Are Liquid Vitamins Enough?
Copyright 2005 Daniel Weigum
In our fast paced world, the population is eating a diet that
accommodates the fast paced lifestyle. Fast food is easy and
allows the working class to eat a meal in the convenient
allotted hour.
Health professionals and advocates constantly preach the risks
of this lifestyle. The repeated calorie and trans fat content
warnings are on the minds of many even while these fried foods
are consumed. Is the taste and convenience worth the health risk?
Acrylamide is a carcinogenic substance most are not familiar
with. This carcinogenic substance unfortunately is present in
the most popular fried foods. Acrylamide is present in foods
prepared at high temperatures using methods such as frying,
grilling, baking and broiling. A safe level of acrylamide was
set by the Food Standards Agency at 10 ppb. French fries and
potato chips can have up to 100 times this amount.
Using cooking oil alternatives isn't a remedy for high
acrylamide levels either. Ironically, frying foods in
polyunsaturated oils can add unhealthy trans fats to a diet. The
polyunsaturated oils oxidize rapidly during the high temperature
frying process becoming the harmful trans fats most are trying
to avoid. If frying is the desired cooking method, the use of
monounsaturated oils such as olive oil may be a better
alternative.
Although antioxidants are not a combatant for high levels of
acrylamide, antioxidants are still very important in the
protections against free radical damage. The only real defense
we have against acrylamide is to abstain from foods prepared at
high temperatures. This is not easy and can become a complete
lifestyle change. An alternative is to be much more careful when
preparing foods of any kind. Burnt foods do not contain the
nutrient content once abundant prior to preparation.
Unfortunately, it contains high levels of the carcinogen,
acrylamide.
Health professionals recommend the consumption of more raw foods
as well. Raw foods are rich on nutrients and contain low levels
of harmful toxins like acrylamide. When raw foods are referred
to, some foods that are normally prepared using high temperature
processes need to be pasteurized before eating. The digestive
system is very effective at killing bacteria and harmful
pathogens but can't combat all harmful bacteria in large
quantities such as e-coli.
A reasonable diet change can limit your acrylamide intake. All
delights in an average diet do not have to be discarded. Frying
is definitely a cooking method to avoid if possible. If frying
is without an alternative, the use of a monounsaturated oil is
recommended. Cooking methods such as grilling, steaming,
boiling, or baking at lower temperature can greatly reduce the
levels of acrylamide in your diet as well as reduce the nutrient
loss during the preparation of a meal. A meal needs to be
completely prepared to prevent pathogen and bacteria from
entering your digestive system. Just keep in mind, burning
during preparation is the number one mistake to avoid. Raw food
snacks can be added to your diet to take the place of foods high
in acrylamide content like potato chips.
Free radicals and antioxidant protection are important and
represent a completely different disease causing battle. Proper
preparation of foods is the key to reducing acrylamide in a
diet. The next time eating high calorie, fried foods seems like
the only options; concerns of Trans fats and calories should not
be the only thing in mind. The carcinogen levels can be just as
harmful to your health.