PUBLISHED 12/05/2006
Frying, whether in heart-healthy canola oil or artery-clogging lard, boosts a food's calorie count substantially. Deep-frying fish, for example, adds about 100 calories per three-ounce serving compared to grilling, while frying potatoes instead of baking "fries" adds a hefty 200 calories because the greater surface area on the potato strips allows extra oil to soak in. And if a food is particularly absorbent, such as eggplant, even more oil (at 120 calories per tablespoon) gets sucked into the food. So don't even think about frying a Twinkie.
In addition to tacking on all those unwanted calories, some oils can smoke and emit acrid odors under high frying temperatures, which is a sign that the healthy fats have oxidized. Research shows that carcinogens may form from this oxidation. Oils that are not refined or filtered, such as olive oil, are more likely to do this because they contain impurities.
You can get the health benefits of oils without taking in extra fat calories or harmful carcinogens by saut?g rather than frying. Use a tablespoon or two of olive, canola, peanut, or other vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet and stir-fry vegetables, strips of meat, or tofu over medium-high heat. And for French-fry lovers, cut a potato (with the skin on) into strips and place it in a plastic bag. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and toss in the bag to evenly distribute the oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes.
