How to reduce oils from your deep fried foods?
The crunchy and crispy taste of deep fried foods is the reason why everyone loves this kind of foods. We usually eat fried foods as snacks and main dishes several times a week. To deep fry food, you have to submerge it completely in hot oil. If it is done improperly, the oil will penetrate your food and you will inevitably consume that oil.
Eating too much oil can negatively impact your health. In this article, we will discuss the impact of oil on health as well as how to reduce oil in your foods.
How does consuming too much oil adversely affect my health?
Risk of high cholesterol
Fried foods can contain high levels of saturated fats. These fats are solid at room temperature and contribute to raise the level of LDL (bad) cholesterol. The more you eat foods that contain saturated fats, the higher level of cholesterol in your blood. This can lead to heart disease and stroke.
Risk of obesity
If foods are not cooked properly, oils will be soaked up into every available space of your foods. Oils in deep fried foods raise the calories. For example, you will get approximately 340 calories when you eat a medium size of McDonald’s French fries. 140 of those calories come from the fat. High calories cause obesity and many diseases.
How to reduce oil consumption from deep fried foods?
Cook properly using a deep fryer
You can avoid a lot of oil from a deep frying process if you control cooking time and temperature properly. You have to heat oil to temperatures typically between 350 °F (177 °C) and 375 °F (191 °C) before submerging the food in the hot oil. Then you have to control the temperature at that level throughout the cooking process. It is difficult in that your food is at a lower temperature so when it is put into the hot oil, the oil’s temperature will drop.
The cooking time is also very important to help you decrease the amount of oil penetrating into your food. When the food is being fried, it will it form a crust that prevents oil absorption. The moisture in the food will also prevent oil from getting into the food. However, if you fry the food too long, it will lost the moisture and the ability to prevent oil to get in.
Use an air fryer
An air fryer uses hot air generated on top of the appliance to cook foods. After hot air is generated, this modern fryer will force the air to circulate quickly within the cooking chamber. Thus, all sides of your food will be cooked simultaneously. Air fryers’ manufacturers claim that using the appliances can reduce oils in the foods by 70%-80% comparing to using a traditional fryer.
Conclusion
You can enjoy your favorite deep fried foods without concerning the negative effect on your health as long as you cook the food properly. There are several pros and cons of air fryers and deep fryers so choose one that is the most suitable for your cooking styles and needs. A modern electric deep fryer usually comes with a thermostat that helps you control temperature. Some comes with a timer. Therefore, you can pick the best deep fryer based on your needs.
There are also many air fryers available in the market. Read a good best air fryer review that guides you through things to consider when choosing one and gives you overview of each model’s highlighted features, pros and cons. Good luck and enjoy your delicious deep fried foods!
