Doctor explains why it’s better to eat toast than bread, even though they're the same

Do you eat a lot of sandwiches? Well, you might want to start putting that bread in the toaster from now on.

A doctor has gone viral on TikTok after explaining why it’s better to eat toast than bread, even though they’re the same thing.

Why it’s better to eat toast

Dr. Karan Raj, who has more than 5.2 million followers, revealed that when you take a slice of white bread and toast it, you lower its glycemic index.

“This means it’s broken down more slowly, causing a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels,” he explained.

Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how quickly a food can make your blood sugar (glucose) rise, Medline Plus says%20is%20a,can%20affect%20the%20blood%20sugar.).

Only foods that contain carbohydrates have a GI, and some have higher levels than others. In general, low GI foods increase glucose slowly, and foods with a high GI increase blood glucose quickly.

However, the doctor said the best thing to do is freeze the bread, defrost it and then toast it, as this will lower the glycemic index by “almost double”.

“This all happens because more retrograded starch is formed,” he said, and this starch is beneficial for your gut – but that’s not the only health benefit.

Health benefits of low GI foods

The glycemic index scale goes from 0 to 100, with low GI food ranging from 0-55, moderate GI from 56 to 69 and high GI above 70.

A report in the British Journal of Nutrition found that diets with low glycaemic index value decrease your risk of coronary heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States.

It can also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, reduce blood sugar levels and even aid with weight loss in many people. That’s because these foods help you feel fuller for longer, meaning you eat less.

Some commonly eaten high GI foods include white bread, bagels, processed cereals, potatoes and white rice.

List of low GI foods to eat

If you want to implement a low-glycemic diet, Medline Plus recommends eating these foods:

When you do eat a high GI food, combine it with low GI foods to balance the effect on your glucose levels.