As health specialists advocate for improved gut health, they are highlighting a simple yet often overlooked step before toasting bread that can make a significant difference. While consumers might typically sidestep reduced-price bread nearing its sell-by date in stores, experts are suggesting a different approach.
Recent research, featured in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition by P Burton and H J Lightowler, has found that freezing bread before toasting can offer notable digestive and blood sugar level benefits. The study showed that when white bread is frozen, the Incremental Area Under the Curve (IAUC) blood glucose readings are lower compared to fresh bread.
In this study, researchers assessed both commercially available and homemade white bread, involving 10 participants—three men and seven women aged between 22 and 59. The results demonstrated a significant 39.4% reduction in blood glucose response when homemade white bread was frozen, thawed, and then toasted. Commercial white bread saw a 26.1% reduction under the same conditions.
Abbey Sharp, a popular content creator on TikTok known as @abbeyskitchen, has shared these findings with her audience of one million followers. She explained, “This is one of the most underrated hacks and is a food science phenomenon known as retrogradation. Retrogradation happens when starchy foods such as rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes are cooled, causing the high glycaemic index starch molecules to reorganize into a type of fiber called resistant starch.”
Abbey Sharp, who shares content on TikTok under the handle @abbeyskitchen, broke down the research findings for her one million followers.
She explained: “This is one of the most underrated hacks, and is a food science effect called retrogradation. Retrogradation occurs when starchy foods like rice, pasta, bread or potatoes are cooled and the high glycaemic index starch molecules get rearranged into a fibre called resistant starch.”
Abbey revealed that resistant starch evades our digestive system, yet serves as nourishment for our gut microbes.
She added: “So when we look at research on bread specifically we have seen that freezing and then defrosting bread reduces the glycaemic response by 30%, while freezing, thawing and then toasting reduced it by 40%. “So this is your sign to buy that discounted bread that is about to expire, put it in the freezer and then defrost slices as needed by popping them directly into the toaster.
“It is a money saving hack that is also great for your blood sugars and your gut.” Those commenting discussed their own practices of freezing starchy foods including rice, bread and potatoes.
One reader stated: “As a type 2 diabetic- i meal prep meals with rice and they don’t spike my BS they way they do if I eat them fresh.”
Someone else remarked: “I’ve been freezing bread for yearssss to save money. I’m glad it’s a little hack for your health too.”
A third claimed: “This is true, as a type 1 diabetic I need to take less insulin for pasta when it’s reheated.”
