We knew that freezing bread was convenient, cheap and fashionable. What we are not clear about is that it is “so good” for health

The world has changed. And if there is something where that It is more noticeable than in water, land or airthat’s bread. HE note on bread and it shows a lot. So much so that, despite the attempts in recent years to revitalize it, the culture of bread (those 315 varieties that identified Jose Carlos Capel at the end of the 80s) is in clear decline.

Thus, the idea of ​​buying bread every day is increasingly in the minority and the big question that thousands of people ask is… “Is it really a good idea to freeze it?” And, to the surprise of many, it is a good idea (although not as good as it wants to let us know). You just need to do it well.

So you don’t lose properties? As the dietitian-nutritionist explained Nuria Romero in Ideal“we can rest assured, because when frozen, bread does not lose nutritional properties.” Although, it is true that “sometimes its texture or flavor can be affected.”

And is any bread worth it? The best are “those that are less toasted, since they are the ones that best hold the moisture balance between the crust and the crumb.” For the same reason, it is also a good idea to freeze large breads or those that are made from whole wheat or rye flour.

How do you freeze bread? Although it may seem obvious, freezing bread is very very simple. There are three easy steps to implement. The problem is that most consumers They are not usually applied systematically.

1. The first thing is to choose fresh bread at room temperature. If the bread is already starting to get hard or hasn’t cooled completely yet, the end result will be much worse.
2. Later, it is highly recommended to cut it into portions that make it easier to defrost later. In this sense, many people choose to cut it into slices.
3. And then pack it airtight. This way we ensure that moisture from the freezer does not come into contact with the slices.

And so (well isolated) you can last up to six months in a lot of trouble.

And how do we defrost it? That is usually the other big problem: if we do not defrost it correctly, it can lose its freshness. Therefore, the most effective way to do it is at room temperature: placing it on a rack so that moisture does not accumulate, defrosting gives very good results.

If we are short of time, it can be defrosted in the oven (at about 160 degrees, wrapped in aluminum foil for 10 or 15 minutes) or directly in the toaster if we have it sliced.

Is that where the magic begins? We have seen it in many articles: for example, as he explained Dr. Karen Alarcón Fuentesgastroenterologist and endocopyist, when unfrozen “a large part of the carbohydrate in the bread will be converted into prebiotic fiber.” Something that “not only benefits your microbiota, but will also regulate your blood glucose.”

But is it true? It is not clear. As our colleague Liliana Fuchs explained to usis something that “has a certain scientific basis, but is of no use in practice.” The key to all this mess is in the resistant starch“a type of carbohydrate that is difficult for our body to process, it is not completely digested and has a similar effect to fiber.”

The problem is that, in the case of breadit has only been possible to demonstrate that freezing it (and roasting it later) reduces the glycemic index, although it was a fairly small study. The process does not affect resistant starch. And, in fact, “the effect on the health of a normal person will be practically nil; the total diet and daily habits matter much more.”

Image | Charles Chen | Coffee Danube Still Life Photography

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