If you’re tempted to nibble around the bread crusts when you finish a sandwich, you might be leaving out the most nutritious part.

A recent study suggests that dark brown bread crust may contain six times more antioxidants than the lighter colored innards of the loaf.

Come to the Dark Side
Seems it is a matter of basic chemistry. High heat during baking turns the carbohydrates and protein in the dough into new compounds that have high antioxidant potential. Just be sure to choose the right bread. We’re talking whole-grain, dark, and crusty. Mmmm. Here’s another thing brown bread does for your health.

More Food Synergies
Browning reactions that occur during baking are just one example of how heat treatment changes food. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly on which preparation methods boost food’s potential and which ones make it tank:

• Avoid grilling meat. This type of high heat creates carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HAs). Try these tips from the YOU Docs to minimize HA formation while cooking meat.
• Finely chop or crush fresh garlic. And let it hang out awhile (at least 5 minutes) before heating. This boosts production of healthful sulfur-containing compounds.
• Lightly steam broccoli. You’ll get the most beneficial phenols and carotenoids out of broccoli with this gentle cooking method. Steaming works for this orange veggie, too.

Check out these other nutrition boosters for fruits and veggies.