12:04 23.04.2014

The answer to the question: "What oil is better for frying?" sounds something like "And for what purpose are you going to do this?" Weird? If a person considers frying as the only acceptable way of cooking, regularly and happily consumes fried food, he should ask him on the culinary forum. They will tell you what does not stick to which pan, which gives the best taste to the dishes and other valuable gourmet information.

But doctors all over the world agree that fried food should not be in the main role in the diet, but in episodes. And the less often it appears on the table, the lower the risk of atherosclerosis, diseases of the heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys.

What oil is better to fry a supporter of a healthy diet

This whole story of low-fat cooking sprays and white ceramic skillet covers has nothing to do with the harm of fats. In fact, dietary lipids are extremely beneficial for:

The health of the nervous system, including the central nervous system;

Reproductive health. The point is not in the statement "fat is a hormonal organ", but in the fact that with a low-fat diet, the secretion of sex hormones decreases, which, for obvious reasons, does not improve the quality of human life;

Health of the heart and blood vessels. Useful omega-three fatty acids - a recognized product for the prevention of atherosclerosis and normalization of the level of "bad" cholesterol;

Such an elusive and individual factor as "the pleasure of the diet." Whatever the low-fat propagandists say, food tastes better when it is buttered.

But only when heated, that is, during the frying process, the properties of the oils change. And fried olive or sunflower oil is no longer such a wonderful product for a healthy lifestyle and weight loss. Radical supporters of "clean" food do not fry food from the word "at all". They use the grill, steamer, simmer vegetables in water and add high quality cold oil to the finished dish.

In general, the rule is simple - the more unsaturated fatty acids in the oil, the more chances it has not to survive heat treatment. Don't believe me? Try to heat a little flaxseed oil (almost the richest source of unsaturated fatty acids) in a frying pan, and when you see black smoke, you will understand what this is about.
Periodically there are publications proving that unsaturated oils, when heated, from useful ones turn into extremely harmful ones, in some works even the carcinogenic effect of such oils is proved.

What Western ZOZhevtsy fry on

Do you know why coconut oil has such a good reputation and sells so well on all kinds of health food sites? Not at all because of the taste of the Bounty, or rather, not at all because of him. Among vegetable oils, this product contains the highest amount of saturated fat (about 91%), and is least destroyed during cooking.
True, frying on coconut requires manual dexterity and a very good pan / pancake maker. Use cookware with a fairly thick bottom and reduce the heat so that the oil does not start smoking. The challenge is to quickly flip what you fry. Constantly and quickly until it cooks. And do not heat the oil until smoke appears. By the way, lazy Americans have come up with an electric pancake maker with a set temperature, in which even pancakes made of protein powder are fried normally.

The number two saturated fat is ghee or ghee, or nothing more than the good old ghee that you picked out of porridge carefully prepared by your grandmother as a child. Due to its "already melted" origin, ghee hardly burns at normal heating temperatures, and is suitable for preparing almost all vegetable dishes.
Number three is olive oil. It is rich in olein, and does not degrade as much when heated as regular sunflower.
Well, reflections about the fact that refined oil is more useful for frying than "oil with a smell" are more likely to be referred to the heading "mistress of note", and not to the achievements of dietetics. Even if the oil does not smell at all during the cooking process, this, unfortunately, does not mean in the least that it will be extremely beneficial to your health.

What oil is better to fry and how to do it

There should be the words "if really necessary." Fried food is harmful a priori. More or less "nothing" only dishes like stir-fry, where micro-pieces of meat and vegetables come into contact with oil for a split second.

Here are some simple tricks to make fried food healthier:

Lubricate a skillet with olive oil using a cotton swab and quickly sauté your vegetables. If they are vegetables, 30 seconds are enough on each side for the taste to become “fried”. Then put them in a baking dish and cook in the oven until cooked. By the way, non-aesthetes can try to immediately spread the notorious potatoes into slices on parchment and bake at 200 degrees. Well, sprinkle with oil from a spray bottle, about 2 minutes before turning off the oven;

If “it” is poultry or fish, use the same method, but bring the dish to readiness by turning on the grill or convector. Manipulations allow you to "kill two birds with one stone" - you will not heat food in oil for too long, which will reduce the risk of its destruction, and you will reduce the calorie content of the finished dish, since the oil will not be actively absorbed into the "cooking".

