Fried foods, chicken, fish, potatoes, corn pancakes, and seafood… these fried foods should be consumed in moderation to protect our heart health. This is shown by a recent American study that followed thousands of women aged 50 to 79 between 1993 and 2017.
A heart under pressure
In the United States, a quick bite containing fried foods is almost normal. As proof, every day, between 25% and 36% of the population eats this way.
In this context, public health studies had already shown that regular consumption of fried foods, high in fat and salt, was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease (heart attack, stroke myocardium, ischemic heart disease).
Here, to carry out their study, American researchers specializing in topics related to obesity and diabetes analyzed a medical database called Women’s Health Initiative.
From this information, they analyzed the link between the consumption of fried foods and the causes of death in postmenopausal women. More than 106,000 women were included in the study.
During the 18 years of follow-up, 31,588 deaths were recorded in the cohort of women followed, including 9,320 deaths linked to a cardiac cause, 8,358 deaths due to cancer, and 13,880 due to other causes.
Unsurprisingly, the team led by Wei Boa from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, showed that eating fried foods regularly is associated with an increased risk of death from all causes and more particularly from cardiac causes.
To know! The fried foods grouped in this study are chicken, fish, fried seafood (shrimp and oysters), French fries, tortilla chips, and tacos. When f
goods are fried, the foods see their nutritional density change during cooking: the water they contain is gradually replaced by fat from frying and some of their vitamins are destroyed under the effect of heat.
Compared to women who do not eat fried foods, consuming fried foods at least once a week increases by:
- 8% all-cause mortality risk;
- 8% risk of death from heart disease.
Eating fried chicken (nuggets, chicken drumsticks) at least once a week increases the risk of death from all causes by 13% and the risk of death from cardiac causes by 12%. For fried fish or seafood (such as squid) these risks are increased by 7% and 13% respectively.
Furthermore, fried chicken and fish were associated with a higher risk of heart-related death, especially among the younger women in the study aged 50 to 65.
Furthermore, the researchers found no evidence that the consumption of fried foods was associated with death from cancer.
“Reducing the consumption of fried foods, including fried chicken and fried fish and shellfish, may have a clinically significant impact on the public health spectrum,” the study’s researchers conclude.
How to explain the harmfulness of fried foods?
According to the researchers, several explanations could help to understand this link between the consumption of fried foods and an aggravated risk of death:
- Absorption of fat by food creating high-calorie foods if the frying temperature is not optimal;
- Fried fish and chicken are ultra-processed foods that contain lots of salt and food additives;
- Consumption of oxidized and hydrogenated oils (high trans fatty acid level);
- Consumption of glycated products (a combination of carbohydrates and proteins heated for a long time and strongly) which are involved, among other things, in the development of oxidative stress and inflammation of cardiac tissues;
- Consumption of acrylamide (fries, crisps, fried vegetables) is responsible for cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
To know! In its “Manger-Bouger” program, Santé Publique France recommends using appropriate frying equipment and covering delicate foods (fish) with breadcrumbs or dough to preserve their nutritional values. Once the frying is done, in suitable vegetable oil, it is advisable to place them on absorbent paper to eliminate the excess fat. Also, don’t forget that a frying bath can only be used 5 times and that between each bath, care must be taken to filter the burnt waste.
To go further, the researchers wish to study the mechanisms for the associations of fried foods with all causes of cardiovascular mortality.
For example, a study might compare the same foods fried with different frying oils at different temperatures. These comparisons could help determine the role of each of the oils, their degradation process, and their influence on the composition of the food.
Another important point for researchers is to explore in more detail the associations between fried foods and cancer mortality.
While waiting for the conclusions of these future studies, let’s try to moderate our consumption of fried foods!