Revealed: Popular Christmas leftover may assist with weight reduction and enhance intestine well being, specialists say
It’s not uncommon for budding Christmas Day chefs to end up making too much food for their families on the big day.
And with the many elements of a festive spread – along with a giant roasted turkey – many guests find themselves too full to finish their plates.
In order not to prevent food waste, Boxing Day has become a time where broods feast on gravy-soaked leftovers.
While noshing down on side dishes from the winter holidays is a favoured pastime of many, researchers have also revealed that there is one unexpected plate which could aid weight loss and improve digestion.
According to a study which was published in Nature journal earlier this year, eating cold roast potatoes could help you kick-off any New Year’s resolution health goals early.
This is due to the resistant starch found in roasties, which is also present in raw oats and slightly green bananas.
Resistant starch is found in foods that have been cooked and then cooled – and can help regulate blood sugar levels.
Research showed that individuals who upped their intake of resistant starch over eight weeks lost approximately 2.8kg, which is nearly half a stone.
Eating chilled roast potatoes can aid weight loss and improve digestion, according to a study which was published in Nature journal earlier this year. Stock image used
Scientists also found that resistant starch positively affects the gut microbiome and reduces inflammation.
Nutritionist Stefanie Daniels told The Telegraph: ‘Resistant starch feeds gut bacteria and has a slower, more stabilised impact on the body than regular starch.
‘Resistant starch isn’t digested in the small intestine, it ‘resists’ digestion and passes through to the large intestine, where it acts more like fibre.’
Individuals were fed the same diet for 16 weeks and lost weight because they ‘absorbed less glucose’, Simon Gaisford, a professor of pharmaceutics and microbiome expert at University College London told the newspaper.
To get the best resistant starch from leftover Christmas Day roasties, you should eat them cold, incorporating them into a salad.
Alternatively, you can also slightly reheat them to feel the benefits, according to the outlet.
Resistant starch is found in foods that have been cooked and then cooled and can help regulate blood sugar levels. Stock image used
By helping to regulate blood sugar levels, eating foods like cold leftover roast potatoes can prevent it from spiking and crashing, which often leads to cravings, overeating and eventually weight gain.
Resistant starch also adds an extra step in the gut’s digestion process, delaying stomach emptying, which in turn, can help you feel fuller for longer.
This comes as Michelin-trained chef, food influencer and Young Masterchef judge Poppy O’Toole revealed her top tips on how to cook the perfect crispy roasties.
The self-crowned potato queen told MailOnline: ‘I can safely say I’ve made it my life’s work to nail the perfect roast potato and I’m proud to say I’ve cracked it.’
To put her recipe to the test, Poppy says it is important to always parboil the potatoes before turning to the oven.
Fill a pan with potatoes and top with cold water – as the chef explains, ‘if you throw your chunks of potatoes into boiling water straight away, they will start to cook from the exterior and give an uneven cook – which means in the end you won’t get those perfectly fluffy spuds.
Bring the water to the boil and cook the potatoes until the ‘falling off the knife’ phase.
This is a simple hack which allows anyone to check whether their potatoes are ready in seconds – simply poke them with a knife.
Poppy says: ‘To know your potatoes are ready, poke them with a knife and if they don’t stay on the knife, you’re good to go.’
The third step is to ‘steam-dry’. Drain the potatoes using a colander, then place the colander on top of the pan. Cover with a tea-tea towel and leave for 10-15 minutes.
After the time has passed, Poppy advises to toss the potatoes within the colander: ‘This will mean you get all the nice white bits around the potatoes which will equal the crispiness everyone loves.’
While waiting for the potatoes to dry, preheat oil in the oven. Poppy usually opts for plain old vegetable oil, but says that those looking for something a bit ‘extra’ can use goose fat or beef dripping.
Poppy says: ‘Now pour them into preheated boiling hot oil and cook for 40-50 mins for the perfect spud.
‘I like it simply done with just veg oil and salt and pepper aplenty, but if you’re looking for something a bit extra, try goose fat or beef dripping instead of oil, or even pour a tablespoon or two of marmite over your spuds before putting them in the oil for a bit of an extra savoury kick.’
