Fried foods are a major source of fat in the diets of many Americans. Fatty acids are essential nutrients that benefit your metabolism in limited quantities but harm your health when consumed in excess. Of the main types of fat, solid saturated and trans fats contribute to cholesterol imbalance and arterial degradation, while liquid monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help to balance cholesterol and protect your cardiovascular system.
Types of Food
Foods that add to your intake of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol pose the greatest threat to your arterial health. Hamburgers, chicken, fish, shrimp, pork rinds and other animal-based foods contain both of these nutrients. Red meats and poultry tend to have more saturated fat, and fish and shellfish have more dietary cholesterol. These two fatty substances leave residue in your arteries that decrease the space where blood flows. They also raise your LDL, or bad, cholesterol, an additional risk factor for clogged arteries. Fried vegetables such as potatoes, mushrooms and onion rings have no dietary cholesterol but do contain traces of natural saturated fat and that gained from being cooked in fat.
Types of Cooking Fat
Cooking oils contain no cholesterol, but all varieties have some saturated fat, and some, such as partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, contain trans fat, another artery-clogging solid fat. Oils from canola, corn, sunflower, safflower and olive sources impart greater unsaturated than saturated fatty acids. If you must eat fried foods, these are the most healthful cooking oils. Butter, lard and partially hydrogenated oils contain large amounts of saturated and trans fatty acids.
Effect on Arteries
When your LDL blood cholesterol rises from eating fried foods, blood-vessel damage becomes more likely, especially if you also have high blood pressure. Damaged arteries grow more susceptible to the effects of artery-clogging fats, which form plaque deposits that grow thicker over time. Blood must travel through narrowed arteries, making your heart work harder and potentially increasing your blood pressure. The extra force can rupture blood vessels where plaque has formed, creating blood clots. Blood clots that break away may obstruct blood flow, or plaque deposits may grow so thick that they partially or fully block the flow of blood to your organs and cells.
Health Significance
The symptoms of clogged arteries, such as chest pain and leg cramps, develop slowly over time. You may not see your doctor about those symptoms until your your cardiovascular problem is considerable. Complications of heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia and kidney failure may be fatal before treatment can address their cause.
