The effects of eating toast on cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar
Bread is one of the indispensable staples in many homes. From the moment you buy it and the magical inability to get home the whole loaf without having at least a pinch, until breakfast the next day, when quite a few people, at least in Spain, choose to have a bit of toast. A tradition that may be ideal for an occasional snack, but it's not the best option, especially if you don't toast that bread yourself , but instead opt for a rusk-type variety, which lasts much longer, but isn't always the best option.
By slicing a piece of bread and toasting it at home, we can achieve a lower glycemic index , which causes glucose to spread more slowly through the bloodstream, avoiding blood sugar spikes. However, we run the risk of leaving it in the toaster for too long and ending up burning it, which wouldn't be a good idea for our health either. Eating burnt food isn't good and could cause long-term health problems, as well as preventing us from enjoying our breakfast. That's why so many people choose to buy pre-toasted bread, unaware that we should eat it occasionally rather than daily, due to the side effects it can have.
The effects of eating toast on health
Choosing the bread that will provide the most health benefits isn't easy, because sometimes the options we find most practical or easiest to find aren't always the best . This is the case with toasted bread, an option that saves us the effort of toasting it ourselves, but which may not be the healthiest, as pointed out on the Quirón Salud blog.
The process of toasting and drying changes the texture of the bread , making it crispy instead of fluffy, a reduction in the amount of water it contains which makes its nutrients more concentrated, for example, given the same weight of a fresh loaf and a toasted one, the latter will have more calories , but toasted bread also has more sugars, preservatives and fat, also a higher amount of salt.
This makes it not the best option if we want to watch the amount of salt we consume , as is the case with people with cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, or kidney disease, and also in the case of children, who should not consume too much salt. It's not all negative, because both fresh and toasted bread can be beneficial for keeping cholesterol under control . It's best to carefully check the labels of these products to know exactly what we're eating, but also to choose to eat this type of toast occasionally instead of choosing it for regular consumption. Ideally, buy fresh bread and toast it (in moderation) before eating.
What is the healthiest bread?
There are many types of bread, and they all have their pros and cons, but according to Jamie Gnau, a clinical instructor of biomedical sciences at Missouri State University (USA), in an interview with Business Insider , the healthiest bread is whole-wheat bread , as well as those containing minimally refined flours. This bread is rich in fiber, protein, vitamins (such as B vitamins), and minerals (such as potassium and magnesium). Like all breads, it contains carbohydrates, but doesn't cause blood sugar spikes. Next on the list would be sourdough bread.
ReferencesHow whole grains may lower blood pressure . (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/whole-grain-foods/faq-20058417
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