The End of Guilt? Fried Food May Be Good for Health

According to a study conducted in Spain and published in the journal Food Chemistry, fried food may not be as bad as we always thought; on the contrary, it is sometimes even healthy for the body.

The study suggests that several vegetables become healthier due to frying. According to the researchers, the antioxidant levels in vegetables like potatoes, pumpkin, and eggplant are higher when deep-fried compared to steaming or light frying.

And what about the oil temperature? Well, when olive oil reaches a very high temperature, it begins to break down and release free radicals, which can cause various diseases and accelerate aging. In the study, the frying temperature was 176 Celsius, while the smoke point of olive oil is around 220 Celsius.

It should be noted that the study only examined the impact of a healthier oil, extra virgin olive oil, while other oils considered harmful were not included in the study.

Aside from the vegetables mentioned, researchers state they cannot claim whether frying really improves them. However, some nutritionists argue that only food containing much water allows the absorption of phenols, so frying cannot make food that doesn't contain much water healthier.

The researchers emphasize that despite the study's findings, we should not allow ourselves to indulge in fatty foods daily and in large quantities because oil adds calories, and unbalanced consumption will result in weight gain and other health issues.