It's Too Much Heat, Not The Amount Of Oil, That Can Lead To Heart Disease: Study

Over the years, most (if not all) people have learned that too much consumption of fried foods may lead to heart disease. But it's not until recently that revealed a twist to this thought. According to a new study, it is too much heat that may actually increase risk for heart problems.

According to CNN, the study suggests that the temperature people are cooking their food may be the real problem and not the amount of oil used. Study leader and professor Raj Bhopal of the University of Edinburgh stressed that new compounds are created when when food gets heated up to a high temperature and some of those compounds are harmful to the health.

Bhopal added that the harm has nothing to do with frying, but it is more of an outcome of the cooking process. Cooking with too much heat leads to the release of neo-formed contaminants (NFCs). NFCs include trans-fatty acids, which are known to increase the risk for heart disease. The trans fats are produced at a very high rate when the temperature is high.

In connection to this, researchers believe that foods involving cooking in hot oils at high temperatures may explain the reason for the higher rates of heart illness in certain populations. These populations include those in South Asian descent. Reports say they have a four times greater risk of getting heart illnesses compared with the general population.

In the study published in Science Direct, the researchers reviewed available evidence of NFCs in Chinese and South Asian populations. They likewise looked for possible links between the chemicals and heart problems. They found that Chinese snacks has less than one percent trans fatty acids, while there is a huge amount in Indian snacks.

Bhopal said the e difference between Chinese meals and Indian cooking was that the former include more boiled foods, stir fries, and light fried items; while Indian cooking involves longer cooking, deeper frying, and using pressure cookers. In hindsight, he out the emphasis on the temperature.

According to professor Michael Miller of the University of Maryland Medical Center, heating and frying can make healthy oils unhealthy. He added that heart disease can occur when oils that have been boiled are reused.

Apparently, the aforementioned information indicates the problem is indeed too much heat while cooking. Deep fried food lovers should take note of this.