Popular fried foods include fish, chicken strips, corn dogs, cheese and French fries. But thanks to our Illinois State Fair, we have learned that you can deep fry just about anything.
What’s the difference between fried and baked food?
The main difference between a fried menu item and one that is baked is the amount of calories and fat. When foods are deep fried, they lose their water content and absorb more fat. Depending on the food item, the caloric value can double or even triple when fried. If your goal is to lose weight or even maintain a healthy weight, fried foods are not a good choice.
We now know that fat is actually very healthy for us. Unfortunately, fried foods have the highest content of trans fat, which is a terrible source of fat for your body and arterial health.
What are some healthy fat sources?
Healthy fats like those found in salmon and avocados are excellent for reducing inflammation in your arteries and joints. However, the oils most often used for frying contain high amounts of inflammatory fatty acids. Consuming fried foods can cause inflammation in the gut and aggravate joint and muscle pain.
One last thing…
Don’t be fooled by frozen fried foods. Those frozen chicken strips and French fries that you are “baking” in the oven? They were fried prior to being frozen. Baking is simply the method preferred for reheating them.
Ready to try a non-fried fish meal? Check out my easiest salmon recipe ever for a delicious and nutritious baked dinner!
The post Bake or Bake not—But there is no fry! appeared first on Something to Chew.
