Freezing bread and then toasting it before eating may alter how the body digests it, experts say. (iStock)
Instead of being fully digested in the small intestine, resistant starch passes into the colon, where it's fermented by gut bacteria and can help support digestion, experts told Fox News Digital.
"Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and instead feeds gut bacteria in the colon," said Bryan Quoc Le, Ph.D., a food scientist with Mendocino Food Consulting in California.
The same principle applies to other carbs such as pasta, rice and potatoes.
In the colon, resistant starch ferments and produces short-chain fatty acids, which may support digestion and reduce inflammation. Some people, however, may experience mild bloating when first increasing resistant starch intake, according to dietitians.
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The same principle applies to other carbs such as pasta, rice and potatoes when they're cooked, cooled and reheated, National Geographic recently reported.
Toasting alone has also been shown to slightly lower the glycemic index of bread. (iStock)
"Repeated heating and cooling cycles, and chilling for longer periods of time, can significantly increase resistant starch content," said Helen Tieu, a registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Diet Redefined in Canada. "But bread choice, portion size and what you eat it with matter much more."
A 2015 study in the Journal of Functional Foods found resistant starch could increase up to eight times higher depending on the carb and storage method – but also found that the overall effect remains small compared to diet quality.
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Tieu told Fox News Digital that whole grain, sprouted grain or sourdough breads paired with protein and vegetables are far more effective at controlling blood sugar than white bread, no matter how it's stored.
Topping it with butter or sugary spreads will also dull any potential benefits.
Le agreed, noting that "the bread choice outweighs the storage or cooking," and emphasized that freezing and toasting should not be seen as a free pass to eat unlimited slices.
Topping it with butter or sugary spreads will also dull any potential benefits.
