The worst cooking methods that can turn your food toxic | The Times of India (2024)

FAQs

What is the most unhealthy cooking method? ›

Deep-frying is one of the worst ways to cook your food, as it bathes your food in oxidized fats, denatured proteins, and glycated sugars. The high temperatures used during deep-frying produce a number of toxic compounds that may increase your risk of cancer.

Cook over high heat: Cooking food at high temps, particularly over a direct or open flame, produces cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs).

In general, boiling results in the greatest loss of nutrients, but it is also the most destructive for anti-nutrients. In addition, boiling reduces the mineral content because they are lost to the water.

Deep Frying

No matter how delicious deep-fried food appears, it is the most unhealthy way of cooking. This is because the excess oil used for frying makes it dangerous for our hearts. Frying oxidises the oil and ends up creating trans fat which leads to heart diseases like cholesterol and blood pressure.

Use low-fat cooking methods like boiling or steaming.

If you boil or steam food, you avoid the chemicals created by high temperatures and cut out extra fat, which helps you stay at a healthy weight.

Grilling, roasting, baking, broiling, steaming, press cooking and slow cooking are some of the healthiest ways to cook meat. And yes, you should avoid deep-frying it. “Avoid marinades and sauces that are high in sugar and sodium,” she adds.

Researchers found steaming kept the highest level of nutrients. “Boiling vegetables causes water soluble vitamins like vitamin C, B1 and folate to leach into the water,” Magee said.

Boiling and cooking vegetables in high temperatures or in water can also decrease their nutrient level. Water soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B vitamins are often lost during these cooking methods. Minerals like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc may be reduced by up to 60-70%.

Are Air-Fried Foods Better for You? By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying.

What is the healthiest thing to cook with? ›

Bottom Line: Deep-frying results in crispy, flavorful meat. However, it tends to produce more harmful chemicals than other cooking methods and is associated with increased cancer and heart disease risk.

Most bacteria like warm, moist conditions, making it common for meats and seafood to be contaminated. So it makes sense that if you want to kill those bacteria, you should heat the heart until it's scorching or, even better, go beyond hot and reach boiling temperature.