Manipulations allow you to "kill two birds with one stone" - you will not heat food in oil for too long, which will reduce the risk of its destruction, and you will reduce the calorie content of the finished dish, since the oil will not be actively absorbed into the "cooking".
In general, fried food does not in any way fit into a healthy diet, and like other "exception dishes" should occupy an honorable "top" place in the pyramid of your food, along with candy cookies. Conventionally, you can eat 2-3 free meals a week, regardless of the goals that you set for yourself (lose weight, maintain health, improve health, etc.). These two or three servings, by the way, include sweets and fried "on a par". So what specific choice you make is entirely up to you. The only thing, nutritionists still advise to refrain from cookies like "brushwood" and other at the same time sweet and fried foods. It has been proven that such a combination of macronutrients, as in them, causes overeating in almost any person.

Fitness trainer Elena Selivanova

Why are fried foods considered harmful? The fact is that the oil in which you fry can produce harmful substances when heated. Thus, fried food becomes harmful to the body. The breakdown of oil into harmful substances depends on the temperature and time of frying.

Experts recommend not to overheat the oil during frying, otherwise it will begin to form substances such as acrylamide or acrolein. When heated over 230 degrees, fat breaks down in all types of oils. How to determine the harm of fried? If the oil has formed carcinogens, then it will taste bitter, the fried dish will also have a bitter taste and the smell of burnt oil. If the oil in the pan overheats and starts to smoke, then it can no longer be used for frying. This oil has already begun to break down into harmful substances. It is important not to exceed the smoke point of the oil during heating.

Fried is bad or a myth?

It cannot be said with certainty that everything fried is harmful. If you prepare the dish correctly, then it will not be harmful. It is important to follow all the roasting rules and use quality raw materials.

Much depends on the properties of oils: natural unrefined cold-pressed oils contain a lot of useful substances, and they are also more aromatic than refined ones. However, experts advise you to fry on the latter, tk. they can withstand higher temperatures.

It is also known that olive oil contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids and therefore is considered relatively resistant to heat. Sunflower oil is best used for dressing salads, i.e. cold.

The food itself also affects the formation of carcinogens, for example, acrylamide is formed at high temperatures in foods rich in carbohydrates.

Browning reaction

Why does the food turn brown during frying? During heating, a chemical reaction occurs between sugars and protein components, which is described by Louis Maillard (1912).

The Maillard reaction is a very complex process. Its basic principle: when heating meat, bread or other proteins and products containing carbohydrates from 100 to 180 ° C, some amino acids of these proteins combine with sugar molecules of carbohydrate chains. Such heating from 100 ° C, 150 to 180 ° C or browning reaction results in a brown color. Frying (the brown color on foods) is made up of pigments called melanoidins. Characteristic flavors arise depending on which sugars or amino acids are present in heated foods. Likewise, this reaction produces flavors or crunchy toasts, crusts. In addition, there are many possible reactions and therefore a large number of possible by-products.

Which oil is best for frying?

The oil consists of 80% fat and 16% water. Therefore, the oil is suitable for frying at low to medium heat. At higher temperatures, it splashes out and starts to smoke (smoke point 175 ° C).

It is better to use light oil for frying, because it is more stable. This oil is usually devoid of certain substances. As a result, it can withstand higher temperatures (smoke point 200 ° C), making it ideal for frying. When cooked properly, fried foods will not be harmful.

Acrylamide: dose of poison

Dark toasted crusts are known to be carcinogenic. Acrylamide is formed during frying, similar to the Maillard reaction. However, some studies have shown that the amount of acrylamide formed depends on the amount of carbohydrates in the original product. In addition, the amount depends on the temperature. For example, fried potato slices contained 300 times more acrylamide than fried beef. In addition, the amount of carcinogen obtained when heated at 220 degrees was 20 times more than when heated at 120 degrees. It should be noted that potato chips contain particularly high levels of acrylamide.

