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Don’t fry the nutrients off your food this season

It may seem impossible for many to cook any festive meal without frying it. In fact, frying seems to be the most acceptable way for one to prepare meals for holidays such as Easter.

But we must know that nothing is impossible. Way before the western diets came, which are filled with fried and processed foods, we were eating our foods boiled, cooked and even in their natural state.

Nutritionists say that the festivities notwithstanding, we should not throw healthy eating out of the window just because we want to eat fried rice and chicken.

Consultant Nutritionist, Dr. Jane Ekeocha, says foods that are high in fat, such as fried foods, are also higher in calories. She says a gram of fat provides nine calories, compared to the four calories found in each gram of protein or carbohydrates.

“If you eat fried foods regularly, you are more likely to become overweight or obese. We have much to gain and nothing to lose by taking oil off our diet.”

According to her, man-made fats such as vegetable oils that are being used to fry foods to increase their taste and shelf life block up the arteries (blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart) and up one’s risks for heart diseases. So, everything must be done to get them out of our food chain.

She notes that the fats in some plant and animal-based foods such as milk, meat, fish, chicken, corn, eggs and soya beans contain enough dietary oil that the body needs without adding refined oils to fry them.

Ekeocha said, “When you fry your food, you are adding artificial oil and also frying off the nutrients. For instance, fish and eggs have oils and fat that are good and sufficient for the body when we eat them in the right proportion; so why fry them again?”

She states that frying foods removes the fibre and water contents – nutrients that make you feel full quickly; and people tend to overeat them, thus making weight loss difficult and weight gain inevitable.

Experts have said it over and over again that excess weight promotes inflammation, inhibits immune function, and increases our risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and cancer, to mention a few.

Consultant Cardiologist, Dr. Taiwo Akinsanya, says the high fat and calorie content in fried foods increases one’s risk for numerous health problems, of which heart diseases is one of them.

Akinsanya explains that frying of food is one of the significant ways that oil is added to our diets.

He says there are many reasons to avoid oil, but the most important reason being that oil is 100 per cent fats.

He notes that anyone trying to reduce their risk for cardiovascular and heart diseases, as well as obesity which has now become an increasing cause of Type 2 diabetes and some cancers, should remove oils from their diets.

Akinsanya says, “Forget whatever they write on the labels, there is no oil that does not have good quantity of cholesterol or fat. That is what they are – fats. The claims are all marketing gimmicks.

“What is true and cannot be disputed is that oil is 100 per cent fats. It is the class of food that has the most calories when consumed in the same amount with other foods. One tablespoon of oil contains 120 calories – the same calories you get from eating many slices of bread.

“If you are trying to lose weight and also want to be kind to your arteries, removing oil from your diet is an excellent first step. This is because it is the most difficult to burn or utilise. It stays in the digestive system longer than other foods.”

The heart specialist reiterates that dietary fats are especially bad around the heart and its vessels such as the arteries, as they tend to clog up the vessels, disrupting blood circulation and blood cholesterol – conditions that could lead to coronary heart diseases and heart attack.

Fret not, though; there are healthy alternatives to frying. Now is the time to discover the culinary techniques behind some healthy alternatives to frying.

Grilling

Grilling is hands down one of the healthiest ways to prepare a meal. From delicately browned vegetables to the perfect BBQ chicken, this culinary pastime is the perfect way to cut down on fat and calories while still enjoying your favourite foods.

Try picking foods that are low in fat and high in nutrients such as chicken breast or pork tenderloin. Potatoes can be wrapped in tin foil and thrown on the coals; while corn on the cob can be soaked in water and placed on the grill for healthy, flavourful side dishes.

Broiling

When it’s cold or raining and that trek to the backyard grill just isn’t possible, try heating up your broiler for another healthy alternative to fried food. Like grilling, broiling is a culinary technique that relies on intense direct heat to cook your food. Using a broiling pan will allow oil and grease to drip away from cooking meats, leaving all of the flavour without all the fat.

Baking

Perhaps the most versatile of all these methods is cooking in your oven. Baking foods is a great way to prepare healthier versions of your favourite dishes. Love potatoes? Try making oven fries instead. Just toss potato wedges with a little healthy olive oil and some Cajun spices and you have a new healthy side dish to compliment any meal

You are better off baking, roasting, grilling or steaming your food this period. Happy holidays!

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