While it would be a very foolish move with most foods, many people prefer to burn their toast.
To be honest, I personally don’t see the appeal in making my toast look like a lump of coal, but there’s no doubt that a lot of people enjoy it.
But while many enjoy burnt toast first thing in the morning or as a bit of dinner before bed, experts have warned of the dangers of doing so.
You’re probably thinking, “How could that put me at risk?” Well, it’s all thanks to the Millard reaction, which happens at about 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit).
Basically, you can thank the Maillard reaction for the great flavor that comes out of most baked goods.
“In this process, hundreds of different flavor combinations are created,” Science of Cooking explains.
These compounds in turn break down to form newer flavor compounds and so on.
The problem with this reaction comes from an amino acid called asparagine, which is found in potatoes, bread, cereals, cookies and coffee.
In a 2002 study by Swedish scientists, it was found that the Maillard reaction takes asparagine and produces a substance called acrylamide.
Well, this substance that forms when toast is burned is labeled as “highly toxic” according to CAMEO Chemicals.
Basically, acrylamide is not very good for us, causing possible damage to our nervous system, and long-term exposure can even increase the risk of dementia.
Federica Lagozzi, assistant professor of cardiovascular epidemiology and nutrition at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, told BBC Future: “Acrylamide crosses all tissues, including the placenta, because it has a low molecular weight and is water soluble.” “
Then there is the risk of cancer, as high levels of acrylamide have been shown to increase the chance of developing this disease in animals.
Measuring that risk to humans is a different story, as Rashmi Sinha, a senior researcher at the National Cancer Institute, told Inverse. . clinical trials with things that are carcinogenic.”
“The main studies have been communication [or] Our prospective studies ask how [healthy participants] Cook their food and then we will follow them for ten, fifteen, twenty years.”
However, it is best to avoid burnt toast.
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