It can be concluded that the amount of acrylamide obtained depends not only on the heating temperature, but also on the amount of carbohydrates. This is why nutritionists advise you to steam your food.

What oil to fry in?

The main thing is not to bring it to the point of smoke while heating the oil. If the oil begins to smoke, then it has already reached the point of smoke and this indicates that it is inedible. Do not overheat the oil! Some experts advise keeping a damp stick in the fat when toasting steak to prevent overheating and smoking.

Butter

Butter contains about 16% water and therefore splashes when heated. At 175 degrees, it becomes inedible. It is best added after frying, or at the end of frying at a low frying temperature.

Melted butter

This oil is devoid of water and protein, that is, in front of us is pure fat. Clarified oil is more resistant to heat and does not burn even at 205 degrees. In this oil, you can fry steaks, schnitzel. Lard () is also ideal for a better browning.

Coconut, palm

Both oils are obtained from tropical plants. Coconut oil can be heated up to 180 degrees. Palm oil, which is extracted from the seeds of oil palm kernels, can be heated up to 220 degrees.

Margarine

Margarine can be heated up to 160 degrees and is conditionally suitable for frying. However, this product splashes out due to its high water content.

Olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil can be heated up to 180 degrees. If the oil is additionally refined, i.e. clarified, then it receives additional heat resistance up to 230 degrees. In this form, it is ideal for frying.

Sunflower oil

Cold pressed sunflower oil (dark) must not be heated above 110 degrees. Refined oil, refined, can withstand temperatures of 200 degrees (smoke point 225 degrees). Ideal for frying.

Some fatty acids break down even at very low temperatures, and these include, in particular, polyunsaturated fatty acids. If the oil contains many of these fatty acids, then its smoke point is correspondingly low. Therefore, the more polyunsaturated fatty acids the oil contains, the less suitable it is for frying.

The problem is that vegetable oils contain a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 or omega-6. They are good for the body, but they start to smoke at 150 degrees. Monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids are practically not degraded even at high temperatures. If more than half of the oil consists of monounsaturated fatty acids, it is suitable for frying. Olive oil contains 72% oleic acid, rapeseed oil 62%, thistle oil 60%.

Hard fats are very heat stable due to their high saturated fatty acid content.

Image copyright AFP

Choosing cooking oil is not easy. Michael Mosley.

When it comes to the issue of oil and fats, we are faced with a very difficult choice. Store shelves are crammed with all the varieties imaginable, but the choice is tricky. The debate about the benefits and dangers of consuming various fats continues.

In the Trust Me, I "m a Doctor" program, we decided to look at this topic from a different angle and ask: "Which fats or oils are better for cooking?"

Perhaps you think the answer is obvious: it is healthier to fry food with vegetable fats than with animals such as lard or butter. But is it really so?

To find out, we handed out a variety of fats and oils to our volunteers in Leicester and asked them to cook with them daily. The remains had to be collected from the frying pan and sent to us for analysis.

Among the fats distributed were: sunflower oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, cold-pressed rapeseed oil, olive oil (refined and first pressed), butter and goose fat.

The samples collected after use were transferred to the Faculty of Pharmacy at De Montfort University in Leicester, where Professor Martin Grutveld, together with his assistants, conducted a parallel analysis - they heated the same types of fats to frying temperature.

If you cook food at a high temperature (about 180 degrees Celsius), then the molecular structure of sunflower oil and butter changes. The so-called oxidation occurs - the substance reacts with oxygen in the air, forming aldehydes and lipid peroxides. A similar process occurs at room temperature, but much more slowly. When fats become rancid, they oxidize.

Consuming or inhaling aldehydes, even in small amounts, is commonly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. What did Professor Grutveld's team establish?

“We found that oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (corn and sunflower) produced a lot of aldehydes,” he says.

I was surprised, because I have always considered sunflower oil beneficial for health.

"Sunflower and corn oils are not bad," says Professor Grutveld, "unless you heat them up like frying. It's a simple law of chemistry: a healthy food in a frying pan turns into a very harmful one."

