Fried Foods May Not Be Harmful To Heart Health, Depending On The Type Of Oil Used

Spanish researchers report that in their country, where foods are fried in olive oil or sunflower oil, they observed no association between consumption of fried foods and the risk of coronary heart disease or premature death. The authors stress that their findings may not apply to other countries, where solid and re-used oils are often used for frying. The researchers surveyed the cooking methods of nearly 41,000 heart disease-free adults ages 29 to 69 years over 11 years. An accompanying editorial says that the study explodes the myth that "frying food is generally bad for the heart" but emphasizes that specific aspects of frying food are relevant, such as the type of oil used.