Five Tips for Healthy Frying

It’s a common misconception that fried foods are the same as fatty, greasy, oily foods. This isn’t true. Sure, it isn’t healthy to eat fried foods too often as the saturated fats that they contain can have negative side effects upon the body – however fried food can have a place within a healthy diet. There are many different methods that you can use in order to achieve crisp, clean and grease free fried food; here are a few tips on how to make the most of your fried food without having to make a sacrifice. Batter and Breading The right type of batter or breading can add a large amount of flavour to your food; however if you use the wrong batter or bread crumbs you can cause the amount of calories to inflate drastically as well causing the oil within your ban to become absorbed by the batter or bread crumbs coating your food. Although batter and bread crumbs that contain a high amount of gluten will not only coat your food, but will also stick to it very well, if it contains too much flower it will begin to retain the oil which will cause the texture to become greasy and unappetising. Healthier Oils Another way in which you can ensure that the way in which you fry your food is healthy is by using oils that are heart-healthy. By heart-healthy we mean an oil that contains lower saturated fats that the oil that you would usually use; it’s also wise to use an oil with a high smoke point so that you are not breathing in any smoke from the oil that could damage your lungs. Some of the best oils that you could use when frying your food include peanut oil, soybean oil and canola oil. Temperature If you fry your food in oil that is not hot enough the batter, bread crumbs or ingredients are much more likely to begin to absorb the oil. Ensure that the oil within your pan or fryer is hot enough by using a fry thermometer (ensure that you are using the right type of thermometer as an ordinary thermometer may break in extreme temperatures). Recycle & Reuse Although many restaurants tend to filter and reuse their oil, this is not a healthy option and should be avoided where possible. The oil will begin to break down within its first use which will lead to an accumulation of trans-fats and other unwanted by-products of frying food – always use clean, fresh oil when frying your food as it is much better for the food and it’s also better for your body. Draining or Drying Foods Once you’ve removed the food from the hot oil using a slotted spoon you should immediately place it upon a paper towel so that it can dry. If you do not drain your fried foods on paper towels immediately the excess oils will not only cling to your food but will also be absorbed by the food as the food and the oil reduce in temperature. For more information on how to deal with fat, oil and grease within your home or how to remove the waste from your home you can get in touch with us here at FOGtrap. We’d be more than happy to help you in any way that we can.