“Eating crusts of bread gives you curly hair.”

The idea that consuming bread crusts will result in curly hair is a persistent old wives' tale with no scientific basis. This misconception likely originated in Europe several hundred years ago during times of scarcity. A thick head of hair, including curly hair, was often associated with good health and adequate nutrition. Bread was a staple food, and those who could afford to eat it, including the crusts, were generally healthier and less likely to suffer from hair loss due to malnutrition. This led to a folk belief linking bread crust consumption with desirable hair, even though the connection was coincidental rather than causal.

The truth is that hair texture—whether it is straight, wavy, or curly—is primarily determined by genetics. The shape of your hair follicles, which is inherited from your parents, dictates how your hair grows. Round follicles typically produce straight hair, oval follicles result in wavy hair, and flatter or asymmetrical follicles lead to curly hair. The proteins that make up your hair, particularly keratin, and the way their bonds are formed, also play a significant role, all of which are genetically coded. Diet has absolutely no influence on these fundamental genetic characteristics.

People often believed this myth because it offered a simple, tangible explanation for a complex biological trait. Parents and grandparents may have also used it as a way to encourage children to eat the nutritious crusts of bread, which do contain a higher concentration of certain vitamins and antioxidants compared to the softer interior. While eating bread crusts can be a healthy dietary choice, it will not alter your genetic predisposition for hair texture. Your hair's curl pattern is an inherent part of your genetic makeup, unaffected by what you eat.