Olive oil and cold-pressed rapeseed oil produced significantly less aldehydes - as did goose fat. The fact is that they are richer in monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids, which react much more restrainedly to heating. Saturated acids practically do not undergo an oxidation reaction at all.

In general, Professor Grutveld recommends olive oil for frying and other cooking. "Firstly, harmful compounds are formed in it in smaller quantities, and secondly, even those that are formed are not so dangerous for the human body."

His research also shows that saturated animal fats and oils are better for cooking, particularly frying, than sunflower or corn oil.

"If I were to choose between lard and polyunsaturated fats," he says, "I would definitely choose lard."

Despite its reputation for being "unhealthy", lard is rich in monounsaturated acids.

Another surprise emerged in our study - in some of the samples from our volunteers, Professor Grutveld's team discovered several new aldehydes that were not present in their experiment with simple heating.

"This is new data for science. Until now, they have not yet been known to the world, so I am very, very happy" - the professor smiles rather smiling.

However, I don’t think our volunteers are as happy to know that their cooking is a source of new, potentially dangerous compounds.

So what does Professor Grutveld advise?

First, try to fry less, especially in a very hot skillet. If you are frying, use as little oil as possible, and wipe off excess oil from ready-to-eat food, such as with a paper towel.

To reduce the yield of aldehydes, choose a fat rich in monounsaturated or saturated acids (preferably 60% or more of one or another, and more than 80% combined) and, accordingly, with a low content of polyunsaturated acids (less than 20%).

According to the professor, the best "compromise" option for cooking is olive oil: "It contains about 76% monounsaturated fatty acids, 14% saturated and only 10% polyunsaturated. As we mentioned, monounsaturated and saturated fats are more resistant to oxidation than polyunsaturated ".

Finally, his last tip is to store any oils in a closed cabinet, not exposed to light, and try to avoid reusing them, as they lead to the build-up of harmful by-products.

Key facts about fats:

Polyunsaturated fats contain two or more double bonds between carbon atoms. When consumed in foods such as nuts, seeds, fish and green leafed vegetables, they have undeniable health benefits. However, the benefits of consuming sunflower or corn oil, even though they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, are rather dubious.

Monounsaturated fat have only one double bond between carbon atoms. Found in avocados, olives, olive oil, almonds and hazel, as well as lard, lard and goose fat. Olive oil - about 76% monounsaturated - is a key ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, which researchers attribute to a low risk of heart disease.

Saturated fat do not have double bonds between carbon atoms. Although recently we have been advised to consume as little saturated fat as possible, in particular in dairy and other animal products, the advisability of such advice is still questionable.

Sometimes we do not have enough time to think about everyday little things, which are nevertheless very important. But still, sometimes every housewife, when shopping in a supermarket, thinks about which oil is better to fry in?

What kind of oil do we choose?

When making a choice in a store, we try to choose a frying oil that is odorless and tasteless, cholesterol-free and cheaper. Many housewives do this. But in what oil is it better and more correct to fry? Let's take a closer look at the nuances.

Currently, there is a fairly large selection of vegetable oils that are used for cooking. But it should be noted that not all of them are suitable for frying. Now there are very different opinions as to which oil is more useful to fry. There are heated debates around this issue.

Recent studies by scientists in Europe have shown that it is absolutely not worth using flaxseed oil for heat treatment. The fatty acids contained in it, during heating, turn into trans fats, which are very harmful to human health, since they can lead to the development of malignant diseases. You can fry in corn, sunflower, mustard or olive oil. Nutritionists strongly recommend frying in oil that has the highest boiling point. From a medical point of view, this is the most acceptable option. These oils include: palm, olive, soy, corn. Their boiling points are as follows: soybean, corn - 180 degrees, sunflower - 120-140 degrees.

Why oils are useful

While talking about which oil to fry in is better and healthier, it is worth noting that you can find an incredible variety of similar bottles in stores on the shelves. But how are they different? If you look closely, you can see the inscriptions of the following character: “rich in vitamin E”, “cholesterol free”, “hydrated”, “frozen”. It is difficult for an ordinary consumer to understand such nuances.

