Fish is a rich source of proteins, vitamins and minerals. However, frying it in oil reduces its healthy properties. If you love fish but do not want to give up on its wonderful taste and flavor, you can still enjoy it by frying it in minimum oil or broiling it instead of deep-frying it. Broiling fish involves placing the fish directly under heat for a few minutes without any oil or fat. This article will address if fish loses all its nutrients when fried, and what are the best ways to cook fish so that you can still get all the benefits from this food while reducing the risks from excess fats and oils.
What Happens When You Fry Fish?
Fish is a rich source of proteins, vitamins and minerals. When you fry fish, the protein-rich batter that surrounds the fish will absorb oil and fat. The fat gets absorbed into the fish, which reduces the nutritional value of fish considerably. When you fry fish, polyunsaturated fats are oxidized and form toxic compounds. These toxic compounds increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases. When you consume oxidized fats, the fat gets deposited in your blood vessels, which can lead to cardiovascular diseases like stroke and heart attack. Frying fish also reduces its protein content and increases its carbohydrate content. Fish contains protein-bound polyphenol oxidase (PPO), an enzyme that causes browning when fish is fried. PPO is destroyed when fish is cooked in water, but it is not destroyed when fish is fried in oil.
How Frying Affects The Nutrition Content Of Fish
When oil is used for frying, the fat in the oil gets oxidized and deposits in the fish. Frying fish in oil for long periods of time will reduce its nutritional value significantly. Frying fish in oil reduces its protein content and increases its carbohydrate content. Frying also reduces its vitamin content and reduces the minerals like iron and zinc. Frying fish reduces its vitamin B content by 30% and vitamin E content by 70%. Vitamin B and vitamin E are major antioxidants that prevent various diseases. Frying fish also reduces its vitamin A content by 25%, which is important for good eye health. Frying fish reduces its selenium content by 75% and iron content by 35%. Selenium is an important trace element for good metabolic function, thyroid function, immune function and DNA repair.
Is It Still Healthy To Fry Fish?
Frying fish reduces its nutritional value by a considerable amount, making it not very healthy to fry fish. However, this does not mean that you should avoid eating fish altogether. You can enjoy the taste and flavor of fish by choosing healthier cooking methods. Instead of deep-frying, you can choose to pan-fry or broil the fish. Pan-frying is when you fry fish in a pan with very little oil, while deep-frying is done in a deep vessel with a lot of oil. You can also steam or grill the fish, which are healthy methods that do not require any oil. When you follow a healthy diet, you can still enjoy the wonderful taste and flavor of fried fish. If you want to fry fish, you can reduce the amount of oil and use healthier oils like sunflower oil or vegetable oil. You can also choose to bake the fish or steam it instead of frying it.
Other Ways To Prepare Delicious And Healthy Fish Dishes
Apart from frying, you can also pan-fry, broil or poach the fish. In poaching, you simmer the fish in water or broth with herbs and spices. You can also choose to bake or grill the fish. Apart from fish, you can also choose to fry different vegetables such as carrots, peppers, and potatoes. You can also choose to fry legumes like chickpeas and lentils. You can also choose to bake or grill the vegetables and legumes to make them healthier. You can also choose to make the fish dishes healthier by choosing healthier ingredients. You can choose to use olive oil, sunflower oil or vegetable oil that have lower amounts of saturated fats. You can also choose to use less salt while making the dish.
Conclusion
Frying fish reduces its nutritional value by a considerable amount, making it not very healthy to fry fish. However, this does not mean that you should avoid eating fish altogether. You can enjoy the taste and flavor of fish by choosing healthier cooking methods such as pan-frying or broiling. You can also choose to bake or grill the fish, which are healthy methods that do not require any oil. You can also choose to make the fish dishes healthier by choosing healthier ingredients such as oils and less salt while making the dish.