Breakfast food is nutritious, healthy and the perfect start for the whole day. For me, breakfast is not complete without a piece of toast or a few! The smell of crunchy, crispy, golden-brown bread makes me hungry just by thinking about it. But enough talk about our breakfast, we are here to talk about guinea pigs and if they can have a taste of this delicious and simple breakfast food – toast.
So, can guinea pigs eat toast? No, guinea pigs cannot eat toast. Any kind of dough or pastry is simply not beneficial or good for them and toast is certainly this type of food. Still, there is no need to worry, your guinea pig will not be in a life or death situation if it tried a little piece of toast.
Guinea pigs stomachs are made to process only veggies, fruits, herbs and plants, other types of food are not recommended and will cause complications. That’s why our guinea pigs are herbivores and vegetarians, other foods are either toxic or harmful for them (not beneficial at all).
Too bad that our guinea pigs are not able to join us for a slice of toast during the breakfast time. However, let’s read more about the toast below – all the pros, cons, and additional details of toast as food for guinea pigs.
Table of Content
Health Benefits of Guinea Pigs Eating Toast
If the guinea pig could eat toast, it would get the benefits of moderate amounts of fibers for good digestion, and some antioxidants and vitamins too. But, sadly, toast also has sugar and calcium, so it doesn’t have the essential vitamin C for the health and survival of a guinea pig.
Nutrition Facts of Toast
Per one slice of toasted bread, (24 g / 3 oz), here are the nutrition facts:
- Moderate in calories – 75.1 calories. This is a normal amount but some would even say this is a lot (those on a strict diet!).
- High in carbs and low in proteins – in a slice of toast, there are lots of carbs 13.4 g, and a smaller amount of proteins 3.1 g.
- Fiber – any type of dough is rich in fibers and toast has 1.1 g of fiber. Of course, this isn’t too much or too little, just enough for a healthy digestion and good bowel movements.
- Sugar – 1.5 g. Almost every food contains sugars, toast has 1.5 g, for us is not a lot but for guinea pigs it really is! Their stomachs don’t digest sugars very good.
- Low in fat – 1 g. At least toast is not a fattening type of food. Less fat is good for the cardiovascular system in the long run.
- Vitamin K – 2%. Vitamin K is responsible for faster clotting of the blood because it helps the body to produce the prothrombin, clotting protein.
- Thiamin – 7%. This is known as the B1 vitamin and it keeps the intestines, stomach, muscles, brain and the heart healthy. Also, it promotes good flow of electrolytes throughout the body cells.
- Riboflavin – 5%. Riboflavin is the B2 vitamin. B2 boosts the immunity, promotes good oxygen flow to every cell in the body, and it converts consumed foods to energy.
- Niacin – 7%. Known as B3 vitamin, this vitamin is incredibly beneficial for lowering cholesterol, preventing heart diseases and diabetes, reducing bone pains and even makes the skin quality better.
- Vitamin B6 – 2%. B6 boosts the serotonin production (hormone for happiness), but it also improves the quality of sleep and it reduces stress too.
- Calcium – 39.6 mg. This is way too much calcium for just one slice of toast! Of course, this isn’t a problem for humans, but such amount of this mineral is very harmful to your guinea pig.
- Iron – 1 mg. This mineral is crucial for a healthy blood.
- Magnesium – 4%. Magnesium keeps the heart muscles strong. It reduces anxiety as well, also the risks of diabetes and heart diseases.
- Potassium – 2%. Potassium intake can lower blood pressure, prevent loss of muscle mass and reduce the risk of heart problems.
- Manganese – 17%. This is a very potent antioxidant and it can improve bone health, reduce risk of fatal diseases, help with inflammations and even regulate the blood sugar.
- Selenium – 11%. The selenium is also an antioxidant, it keeps the thyroid gland healthy, reduces risks of cancers and heart illnesses, and boosts the immune system too.
Risks to Consider When Feeding Toast to Guinea Pigs
- Painful digestion – the toast has a small amount of sugar, and sugars, in general, are not at all good for guinea pigs. Of course, they receive them through some fruits but in moderation. Toast has no great nutritional value for the guinea pig if we consider the sugar content here as well. The sugars can upset the stomachs of the guinea pigs, so they must be avoided.
- Urinary problems – toast also has calcium and lots of it too! The calcium is harmful to adult guinea pigs. It is useful only when they are young and still in development. Otherwise, the excess calcium causes blood in urine, stones in bladder and kidneys, urinary infections that appear often and pain during urination.
- Lack of proper nutrients for overall health – the toast lacks one of the most crucial nutrients for guinea pigs – the vitamin C. It has other nutrients that bring their own benefits too, but considering there is calcium and sugar, but no vitamin C, this means toast really is not good for them.
Quick Facts on Toast
- The last Thursday of February is National Toast Day
- The term ‘toast’ comes from the Latin word ‘tostare’ and it means simply ‘to toast’
- A neurosurgeon from Canada, Dr. Wilder Penfield, was operating on epilepsy patients when he discovered a part in the human brain he called ‘toast center’. That part of the brain is fully responsible for detecting the smell of a burning toast!
- The French toast is not really a toast, because the egg coating is the brown part, not the bread under the egg. Also, this ‘toast’ is fried and not toasted.
- The first toaster ever made was named ‘El Tosto’
- The process of toasting bread is known as the Maillard reaction. When the bread receives the heat of 310 degrees Fahrenheit, the sugar in the bread gets brown and forms a crusty surface.
- The first original toaster was invented back in 1893, but the electric toaster appeared in 1905. The inventor of the electric toaster was Albert Marsh.
Before I let you go, one final thought on food. With food, you can’t ever be too careful which is why I get all guinea pig food from a reliable source such as Amazon. If you are not sure what to order but believe your little piggies deserve some great treats please check our Helpful Guide to the Best Guinea Pig Treats to get some ideas. We have also made a full list of foods that guinea pigs can and can’t eat (150+ Types of Foods). Be sure to also check our recommended products page for everything you will ever need to assure a happy life for your Guinea Pigs. Hope this information was helpful and you have found the answer you were looking for.
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