The Danger of Frying Your Food

Frying is the cooking of food in oil or another fat, a cooking method that originated in ancient Egypt around 2500 BC. Going by the chemical composition, oils and fats are the same, differing only in the state in which they exist and melting point, and the distinction is only made when needed. Foods can be fried in a variety of fats, including lard, vegetable oil, palm oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil and olive oil. Various foods may be fried, including the potatoes, yam, plantain, meats, fishes, eggs and foods made from eggs, such as omelettes or pancake just to mention a few. The purpose of frying also varies, reasons ranging from preservative purposes to reasons related to the desired taste etc. Having said all these it is important to now analyse the careful selected dangers that lies in consuming fried foods which are stated below; *. Increased Cancer Risk According to a study published in the journal “Prostate” in June 2013 individuals that consume more of fried foods, such as fried fish, fried chicken, doughnuts or French fries, at least once a week has a higher risk of developing prostate cancer when compared to those who consume less. Therefore, limiting the amount of fried food you eat can help you lower your risk for prostate cancer, highlighting the danger associated with fried foods. Also acrylamide are liberated especially when carbohydrates are fried, acrylamide is a dangerous neurotoxin that can damage the nervous system. A number of studies have also explored its carcinogenic effects and animal studies suggest that acrylamide can contribute to tumour development in the thyroid, testes, mammary glands, lungs, and brain. *. Increased Obesity Risk Foods high in fat, such as fried foods, are also higher in calories, since a gram of fat provides 9 calories compared to the 4 calories found in each gram of protein or carbohydrates. If you eat fried foods regularly, you are more likely to become overweight or obese. A study published in the February 2013 issue of “Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases” found that consuming fried foods more than four times per week increased the risk for obesity compared to consuming these foods less than two times per week, this is simply explained by the calorie content of fat and oils.. *. Upsets Blood Sugar Recent research confirms that when acrylamides level that are released when carbohydrates are fried rises in the body it adversely affects the insulin levels concomitantly the blood sugar level. Increased levels of acrylamide are associated with a decrease in serum insulin, this result to difficulty in controlling blood sugar. For people who already have trouble controlling their blood sugar, such as diabetics, the health implications can be disastrous. *. Negatively Affects the Immune System Trying to be healthy? Avoid acrylamide. Regular exposure has been linked to autoimmune diseases. One study found that individuals whose work regularly exposed them to acrylamide had an increased risk for developing lupus, scleroderma, and Sjögren’s syndrome. *. IncreasedStroke Risk Southern cuisine, which typically includes a lot of fried foods, may increase your stroke risk, according to a report. You’ll increase your risk of a stroke by about 41 per cent if you eat fried Southern dishes at least six times per week compared to eating this type of food less than once a month. If you fry your foods in a type of fat that provides a lot of saturated fat, such as butter, lard or coconut oil, it may also increase your cholesterol and your risk for heart disease which invariably increases the risk of stroke. *. Negatively Affects Foetal Development: A survey taken between 2006-2010 revealed that acrylamide consumption correlated with smaller head circumferences and lower birth weights in recently born infants. Another study of 50,651 women in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study confirmed a reduction of foetal growth following exposure to acrylamide which is liberated from fried carbohydrate. Having said all these it is worthy to admonish us that for the sake of our health, lets reduce the quantity of our fat intake. Stay Healthy!!!