I have this vague notion that heating a cooking fat to the point where it smokes is unhealthy, especially those fats with a low smoke point like EVOO. Let‘s say I sear some chicken in smoking hot ghee for a nice sear (not burnt). Or I do the same in EVOO. Whats happening in either case and would this be bad?
I also picked up the vague notion that cooking vegetables to death kills the nutrients, e.g. when braising kale or stewing tomatoes. Is this something worth thinking about? Or should I just do whatever it takes to maximise my kale intake?
Lastly: Rapeseed oil was inedible until the 70s and since then it has found widespread use, coinciding with a negative development in key population health metrics. Some people see a causal relationship. Even if there is no evidence for this — wouldn‘t „rapeseed oil has a negative health impact“ be a reasonable h0, given its history?
Heating in general improves food’s digestibility and bioavailability. High heat cooking has some potential risk factors:
Heterocyclic amines (HCA) – formed when amino acids in meat react with high temperatures.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) – smoke contains PAHs that adhere to surface of meat during cooking. That said, these have mostly been studied in relation to red meat intake and cancer risk, which is pretty weak based on my current understanding. I think the fat you use to cook with should take into consideration the temperature you’re going to be cooking at.
I don’t understand your premise for rapeseed oil. It’s a MUFA and can be part of a health-promoting diet.
I also have my doubts about rapeseed oil because it’s a weird coincidence. I try to use a little oil. Well, since Jordan said so, then you can trust him.
I can understand what you mean, but I think we should try to be skeptical of those temporal associations unless there’s better data corroborating a relationship.
For example, in the last 2 decades or so, added sugar intake has decreased while obesity rates have gone up. This probably doesn’t mean that added sugar is protective against developing obesity though.
Hi guys. Sorry for bumping the old thread. Actually, I’ve recently moved to the US, so I’d like to know if there’s any dish that’s not high in fat and not fried in the US cuisine.
Hey there! No worries about bumping an old thread. Welcome to the US! There are definitely some dishes in American cuisine that aren’t high in fat and aren’t fried. Some popular options include grilled chicken or fish, salads with lean protein options, and soups or stews made with lean meats and lots of veggies.