According to knowledgeable experts, the most useful in oil (vegetable) is valuable fatty acids. In any of them there are all three types: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated. The difference lies only in the ratio of proportions.

Saturated acids are necessary for the human body in small quantities. Their excess can lead to a violation of cholesterol and fat metabolism, which leads to atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. There are many saturated acids in peanut, coconut and palm oils.

But unsaturated acids (fatty), on the contrary, are extremely useful, they regulate metabolic processes in the human body. Now a lot of talk is about polyunsaturated acids: omega-6 and omega-3. According to recent studies, they not only prevent the development of atherosclerosis, but also contribute to the destruction of existing plaques on the walls of blood vessels. Such acids are simply irreplaceable for humans, since the body itself does not know how to produce them, which means that it can only be obtained with food. The main source is vegetable oil.

What determines the usefulness of the oil?

Following traditions, we choose oil for frying from the usual list - sesame, sunflower, corn, but at the same time we completely ignore rapeseed, flaxseed, walnut oil. According to doctors, such a bias cannot be called correct, since it affects health. Therefore, you should not be limited to any one type of oil.

As you know, the beneficial properties of the product depend on the feedstock. But a lot also depends on the methods of spinning and cleaning. For example, vitamin E, which manufacturers talk about, is quite stable, but the less heat treatment, the more it will remain in the product.

Scientists believe that the most "live" oil, which contains the maximum amount of biologically active substances, is obtained using the cold pressing method. On the labels of such a product, there is usually an inscription - "cold press or first pressing". Such oil is only filtered to remove mechanical impurities.

The question arises as to whether it is possible to fry in cold-pressed oil? The answer is obvious. Such a product consists of 70-80 percent of monounsaturated fatty acids, and to be more precise, of linoleic and oleic. The beneficial properties of such acids are lost at temperatures above 90-120 degrees. And when frying, the temperature in the pan reaches 190-250 degrees. By cooking in cold-pressed oil, you kill the beneficial properties of the product and add very dangerous carcinogens to food.

Types of oil processing

The delicate butter, which contains a large amount of polyunsaturated acids, is very fuming in a pan and cannot stand sunlight. But there is also a very good way of processing the product, called extraction (organic solvents are used). According to experts, such oil goes through many stages of purification, but most of the nutrients are lost in this case. To increase the shelf life of unrefined product, oils can be attacked with alkali. The taste of such a product is no longer so bright, the color is faded, and some of the nutrients are lost. But there are also useful points. For example, all pesticides and heavy metals that may be present in the feed are removed.

Well, refined oil is practically impersonal: it does not smell and is completely light. If it was also deodorized, then we can say for sure that fatty acids are partially preserved in it, but vitamins and valuable substances are practically lost. Although most of the housewives prefer refined oil for cooking due to the lack of smell.

Also on the labels you can often find the inscription "frozen". What does this mean? And this suggests that waxes were removed from such a product. For this reason, at low temperatures, for example, in a refrigerator, the oil begins to cloudy and at the same time does not look its best. At the same time, it can be either refined or unrefined. It is worth noting that for all its advantages, refined little is not very suitable for frying, since it burns and fumes. Ideally, when deciding which oil is best to fry, you should still give preference to rapeseed, sunflower and olive.

Types of oils

To figure out which oil is more useful to fry, you need to understand how well a particular product tolerates the heating process. The most important property in this matter is how easily the oil turns and oxidizes during heat treatment. Oxidizing, it becomes harmful. Therefore, the lower the oxidation temperature, the less suitable the oil for frying. Such an important parameter for this product is also called the smoke point. It is when it is reached that oxidized substances become extremely harmful.

Coconut oil

This oil is 92% saturated fatty acids, and therefore it is very resistant to heat. Its smoke point is between 172-230 degrees. At room temperature, it has a semi-soft consistency and will not turn off for months, remaining fresh. In addition, the oil contains the beneficial lauric fatty acid. There is evidence that it helps keep disease-causing bacteria under control and improves cholesterol profile. If we compare different types of oils, then coconut oil gives a feeling of fullness for a longer period. It is worth choosing an organic cold-pressed product.

