High cholesterol is a silent threat to your heart and overall health, often introduced through the foods we eat. While some cholesterol is necessary for the body, consuming the wrong types of fats and foods can cause cholesterol levels to skyrocket.
Fried foods are high in saturated and trans fats, which promote plaque buildup in the arteries, which can put you at risk for coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart attack, and stroke.
What happens to food when you fry it?
Frying not only adds new flavors and textures to food, but also adds other nutritional components.
Since fried foods are made by absorbing oil, the resulting product is high in fat. If the oil used is animal-based, such as lard or bacon fat, the finished fried food will also be higher in cholesterol. Furthermore, frying foods can significantly increase their calorie content.
When oil is reused multiple times for frying, which is common in fast food restaurants, the oil breaks down and can cause the food to absorb more oil. This further increases their negative impact on heart health.
What happens to cholesterol when you eat fried foods?
Fried foods are high in saturated and trans fats, which are known to increase blood cholesterol levels and damage artery walls. These damaged areas in your blood vessels eventually form plaque, narrowing the arteries and making it harder for blood to pump.
It can be helpful to think of your arteries as pipes in a plumbing system. Over time, the pipes tend to accumulate dirt and debris, eventually leading to blockages. When this happens in your arteries, it is called “atherosclerosis.” Atherosclerosis puts you at higher risk for a variety of heart diseases.
How to Make Fried Foods Healthier
It’s understandable that you don’t want to say goodbye to fried foods. However, there are steps you can take to enjoy fried foods with fewer health consequences.
These include:
- Fry foods with unsaturated fats like olive oil
- Keep your oil clean (limit reusing oil)
- Add carbonated liquid or baking soda to your batter (this will reduce oil absorption)
- Shorten frying time by cooking at 325°F-400°F (shorter time means less oil absorption)
- Drain cooked foods on paper towels (remove excess oil)
- For a healthier option, join the new air frying trend, which mimics the results of deep frying using only hot air and little or no oil. When air frying, choose any food you would normally fry (from potatoes to chicken).
At the same time, to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, you should combine eating fruits to lower your cholesterol.
And here are 5 fruits that can help you:
1. Fruits rich in fiber
Consuming too many foods that are high in sodium and saturated fat can cause an imbalance in cholesterol levels. However, you may not know that foods rich in soluble fiber, which is good for the heart, can help lower high cholesterol levels. Fruits are rich in soluble fiber called pectin, which is known to help lower cholesterol. Foods rich in fiber that you can eat are apples and pears. Furthermore, fiber can also help lower blood pressure and keep you full longer, helping you eat less and possibly lose weight.
2. Berries
Berries are a rich source of nutrients. They bring many health benefits. Berries help reduce cholesterol and inflammation thanks to antioxidants. They are also considered one of the most delicious and versatile sources of phytonutrients. Due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, they are particularly rich in bioactive chemicals that are known to help prevent heart disease and other chronic disorders. .
3. Avocados
Eating avocados can help your body absorb other nutrients from your diet. They are also high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, among other things, which are good for your heart. Additionally, avocados can significantly control both high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. So enjoy them not only for your beauty but also for your heart health!
4. Bananas
Bananas are not only an easy and versatile fruit, but they are also a great superfood because they are packed with fiber, essential vitamins and minerals, as well as natural sugars like sucrose, fructose, and glucose. Bananas are a good source of potassium and fiber, which help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. In fact, bananas also contain vitamin C and magnesium, making them a great addition to your breakfast.
5. Citrus Fruits
Pectin, a substance found in pears and apples, decreases cholesterol. So do citrus fruits! Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C and fibre and because they possess the strength of antioxidant qualities, they function to lower harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and raise healthy HDL cholesterol. In addition, vitamin C reduces the risk of heart disease and blood pressure. Just one piece of advice: avoid drinking juices because they contain sugar and go for citrus fruits instead.
