January 24, 2012

Fried foods and heart disease risk

Eating food fried in olive or sunflower oil is not linked to heart disease or premature death, a new study has found.

The Spanish study looked at cooking methods of over 40,000 adults and monitored their health over 11 years. No association was observed between fried food consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease or death.

Victoria Taylor, our Senior Heart Health Dietitian, said: “Before we all reach for the frying pan it’s important to remember that this was a study of a Mediterranean diet, rather than British fish and chips. Our diet in the  UK will differ from Spain, so we cannot say that this result would be the same for us too.

“Participants in this study used unsaturated fats such as olive and sunflower oil to fry their food. We currently recommend swapping saturated fats like butter, lard or palm oil for unsaturated fats as a way of keeping your cholesterol down and this study gives further cause to make that switch.

“Regardless of the cooking methods used, consuming foods with high fat content means a high calorie intake. This can lead to weight gain and obesity, which is a risk factor for heart disease. A well-balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and veg and only a small amount of high fat foods, is best for a healthy heart.”

This study was published online by the British Medical Journal.