Yes, potato chips are delicious, but there's that little problem of cooking oil. Fifty or so years later, having learned about the harm that rancid and broken fatty acids does to the human body in the form of inflammation, I have more or less eliminated those tasty treats from my diet. Until now.
On my last shopping trip, what did I discover but a bag of potato chips (kettle style, even!) cooked in the king of all "vegetable" oils, olive oil. Olive oil is actually a fruit oil, not a vegetable oil, but I quibble.
Of course, I bought a bag and took it home to try. YUM! On the next visit, the store was also offering a variety cooked with Avocado oil. Jackpot!
So what's my problem with vegetable oils? Glad you asked.
Most vegetable oils are polyunsaturated in structure. And most are very high in omega-6 fatty acids (corn and soybean oil are two). Polyunsaturated fatty acids are very easily damaged. High heat damages them, light damages them, and age degrades them. It's called "oxidation." Monounsaturated oils are still liquid at room temperature, but they are a much more stable.
But when it comes to cooking, it's the smoke point you should consider. The point at which heat causes oil to smoke is also the point at which it breaks down and becomes dangerous to your health.
Of course the best fats to cook with are saturated fats such as animal fats (lard and tallow), and coconut oil. They have the absolute best heat tolerance and your body loves them! But they probably don't do a very good job frying potato chips.
Omega 6 oils aren't bad for us per se; we just get too much of them. The optimum ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids is about 1:1. With the typical American diet of processed foods and vegetable oils (along with the unnatural fear of saturated fat), most people get a ratio of anywhere from 1:15 to 1:17. This is the reason you hear so much now about foods containing omega 3 fats. An imbalance in fatty acids contributes to chronic disease.
Looking at these "healthier" potato chip options, both olive oil and avocado oil are mostly monounsaturated. Both oils are higher in oleic acid, an omega 9 fatty acid that helps the body absorb the omega 3 fatty acids essential to the body.
- Olive oil is 77% monounsaturated, 13.5% saturated, and only 8.4% polyunsaturated fats. It can withstand heat from 320 degrees for extra virgin oil up to 468 degrees for "extra light" before breaking down, which makes it a better oil than some for sauteing and frying.
- Avocado oil tops olive oil for frying as it can withstand temperatures up to 560 degrees. It is composed of 69% monounsaturated, 13% saturated, and 8% polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Lays potato chips, probably the most famous and popular brand, are made with sunflower or corn oil. Oleic acid content in sunflower oil can range from as low as 14% all the way up to 97% in high-oleic sunflower oil. But since we don't know for sure whether the chips are fried in sunflower OR corn oil, it's best to avoid this brand altogether. Corn oil is a highly processed oil and should be avoided for many reasons.
It's probably still not a good idea to pig out on potato chips-- even the ones made with healthier oils, but it's lovely to have the option to eat them once in awhile.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go have a snack. (crunch...crunch...crunch)
No comments:
Post a Comment