Fried food seems to be conquering the world. State fairs boast of frying everything from bubblegum to chocolate bars. Dieters have been running from the greasy foods produced from frying for years, but many cannot argue they miss the taste of fried chicken and French fries. Inside the grease pan lies health hazards that outweigh the satisfaction of having a taste of crispy fried food.
Many people use trans fats for frying foods because they are less costly than vegetable oils. Trans fats are hydrogenated vegetable oils that can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease. The oils and fats that are used to fry food contribute almost ten calories per gram to the piece of food being fried. Many also speculate some fried foods lead to cancer. Butylhydroxytoluene, commonly known as BHT, is frequently used by the food industry to prevent rancidity in packaged baked goods. BHT can cause cancer when consumed in high amounts. Frying foods can also form acrylamides, a substance that may increase risk of cancer and nerve damage. When exposed to heat, sugars and an amino acid called asparagine which are both present in potatoes react and form acrylamides. Acrylamide levels of potato chips increase with frying temperature.
The older generation tells stories of basically cooking with lard. There was a big can of Crisco sitting right beside the stove ready for some cooking. These days fried food is cooked in many different unhealthy oils besides Crisco. Many restaurants claim they are using vegetable oil, but most are truly using highly processed trans fat filled soybean oil.
No, state fairs will probably not soar the popularity of grilled bubble gum and chocolate bars, but those trying to eat healthy can try some alternatives to this frying. Breading gives most foods almost the same flavor as frying. All that is needed is rolling the food in breadcrumbs or crackers and then baking it in olive oil. Roasting, steaming, grilling and sautéing are easy ways to give food a kick. If a consumer still misses the crunchy goodness of fried food then drizzling olive oil over food and sticking it in the oven will give it that same feeling.
Eating the creative fried foods at the fairs are just fine in moderation. Sometimes it is hard to resist the newest fad like the fried margarita!
Davisson Clinic Diet by Design Weight Loss Center
Dr. Harvey G. Davisson
Dallas, Texas
http://www.davissonclinicwellness.com
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