Is toasted bread less healthy than unroasted bread?

1. Better for your weight or worse than regular bread due to burnt pieces? And are there more or less calories in toasted bread than in regular bread? The facts at a glance.

1. First of all, about the calories. It is a myth that a toasted sandwich contains less calories than a regular slice of bread. The amount of calories per slice is the same: approximately 85 kcal. No calories are burnt while roasting. Some of the moisture in the bread does evaporate. This makes the slice of bread slightly lighter after toasting. If you look at the number of calories per 100 grams of bread, toasted bread provides even a little more energy than regular bread. But that's because a little more toasted sandwiches fit in 100 grams than regular sandwiches. But nobody eats 100 grams of bread, whether toasted or not. You eat either a regular slice or a roast. And that does not matter in terms of calories. What can make a difference is the topping and the low-fat margarine, margarine or butter that you spread on it. Especially on a warm slice of bread you quickly spread too much butter, margarine or low-fat margarine. And the same applies to spreadable spreads such as chocolate spread or peanut butter. If it remains thicker on top of a regular sandwich, with a warm sandwich the topping melts in the 'holes' and you almost automatically spread another layer. However, heating the bread and melting the butter or margarine and toppings do not affect the amount of calories in the sandwich itself.

Quick bite

1. However, a warm sandwich is often easier to eat than a regular sandwich. A handy tip for those who cannot get a bite through their throat at breakfast in the morning. Try a toasted sandwich; only the smell is often impossible to resist. Children are also often fond of toast and sometimes even know what to do without topping. But the quick bite can also be a disadvantage. Before you know it, you'll be eating more toast than you need to satisfy your hunger.

Easier to digest

1. Toasted bread is easier to digest than fresh bread. This is because bread contains starch. Starch consists of long molecules. When bread is toasted, the starch molecules are partially broken down, making them shorter. The substances that are formed in this way are called dextrins. Dextrins can partially dissolve in water, making them more easily digested than starch.

Black edges

1. Sometimes the toaster is incorrectly adjusted and the sandwich does not come up fast enough. There you are, with a sandwich with burnt pieces. Eat anyway? Rather not. Like blackened meat on the barbecue, burnt bread is unhealthy. This is because PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are formed when food and charcoal are charred. Not only on meat and fish on the barbecue, but also bread and roasted vegetables can contain PAHs. PAHs are carcinogenic, they mainly increase the risk of stomach and lung cancer. The advice is not to eat those black edges, it is even better to prevent those edges from forming. So do not set the toaster on the highest setting, but start lower and gradually raise the toaster. Try it out at which setting the bread becomes golden brown and crispy. Also put the slice of bread as straight as possible in the grid. If the corners stick out and get closer to the red-hot part of the grid, there is a good chance of burning while the rest of the sandwich is not yet crispy. Yummy: A toasted sandwich with cheese and tomato slices that are nice and lukewarm Croutons over lettuce or soup, made from diced toasted bread Toasted bread strips as a snack for the children

2. Sometimes the toaster is incorrectly adjusted and the sandwich does not come up fast enough. There you are, with a sandwich with burnt pieces. Eat anyway? Rather not. Like blackened meat on the barbecue, burnt bread is unhealthy. This is because PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are formed when food and charcoal are charred. Not only on meat and fish on the barbecue, but also bread and roasted vegetables can contain PAHs. PAHs are carcinogenic, they mainly increase the risk of stomach and lung cancer. The advice is not to eat those black edges, it is even better to prevent those edges from forming. So do not set the toaster on the highest setting, but start lower and gradually raise the toaster. Try it out at which setting the bread becomes golden brown and crispy. Also put the slice of bread as straight as possible in the grid. When corners stick out and get closer to the red-hot part of the grille