Toasting your bread too much in the morning can be bad for your health.
- Acrylamide is a substance that forms when foods containing asparagine (an amino acid) and starch are cooked at high temperatures.
- This molecule is recognized as a possible carcinogen for humans.
- To limit the risks, it is recommended not to overcook your sandwich bread in the toaster.
Jam, chocolate, honey or simple butter… Nothing like a good piece of toast for breakfast. A positive ritual to start the day, but which would be a little less positive for your health.
Toasted bread: a carcinogenic substance harmful to health
“When bread is baked at more than 120 degrees, it produces acrylamide, a toxic substance classified as potentially carcinogenic. explains Laurent Chevallier, nutritionist doctor, Top Health. It forms when a product rich in starch is cooked at high temperature.”
Sliced bread contains starch. According to the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses), “Acrylamide is a substance that forms when certain foods rich in asparagine (an amino acid) and starch are cooked at high temperatures. This molecule is recognized as a proven animal and possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).”
Health: do not toast the sandwich bread too much!
But then, can you still toast your sandwich bread in the morning? Yes, answers her Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF), but on condition that you only toast until a light brown color is obtained, do not toast too much and eliminate the parts that are too dark.
“Controlling the toasting time of bread can lead to reducing the acrylamide content by 4 depending on the type of bread and the temperature of the toaster”, notes the DGCCRF.
And for those who make their bread – or their pastries – at home, there too you must follow some recommendations. In fact, in the oven, it is recommended not to cook them above 250°C.
“Avoid putting your toaster at maximum power, continues Laurent Chevallier. You can also scrupulously check the operation of your toaster. It must allow low temperatures.”
Another food that can be carcinogenic because of acrylamide: fries. So, when you prepare them, you must also pay attention to the temperature: no more than 175°C for frying, 200°C for a fan oven and 220°C for a conventional oven.
