slightly less digestible carbohydrate per serving than white rice.
• It digests more slowly, resulting in a lower glycemic index than white rice — typically around 50–55.
• Resistant starch content: Moderate, but less affected by cooling/reheating than white rice.
• Digestible carbs: ~22–23 g per ½ cup cooked.

🌾 3. 

Quinoa

• Technically a seed, not a grain.
• Has fewer net carbs and more protein and fiber than either rice.
• Digestible carbs: ~17–18 g per ½ cup cooked.
• Glycemic index: ~50 or lower.
• Because of its higher protein and fiber content, it leads to a smaller blood sugar rise overall.

⚖️ 

Carb Load Comparison (lowest to highest impact)

Rank	Food	Approx. Net Carbs (½ cup cooked)	Glycemic Index	Notes
🥇 1	Quinoa	~17 g	~50	Best for blood sugar and carb control
🥈 2	Cold then reheated white rice	~20 g	50–60	Resistant starch lowers carb load
🥉 3	Brown rice	~22–23 g	50–55	Still good, but more digestible carbs

✅ Bottom line:

If you’re aiming to reduce carb load and blood sugar response, quinoa is the best choice overall.

However, cold-then-reheated white rice surprisingly beats fresh brown rice for blood sugar control, thanks to resistant starch formation.

Would you like me to include the exact resistant starch differences (in grams per 100 g) for each option? That gives a more precise sense of how much “non-digestible carb” each contains.