Can eating bread crust really make your hair curly?

Would you stop someone from eating Pop Rocks with soda? Or let a cupcake hit the floor for just four seconds before eating it? If you answered "yes," you might also believe in the old saying that eating bread crust can make your hair curl.

There’s no scientific evidence in any peer-reviewed journals to suggest that bread crust causes curly hair. But hang on, there are other interesting things to know about those crusts.

While it's highly unlikely that bread crust can make your hair curl, it could still be good for your health. For years, moms have warned kids that not eating their crust will lead to hair falling out, becoming limp, or not growing right. Although this threat has been effective on many children, it is completely unfounded.

Research shows that the crust of bread actually contains more nutrients than the soft center. A 2002 study by German researchers found that the crust holds eight times more of a cancer-fighting antioxidant than the center [source: Lindenmeier]. Mom might not always be right for the right reasons, but she’s still right.

If you're aiming to maximize your nutrition, choose wheat bread over white. The processing of white bread removes many nutritious components, making wheat the winner when it comes to vitamins, minerals, and fiber [source: Lasko].

In summary: Eating bread crust doesn’t make your hair curly, wheat bread is more nutritious than white, and the crust of wheat bread is the most nutritious part.

The belief that bread crust causes curly hair likely originated in Europe centuries ago, where having thick, curly hair was once considered a sign of good health [source: Juan]. During times of scarcity, 'daily bread' wasn’t always guaranteed, and regularly missing out on essential nutrition often led to hair loss [source: Rushton].

The key takeaway: If you’re having bread, make sure to eat the crust.