Ghee or butter

It was previously believed that frying in butter was very harmful. It is useful not only fresh, but also suitable for frying. In addition, it contains vitamins E and A, linolenic acid, which affects the process of losing weight, reduces inflammation. Butter contains 68% saturated fat and 28% monounsaturated fat, with a smoke point between 120 and 150 degrees. But still there is one drawback in it. In ordinary butter there are proteins and sugars, it is they that quickly burn on fire and turn black. To avoid such an unpleasant moment, you need to fry over very low heat or use purer ghee (Indian oil).

You can purchase it or prepare it yourself. To do this, melt good butter (homemade, from cows that ate grass, not mixed feed) over very low heat, and then gradually bring to a boil. First, water is evaporated from the mixture, then the protein and sugar darken and stick together, the oil becomes a dark golden hue. It is at this moment that the solution must be removed from the heat and filtered with gauze. Sugar and protein remain in the gauze, and the pure oil is drained into a jar. The process itself is not too troublesome, but the result is worth it.

Olive oil

Many chefs are convinced that it is not worth frying in olive oil. And all its beneficial properties during the heating process turn into harmful ones. However, this is not entirely correct opinion. Only 14% of the oil is saturated fat, but its smoke point is quite high: 200-240 degrees, depending on the degree of purity. Therefore, you can fry in olive oil. Famous chef Jamie Oliver in his popular blog recommends not only frying in unrefined olive oil, but also using it for deep frying. The maestro even advises to generously pour oil into the pan and use it repeatedly.

According to the researchers, although most of the fatty acids in olive oil are unsaturated, this product is still stable when heated to oxidation. But only this should be first and cold pressed oil.

The best high-class product Extra Virgin (first pressing) retains the maximum amount of useful properties. This oil is best used as a salad dressing. It is heated at a temperature that allows it to fry foods with a high water content, such as vegetables. They are cooked at a temperature of 130-140 degrees. Products cut into pieces, eggs, meatballs, potatoes, dishes in batter or breading are also fried at a temperature of 160-180 degrees. Therefore, they can also be fried in this oil.

But refined olive oil is more suitable for frying food at high temperatures (230-240 degrees Celsius). Crispy dishes are already unhealthy. After all, you can still stew, bake and steam products, they are more beneficial to health.

Palm oil

There are many rumors about palm oil. However, it consists of saturated fatty acids, and therefore tolerates high temperatures (230 degrees). The best option is red oil - unrefined cold pressed, the smoke point of such a product is not inferior to coconut oil. It also contains a lot of vitamin E. The main problem is the fact that such oil is produced on an industrial scale, and therefore it is difficult to find out what quality it is imported to us.

Rapeseed oil

Cold-pressed rapeseed oil has a good ratio of fatty acids, and the smoke point is quite high (190-230 degrees). Finding a similar product in stores is not easy. But refined hot-pressed rapeseed oil is chemically processed, and therefore there is no need to talk about its usefulness. Still, it is considered good enough.

According to nutritionists, fried food is harmful in the first place. It can be allowed to itself only occasionally. But if you still think sometimes about what oil to fry potatoes in, then a high-quality olive oil is quite suitable. But its mixture with sunflower cannot be used. In addition, any oil that can withstand high temperatures can be used.

But whichever type you choose, you should still carefully watch so that the oil does not burn in the pan, forming harmful carcinogens.

Very often housewives prepare meat dishes. And they ask questions about what oil to fry cutlets, chops, meatballs in. And again, the choice must be made towards oils that are resistant to temperatures (olive, coconut). But nutritionists, for their part, do not recommend mixing vegetable and natural fats. So the choice is yours. In addition, experts advise against buying cheap olive oil (90 rubles) in supermarkets. Such a product is made from mixtures. A quality product costs from two hundred rubles.

Can you fry without oil?

Currently, the market is saturated with all kinds of utensils that allow cooking without oil. This method of cooking is more dietary and is recommended by doctors. Which pan can you fry without oil? If you plan on making healthier meals, consider purchasing a ceramic or Teflon-coated pan or stewpan. Having an expensive, quality frying pan can help you cook healthier foods and reduce the use of frying oils.

