Plenty of blogs today talk about healthy eating, healthy food, fitness goals, and all that jazz. I’m sure there’s at least one such blog you follow too? You know, just to stay updated with the latest “trends”?

If you are one of those many people that have spent a lifetime trying to lose weight, get fit and make a lifestyle change, this is a question you’ve surely asked yourself – ‘BAKED OR FRIED?’.

Making lifestyle changes that promote better health include becoming physically active, learning stress management techniques, quitting smoking (yes, we know this one’s a toughie) and a healthy diet. It is only an amalgamation of all of these factors that can bring you to your desired end result – a healthy, happy life!

Well, before we get to our reasons, it is important for you to know this – When you’re trying to achieve or maintain a healthy diet, the cooking method is just as important as the food you’re putting in your body. Frying foods can be harmful to your health and fill your body with unnecessary fats, which may be harmful long-term. Baking helps you to control the level of fat in the food you’re consuming, which will help you to maintain a healthy weight and diet. (Besides, we all need our dose of healthy snacks :P)

Reasons why Baked beats Fried:

1. Deep-fried food can lead to heart diseases and cancer

French fries, samosas and onion rings offer little or no nutrition while putting you at a higher risk of health conditions. This is because when you deep fry foods in oil, the high temperature involved in cooking them causes the starch in the food to convert to carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). Exposure to high levels of these carcinogens can lead to heart diseases and cancer. On the other hand, with a dry cooking method, baking requires little or no added oil, thus does not cause any reaction in foods, making them healthier. When you can’t stop craving for fried foods like potato chips you should try switching to Baked Potato Chips.

2. Can cause damage to heart, kidneys and lungs

Heating oil at high temperatures and deep frying it with starchy foods can lead to oxidation of oils. The oxidised oils can cause many possible health problems including damage to the heart, kidney and lungs. Consuming oxidised oils can also lead to the increased risk of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis. As baking requires no addition of oils, it does not cause any oxidation.

3. Promotes obesity, stroke and diabetes

Many deep fried foods, such as the ones found in restaurants and packaged ones, are cooked in partially hydrogenated oils to increase the shelf life of the foods. Consuming these oils can reduce the effectiveness of your immune system and promote obesity, stroke and diabetes. For even your regular snacking switch to a baked alternative.

4. Calories

Frying is a method where the food is submerged in oil at a high temperature. Oil is a saturated fat and is therefore, high in calories. The addition of oil in frying adds to the calorie count of the food. However, baking does not add any additional calories and fats to the foods you cook and is thus, always preferred over frying.

Tips

• The oil you choose can make a difference as well. Opt for healthy oils such as olive oil, coconut oil or ghee to boost your intake of vitamin E and healthy fats.
• Using marinades and herbs can add a healthier twist while providing you with the added flavour and tenderness.
• If you are baking your food, then add a little water to the bottom of your pan to avoid the smoke being produced at high temperatures.
• To preserve the nutritional value of the foods, bake foods at lower temperatures, although this will increase the cooking time.
• If you don’t have enough time to cook and think that fried options are easier to pick up, stop and look at the baked food section at your supermarket. You are sure to find brands like DIP Foods for some healthy snacks, baked chips, low calorie foods and so much more.
• If you still can’t avoid deep fried foods, eat them in small amounts and pair them with healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables that are low in calories.

We, at DIP Foods, sincerely hope that all of this could help you make that much needed lifestyle change!

For more such articles log onto our website www.dipfoods.com. Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy!