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You probably already know that eating fried food is not recommended, given the way it is prepared - submerged in fat. Even when the fat or oil is made from olive oil, coconut oil, soybean oil, etc.
Today's question is: what happens to our bodies when we are exposed to the frying steam?
Before we understand what happens in the body and why, one thing we need to keep in mind right now.
Lung cancer cases are not just attributed to smoking or passive smoking (those who live with smokers). Another contributing factor with great carcinogenic potential is the steam that comes out of the pan when we heat oil to fry food. (1)
Whether this fat is of animal or vegetable origin, when it is heated to the temperature necessary for frying, toxic substances are released into the air. (2)
Also, what we fry also matters.
A study of female smokers in China found that women who smoked and fried meat every day were almost 3x more likely to develop lung cancer compared to female smokers who fried vegetables daily. (3)
Why was meat found to be more toxic than vegetables? Because when meat muscle tissue is exposed to high temperatures, it produces a carcinogen called heterocyclic amines.
In another study, this time considering barbecue or grilled meat, it was shown that meat produces yet another class of carcinogens: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are similarly present in cigarette smoke.
This study was conducted by looking at women in the third trimester of pregnancy, with grilled meat intake, associating grilled meat consumption with smaller baby size at birth, weight deficit and a smaller head size - an indicator of brain volume. (4)
In addition to red and white meat, fried fish meat contains high levels of PAHs capable of damaging the DNA of lung cells (5), not to mention bacon (6) and other processed meats that release yet another class of carcinogens. (7)
And fried vegetable foods?
An analysis was conducted comparing the effects of foods such as bacon, beef and tempeh (a fermented soy bean food) with DNA mutation effects from the smoke of frying.
The conclusion was that the smoke from the bacon and beef frying altered the DNA, but the tempeh smoke did not.
However, eating fried vegetables is still not a good idea, as the tempeh smoke had no effect, but the fried tempeh itself caused DNA mutations, even though it was 45x less than beef and 346x less than bacon.
One of the researchers' conclusions was that these findings may explain the higher incidence of respiratory disease and lung cancer in cooks and people who fry meat frequently, and a lower incidence of respiratory disease in vegetarians. 8
Important topics
Choose other cooking methods, such as roasting or steaming, instead of fried foods.
Foods of animal origin release more carcinogenic components capable of altering lung cells and DNA when compared to plant-based foods.
If you choose to fry any food, choose to do it in an open environment, outside the house. According to a study, the amount of toxic particles deposited in the lungs increases by 10 times in a closed environment with no air circulation.9
References
PALLIS, A.G.; SYRIGOS, K.N. “Lung Cancer in Never Smokers: Disease Characteristics and Risk Factors.” Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology. [S.l.]: 2013; 88(3): p. 494-503.
CHIANG, T.A.; WU, P.F.; WANG, L.F.; LEE, H.; LEE, C.H.; KO, Y.C. “Mutagenicity and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Content of Fumes from Heated Cooking Oils Produced in Taiwan.” Mutation. Amsterdam: 1997; 381(2): p. 157-61.
SEOW, A.; POH, W.T.; TEH, M. et al. “Fumes from Meat Cooking and Lung Cancer Risk in Chinese Women.” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention: A Publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology. Philadelphia: 2000; 9(11): p. 1.215-21.
JEDRYCHOWSKI, W.; PERERA, F.P.; TANG, D. et al. “Impact of Barbecued Meat Consumed in Pregnancy on Birth Outcomes Accounting for Personal Prenatal Exposure to Airborne Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Birth Cohort Study in Poland.” Nutrition. [S.l.]: 2012; 28(4): p. 372-7.
YANG, S.C.; JENQ, S.N.; KANG, Z.C.; LEE, H. “Identification of Benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10 epoxide N2-deoxyguanosine in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells Exposed to Cooking Oil Fumes from Frying Fish Under Domestic Conditions.” Chemical Research in Toxicology. Washington, D.C.: 2000; 13(10): p. 1.046-50.
LIJINSKY, W. “N-Nitroso Compounds in the Diet.” Mutation Research. Amsterdam: 15 de julho de 1999; 443(1-2): p. 129-38.
THIÉBAUD, H.P.; KNIZE, M.G.; KUZMICKY, P.A.; HSIEH, D.P.; FELTON, J.S. “Airborne Mutagens Produced by Frying Beef, Pork and a Soy-Based Food.” Food and Chemical Toxicology: An International Journal Published For the British Industrial Biological Research Association. [S.l.]: 1995; 33(10): p. 821-8.
THIÉBAUD, H.P.; KNIZE, M.G.; KUZMICKY, P.A.; HSIEH, D.P.; FELTON, J.S. “Airborne Mutagens Produced by Frying Beef, Pork and a Soy-Based Food.” Food and Chemical Toxicology: An International Journal Published For the British Industrial Biological Research Association. [S.l.]: 1995; 33(10): p. 821-8.
MITSAKOU, C.; HOUSIADAS, C.; ELEFTHERIADIS, K.; VRATOLIS, S.; HELMIS, C.; ASIMAKOPOULOS, D. “Lung Deposition of Fine and Ultrafine Particles Outdoors and Indoors During a Cooking Event and a No Activity Period.” Indoor Air. [S.l.]: 2007; 17(2): p. 143-52.
