What Is The Healthiest Cooking Oil For Deep Frying?

While, frying and deep-frying are two of the most popular methods of fast food cooking, they are also two of the least healthful methods of cooking. However, if you must fry or deep fry, choosing the right oil, and knowing what cooking temperatures to use is essential.

Problems with Deep Frying

At high temperatures, and in the presence of light and oxygen, the antioxidants in oil, like vitamin E, are destroyed and free radicals run rampant, causing many chemical changes within the oil, notes Udo Erasmus Ph.D. in his book "Fats that Heal-Fats that Kill." Frying and deep-frying produces trans-fatty acids, as well as other dimer and polymer products that have unknown effects on health, reports Erasmus, who discourages deep-frying and frying because of the destruction of the fatty acid molecules and glycerol in the oils.

If You Insist on Frying

If you must fry, or deep fry, do so sparingly, rarely, infrequently. When you do fry, choose an oil that is higher in saturated or monounsaturated fats, recommends Erasmus. Polyunsaturated oils are much more sensitive to the degradation of light, heat and oxygen. Contrary to popular belief, most oils in bottles are unacceptable for frying because they are rich in the delicate essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are usually solid at room temperature and they experience minimal destruction under frying conditions.

Which Oil to Use

Ideally, you should rarely include deep fried food in your diet. The oils that are the least damaged by the frying process include palm, cocoa butter, coconut and butter, notes Erasmus. When using tropical oils, make sure you use the natural versions that are not hydrogenated. In its natural state, coconut oil has been shown to boost HDL ``good`` cholesterol, notes the Harvard School of Public Health. Monounsaturated fatty acid rich oils, like olive oil, are acceptable for low temperature frying, but not for the temperature needed for deep frying.

Health Matters

As a general rule, it's a good idea to keep your intake of saturated fats as low as possible, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Similarly, for optimal health, you should also keep the amount of fried foods you consume as low as possible. Since your body can make all the saturated fat it needs, you don't need any in your diet. Of course, frying and deep frying regularly, with oils that are damaged by the process will not kill you out right; however, over 10, 20 or 30 years, toxic products from this type of food begin to accumulate and interfere with important processes in the body, notes Erasmus, who questions whether they contribute to many of the chronic diseases that plague America today.