Toast bread: Why dietitians and doctors urge caution
Toast bread is an essential type of bread in kitchens. Unfortunately, dietitians do not have a very high opinion of it. It's not just about the calories; it's also about what happens when this food product is heated.
12:06 PM EDT, June 4, 2024
The popularity of toast bread should not surprise anyone. It is very convenient; we don't have to slice it, it rarely goes wrong, and we can transform it into delicious toast with ham and melted yellow cheese in just a few moments. However, this snack should not become a breakfast ritual. Both dietitians and doctors have something to say about it.
Toast bread from a dietitian's perspective
In an ideal world, toast bread would be made from just a few ingredients: flour, water, milk, yeast, and spices. However, reality is not what we would like to see. Because toast bread is exceptionally durable and consistent, manufacturers add many "extra" ingredients with a questionable reputation. We usually find preservatives, acidity regulators, and emulsifiers in such bread. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
From a dietitian's perspective, toast bread and the toast or sandwiches made from it are among the worst breakfast choices. In one slice, we can find as much as 100 calories, a lot of sugar and salt, and very little dietary fiber. This leads to a few concerns. Firstly, after such a breakfast, we will quickly become hungry again, and secondly, we expose ourselves to rapid changes in blood glucose levels.
Toast bread from a doctor's perspective
As we have already mentioned, toast bread is associated with another problem. It's about what we prepare from it. Why should this bread not be put in a toaster? Because it is rich in carbohydrates, toasting it can cause the formation of acrylamide — a chemical compound that can cause cancerous changes. Doctors warn that acrylamide also adversely affects the nervous system.
