OLIVE OIL MORE STABLE AND HEALTHFUL THAN SEED OILS FOR FRYING FOODS

Frying is one of the world's most popular ways to prepare food -- think fried chicken and french fries. Even candy bars and whole turkeys have joined the list. But before dunking your favorite food in a vat of just any old oil, consider using olive. Scientists report in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that olive oil withstands the heat of the fryer or pan better than several seed oils to yield more healthful food.

Mohamed Bouaziz and colleagues note that different oils have a range of physical, chemical and nutritional properties that can degrade oil quality when heated. Some of these changes can lead to the formation of new compounds that are potentially toxic. By-products of heating oil can also lower the nutritional value of the food being fried. Bouaziz's team wanted to find out which cooking oil can maintain its quality under high heat and repeated use.

The researchers deep- and pan-fried raw potato pieces in four different refined oils -- olive, corn, soybean and sunflower -- and reused the oil 10 times. They found that olive oil was the most stable oil for deep-frying at 320 and 374 degrees Fahrenheit, while sunflower oil degraded the fastest when pan-fried at 356 degrees. They conclude that for frying foods, olive oil maintains quality and nutrition better than seed oils.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique and the Ministère de l'Agriculture, Tunisia.

FOODS FOR PRETTIER SKIN

Many foods promote skin health. Some are at their most beneficial when eaten raw:

Kale and Spinach

Kale and spinach help keep skin firm because they contain phytonutrients that provide extra protection from sun damage. Spinach is especially good because it's loaded with the nutrients beta-carotene and lutein, which have been shown to improve skin elasticity.

Walnuts and Pistachios

PHOTO BY MITCH MANDEL

Walnuts and pistachios are rich sources of vitamins B and E that help protect against cell damage. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals and oxidation that age the skin prematurely, while vitamin B aids circulation to give skin a healthy, youthful glow.

Berries and Citrus

Berries are packed with age-defying antioxidants as well as fiber, a nutrient that helps eliminate toxins before they cause breakouts. Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that also boosts collagen production for soft, supple skin.

ApplesPHOTO BY MITCH MANDEL

Like citrus, apples are also high in vitamin C—helpful for collagen production. The copper in apples aids the production of melanin, the brown-black pigment in skin that works as a natural sun protector.  

Almond Milk

This nut milk is great for your skin because it contains collagen-boosting copper, as well as the mineral manganese, which helps protect skin from UV damage.  

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