Fried foods are bad for your health
Many people eat fried foods because of their ease of preparation and delicious taste, but what do you know about the harmful effects of fried foods on your health? Here are the details in this article.
Fried foods are foods that are common, especially in restaurants, and include chicken, fish, potatoes, and others. Here in this article, the effects of fried foods on your health:
Fried foods are bad for your health
All of these foods contain many calories and trans fats.
1. Increased risk of heart disease
Many studies have proven that eating a lot of fried foods increases the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
In one study, researchers noted that women who ate one or more servings of fried fish per week had a 48 percent higher chance of developing heart disease compared to women who ate one to three servings per month.
Eating fried foods contributes to the following:
- high blood pressure ;
- High levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and low level of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body.
- obesity;
All of these are considered risk factors for heart disease.
2. Increases the risk of diabetes
Eating fried foods increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
A scientific study has proven that people who consume 4 to 6 servings of fried foods per week have a 39% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who consume one serving per week.
On the other hand, eating fried foods 7 times a week increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 55% compared to those who eat it once a week.
3. It causes obesity
One of the harms of fried foods is that they cause obesity, as they contain many calories and trans fats compared to non-fried foods.
Studies show that the fat in fried foods increases weight, due to its effect on hormones that control appetite and store fat, especially in the abdominal area.
Obesity is also associated with many different health complications, the most important of which are:
- Hypertension.
- Having type 2 diabetes.
- High level of fats in the blood.
4. Increases the risk of cancer
Cooking foods using the frying method produces a chemical called acrylamide, which forms when fried foods are cooked at very high temperatures.
This substance is considered dangerous to health, as the British Food Standards Agency warned against cooking at high temperatures of more than 120 degrees Celsius.
Alternative ways to reduce the damage of fried foods
Here are two ways to reduce the harmful effects of fried foods:
1. Use substitutes for unhealthy oils
After learning about the damages of fried foods, let's learn about alternatives to unhealthy oils to reduce these damages:
- Coconut oil: 90% of what this fruit contains are saturated fatty acids, as scientific research has proven that these fatty chains do not cause high cholesterol.
- Olive oil: Olive oil may be the least harmful type of frying because it contains monounsaturated fats, but be sure to buy high-quality oil.
- Avocado oil: The components of avocado oil are similar to olive oil, which makes it withstand high temperatures more than others, so it is the right choice for frying.
2. Use alternative methods of cooking
It is necessary to find alternative methods of frying that are healthier than the traditional methods we use, which include:
- Using the oven: This method involves baking foods at very high temperatures, which makes the food crispy without the use of oil, or using very small amounts of it.
- Use of steamers: These electrical appliances or equipment gather steam around food to cook it using very small amounts of oil.