Can’t say no to deep-fried foods? Use the healthiest oils for frying

You don't have to give up deep-fried food, but also don't overdo it. The type of oil you use and how long you fry the food matters too. Here are the best oils for frying.

fried food

Deep-fried foods are bad for your health as they are high in fat, calories, and often salt. Several studies have linked fried foods to obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which can further lead to serious health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. A 2017 study revealed that eating fried potatoes can increase death risk. It found that people who ate fried potatoes (including french fries, fried potatoes, and hash browns) more than twice a week had a higher incidence of medical conditions that can increase the risk of early death. The main culprits are the unhealthy oils used to fry the potatoes as well as the high amounts of salt added to it.

The process of frying can alter the quality and increase the food's caloric content. Most fast-food restaurants use hydrogenated oils, which are high in trans fats, to fry foods because they enhance the taste. But these oils not good for your health. Trans fats can increase bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, lower good (HDL) cholesterol levels, and up the risk of heart disease. Moreover, restaurants often reuse these oils, making it even worse. Repeated frying changes the composition of the oil and causes more oil to be absorbed into the food. This further increases your chances of having high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

The healthy way to eat fried foods

If you still want to eat fried foods, make them yourself at home using healthier oils. But it's advisable to limit intake of fried foods because food cooked at very high heat may contain a chemical called acrylamide, which has been shown in animal studies to cause cancer.

When making deep-fried foods, use oils that consist mostly of saturated and monounsaturated fats. They are more stable at high heat. Coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils for deep frying. According to experts, the quality of the coconut oil remains less affected even after 8 hours of continuous deep frying at 365 F (180 C). In addition, over 90% of the fatty acids in coconut oil are saturated, which makes it resistant to heat. Coconut oil may also help you lose belly fat.

Animal fats, such as lard, tallow, ghee, and fat drippings, are all good choices for deep frying as they as high in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Other healthy oils for deep frying include olive, avocado, peanut oils.

Oils that you shouldn't use for frying

Avoid vegetable oils that are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids for deep frying. These include soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, rice bran oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil. These oils can produce large amounts of oxidized fatty acids and harmful compounds when exposed to high heat.

Some points to keep in mind while making fried foods:

• Never reuse oil for frying food.
• After removing the food from the frying pan, use paper towels to soak any excess oil off the food.
• Don't let your foods get too brown because the darker the food is, the more acrylamide it may contain.
• It's not necessary to give up fried food, but don't overdo it.