What are the advantages and disadvantages of frying food?

Frying is a method of cooking in which the food is cooked by the heat of hot fat. Fat or oil can be heated to a much higher temperature, as compared to water and thus, as the food comes in contact with this heated fat, it gets cooked quickly. Fried foods are very tasty and hence popular in our meals. There are three types of frying: Sautéing, Shallow fat frying, and Deep fat frying.

Advantages of Frying

  1. It is a quick method of cooking.
  2. Fried food is very appetizing and tasty.
  3. Fried foods have better keeping quality e.g. poories can be kept for a longer time as compared to chapattis, without spoiling their taste and flavour.
  4. Frying introduces variety in the meals, as fried foods are crisp in texture.
  5. Fried foods have a higher satiety value.
  6. It increases the calorific value of food.
  7. In shallow fat frying, the amount of oil consumption can be controlled.

Disadvantages of Frying

  1. Fried foods are difficult to digest as the food gets covered with a layer of fat first.
  2. Due to high temperatures, the nutrient losses are higher, particularly of fat-soluble nutrients.
  3. As fats and oils are expensive, it is not an economical method of cooking.
  4. Sometimes the food may become oily or soggy with too much absorption of oil.
  5. More attention is required while cooking and care should be taken to avoid accidents.
  6. Repeated use of heated oils may produce harmful substances and reduces the smoking point.

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