Here’s a simple trick scientists have discovered to cut calories from rice — boil it with coconut oil and refrigerate for several hours before eating.

According to the Sri Lankan researchers, treating rice in this way reduces its calories by up to 60 percent, BBC News reports.

In a report to the American Chemical Society, the scientists said the method makes starch in the rice less digestible so it calories are not as easily absorbed and converted to blood sugar.
Scientists have been trying new ways to prepare rice, pasta, potatoes, and other high-carb foods to see if they lower their impact on the body.

UK researchers have found that cooking, then cooling pasta before eating, eases blood glucose spikes — even if the cold pasta is reheated. The Sri Lanka scientists found the same is true for rice.

"This sounds like it has great potential, however there are no human studies on it yet,” said British Dietetic Association spokesperson, Priya Tew, of the new method. “[But] it is fantastic that research is being done into different cooking methods."