Instead of an afterword

In this article, we have tried to discuss the main types of oils that are considered the most acceptable for frying. We hope we have helped you understand the rather difficult question of which oil is best to fry in.

Many people mistakenly believe that frying in olive oil or sunflower oil dramatically reduces the harmfulness of fried foods. Unfortunately, this is not the case at all.

As numerous studies show, the use of almost all vegetable oils in this case will be detrimental to your health. This is especially true for the preparation of food for children.

In this article, we will look at what specific harm fried food can do to your health, whether it is safe to fry without oil, and how to find an alternative to fried.

To fry or not to fry is the question.

Today, almost no one doubts that fried food is unhealthy. Doctors and nutritionists from the screens just repeat: "give up fried, fried - this is harm and poison." But even I, I confess, did not fully realize that frying (in particular in oil!) Is infinitely harmful.

And the point here is not even that with butter we eat tens of times more unnecessary calories (and many people do not even think about this when they pour oil into a frying pan: an extra 100 ml of this product adds at least 900 kcal to our dish , just think, almost half the daily value!).

Having understood the issue, I realized that everything is much more serious than just fat, which will certainly be deposited on the sides. So what is actually the main danger of fried?

Why is it harmful to fry in oil?

Most types of vegetable oils that are supposedly intended for frying (sunflower, corn, etc.) have a smoke point lower than the temperature to which pans on electric and gas stoves can be heated. The smoking temperature of vegetable oils is the temperature at which the processes of production of toxic substances and carcinogens, which contribute to the occurrence of malignant neoplasms, begin in the oil.

In order to exceed this smoking temperature, it is not at all necessary to fry in the same oil many times. Depending on the stove and frying pan, the frying temperature can easily reach 250-300 degrees. This means that in oil (for example, from olive Extra Virgin maximum smoke temperature - 191 ° C) at this temperature, reactions are launched to form toxins and carcinogens, and it simply turns into poison.

If you still fry, what is the safest way?

An important point to remember first of all when frying is the use of exclusively refined oils (the refining process raises the smoke point). The fact is that unrefined oils are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and free radicals are formed during heat treatment. It is they who provoke the development of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other deadly diseases, as well as destroy the structure of DNA.

Therefore, any unrefined (salad) oils are not suitable for frying in any way! But many are deeply mistaken about this, thinking that it is most useful to fry in Extra Virgin oil.

Remember, if we are talking about any unrefined oil, then frying in such vegetable oil is harmful.

I don’t think it’s worth mentioning that you cannot re-fry in used oil (even if it looks “like new”). Used, it quickly oxidizes in air, and with subsequent frying, the amount of oxidation products in it sharply increases.

Fuming temperature of vegetable oils.

I will give several types refined oils with indicators of their smoking temperature (I will make a reservation that these indicators differ slightly in different sources - it all depends on the degree of refining. I will take average values):

• Grape Seed Oil - 216 ° C
• Corn oil - 232 ° C
• Olive oil - 242 ° C
• Sunflower oil - 227 ° C
• Coconut oil - 232 ° C
• Peanut Butter - 232 ° C
• Rapeseed oil - 240 ° C
• Walnut oil - 207 ° C

It would seem that everything is simple: fry yourself on the sly in olive or rapeseed oil, not letting it burn, but that was not the case. There are also "pitfalls" here: the smoking temperature of vegetable oil is, in principle, higher than that of animal fats and proteins. This means that when frying meat, fish or poultry, the main part of carcinogenic substances is formed from burning fats and proteins from these products, and not from oil.

Thus, as we can see, the harm of fried food is not only in the fact that it is fried in oil.

And if you are wondering: "is it possible to fry without oil", then, I believe, the above argument should dot all the "i" (at least when it comes to food of animal origin). Of course, for the same reason, butter frying is harmful ( its smoke point is 121 -149 ° C).

I will only say in the end that you can always find a tasty alternative to frying (whether it be baking in the oven or simmering with a little water over low heat). Now I know for sure: be it chicken, fish or cutlet, you can find many ways and variations for their delicious preparation 😉