How to Choose Healthier Fried Foods
Choose food fried in healthy oil., Choose an oil with an appropriate smoke point., Understand the effect of temperature., Try oven fried food., Make sure the food is drained properly., Discard leftover oil.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose food fried in healthy oil.
At its very base level, the healthiness of a fried food depends on the type of oil you use.
Thus, you need to make sure you pick the healthiest oil possible.
Healthier oils typically have less saturated fat and little to no trans fats, which is linked to heart disease and other health risks.Some healthy oils include:
Sunflower oil Safflower oil Olive oil (though this is only suitable for low-temperature frying) Unhydrogenated coconut oil.
This oil is high in saturated fats, but also contains lauric acid, which increases levels of "good" cholesterol.Avoid partially hydrogenated oil or oil with a lot of trans fats, such as palm oil or hydrogenated coconut oil.
Coconut oil labels do not always give you the information you need, but avoid any that are liquid at room temperature or have any color other than clear (as a liquid) or white (as a solid). -
Step 2: Choose an oil with an appropriate smoke point.
Each oil has its own smoke point, the temperature when the oil starts to smoke.
Smoking oil produces bitter, sometimes toxic fumes, and degrades its flavor, shelf life, and nutrients.Whenever possible, choose an oil with a smoke point lower than the temperature you plan to fry at.
Canola oil, clarified butter, and refined safflower, sunflower, or coconut oils all have high smoking points.Olive oil and most unrefined oils should only be used in low-temperature frying.
Refined oils have a higher smoking point than their unrefined counterparts.
These tend to be less healthy than unrefined oils, unfortunately, but some refinement processes are less damaging than others. , There is a common myth that low-temperature oil will make your food absorb more oil.
Surprisingly, although these foods can taste greasier or soggier if they fail to develop a crisp exterior, they actually contain less fat than food fried at higher temperatures.This doesn't mean you should lower the temperature of all your fried dishes (since this has a major effect on taste and texture), but it does mean that recipes with longer, lower-temperature frying methods contain significantly less fat than standard fried recipes.
If you aren't following a recipe, it's generally best to preheat the oil between 365 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (185 to 190 degrees Celsius), or wait until the oil is shimmering but not smoking.
Foods should be properly defrosted.
For example, do not ever fry frozen food.
Try using a frying thermometer to gauge the temperature of your oil., Oven frying is done in the oven and uses much less oil than deep frying.
Thus, oven fried food contains less saturated fat and usually has more nutritional value.
Bread your chosen food.
Coat a baking sheet or tray with a cooking oil.
Place your food in the oil and bake it until the bottom side is golden brown.
You might have to check it every few minutes.
Flip the food and bake until the other side is golden brown., Some people tend to overlook the importance of draining fried food.
Ultimately, by draining a fried food properly, you not only remove excess oil, but you improve the taste of the food.
Take the food out of the oven or fryer and place it in a metal colander over a plate.
Allow the food a couple minutes to drain properly before removing it from the colander.
Dab the fried food with a cotton paper towel or something similar to sop up any extra oil., Heat lowers oil's smoke point, the temperature at which beneficial fats start to break down, and the oil becomes more vulnerable to turning rancid.Because of this, it's a bad idea to reuse oil that's already been heated.
Tip the contents of the pan or fryer into the trash can, then store the bottle of oil in a cool, dark place. -
Step 3: Understand the effect of temperature.
-
Step 4: Try oven fried food.
-
Step 5: Make sure the food is drained properly.
-
Step 6: Discard leftover oil.
Detailed Guide
At its very base level, the healthiness of a fried food depends on the type of oil you use.
Thus, you need to make sure you pick the healthiest oil possible.
Healthier oils typically have less saturated fat and little to no trans fats, which is linked to heart disease and other health risks.Some healthy oils include:
Sunflower oil Safflower oil Olive oil (though this is only suitable for low-temperature frying) Unhydrogenated coconut oil.
This oil is high in saturated fats, but also contains lauric acid, which increases levels of "good" cholesterol.Avoid partially hydrogenated oil or oil with a lot of trans fats, such as palm oil or hydrogenated coconut oil.
Coconut oil labels do not always give you the information you need, but avoid any that are liquid at room temperature or have any color other than clear (as a liquid) or white (as a solid).
Each oil has its own smoke point, the temperature when the oil starts to smoke.
Smoking oil produces bitter, sometimes toxic fumes, and degrades its flavor, shelf life, and nutrients.Whenever possible, choose an oil with a smoke point lower than the temperature you plan to fry at.
Canola oil, clarified butter, and refined safflower, sunflower, or coconut oils all have high smoking points.Olive oil and most unrefined oils should only be used in low-temperature frying.
Refined oils have a higher smoking point than their unrefined counterparts.
These tend to be less healthy than unrefined oils, unfortunately, but some refinement processes are less damaging than others. , There is a common myth that low-temperature oil will make your food absorb more oil.
Surprisingly, although these foods can taste greasier or soggier if they fail to develop a crisp exterior, they actually contain less fat than food fried at higher temperatures.This doesn't mean you should lower the temperature of all your fried dishes (since this has a major effect on taste and texture), but it does mean that recipes with longer, lower-temperature frying methods contain significantly less fat than standard fried recipes.
If you aren't following a recipe, it's generally best to preheat the oil between 365 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (185 to 190 degrees Celsius), or wait until the oil is shimmering but not smoking.
Foods should be properly defrosted.
For example, do not ever fry frozen food.
Try using a frying thermometer to gauge the temperature of your oil., Oven frying is done in the oven and uses much less oil than deep frying.
Thus, oven fried food contains less saturated fat and usually has more nutritional value.
Bread your chosen food.
Coat a baking sheet or tray with a cooking oil.
Place your food in the oil and bake it until the bottom side is golden brown.
You might have to check it every few minutes.
Flip the food and bake until the other side is golden brown., Some people tend to overlook the importance of draining fried food.
Ultimately, by draining a fried food properly, you not only remove excess oil, but you improve the taste of the food.
Take the food out of the oven or fryer and place it in a metal colander over a plate.
Allow the food a couple minutes to drain properly before removing it from the colander.
Dab the fried food with a cotton paper towel or something similar to sop up any extra oil., Heat lowers oil's smoke point, the temperature at which beneficial fats start to break down, and the oil becomes more vulnerable to turning rancid.Because of this, it's a bad idea to reuse oil that's already been heated.
Tip the contents of the pan or fryer into the trash can, then store the bottle of oil in a cool, dark place.
About the Author
Frank Shaw
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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