Fried foods are a delicacy in most cultures around the world. In Ghana, fried foods are eaten with relish and are even sometimes associated with some degree of affluence. Fried yam, kelewele (fried ripe plantain), fried turkey tails and pork are some of the fried foods commonly available in Ghana. A stroll to most urban centers, transport stations and other popular spots at night will bring one face to face with the wide patronage of these fried foods. The springing up of several small scale as well as large scale fast food joints in our regional capitals has further increased the consumption of fried foods in Ghana. Frying is one method of food preparation that can sometimes be used as a method of food preservation. Useful as it is as a method of food preparation and preservation, frying has many drawbacks from the nutritional standpoint. Frying is a complex physiochemical process in which changes take place in both the oil and the food being fried. Changes in the oil lead to formation of undesirable substances. Saturation of fatty acids, formation of hydro peroxides and peroxides, formation of trans fatty acids and formation of volatile irritants are some of the changes that take place in the oil, leading to the formation of undesirable substances. These undesirable substances have been linked with an increased risk of cancer at several sites, particularly the breast, lung, prostate and colon. The smoke from fried meats particularly have been shown to promote the development of malignant tumors in laboratory animals. Changes in the food include evaporation which helps in the preservation of the food, but also leads to the food becoming saturated in excess oil. Excess oil intake could lead to elevation of blood cholesterol levels as well as unnecessary weight gain which is associated with several health risks. The question then is, do we avoid fried foods altogether considering the drawbacks? For many health conscious people avoiding the use of frying as a method of food preparation will come easy but for the majority who have developed a taste for fried foods, it will be a task too demanding. For both groups, the recommendation is to fry as infrequently as possible, (Other methods such as steaming, baking and grilling should be employed) while taking into consideration the following helpful guidelines when frying;

• Foods to be fried should be as dry as possible since water promotes hydrolysis and decomposition (breakdown of chemical structure) of the oil.
• Avoid overheating of the oil. Frying must be done at the lowest possible temperature. This is because undesirable changes in the oil occur at temperatures in excess of 1700C.
• The oil should be filtered each time it is used to remove food particles that remain floating in it. These particles promote the chemical breakdown of the oil leading to formation of tumour producing substances.
• Oil used for frying should be changed frequently. Oil should not be used more than two or three times, especially if it has been heated to the smoking point.
• Use olive oil.It is the most appropriate oil for frying because it remains stable at higher temperatures and saturates food less than other oils.

The choice is now yours; eat healthy and stay healthy or vice versa. Credit: Laurene Boateng [mailto:healthquestdietitian@gmail.com] ((The writer is a dietetic intern (MPhil Dietetics) of the School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, currently based at the Ridge Hospital.)