Topic for discussion: should we avoid fried foods due to cancer risk?

[SimoneHU]

Acrylamide is a chemical linked to cancer that naturally forms when cooking starchy foods in high-temperatures (e.g.frying potatoes). Here are two different pieces of information and recommendation about acrylamide consumption. Have a look and share your thoughts

1. Some organisation like FDA (USA Food and Drug Administration) recommend cutting down on certain fried foods because "high levels of acrylamide have been found to cause cancer in animals, and on that basis scientists believe it is likely to cause cancer in humans as well." fda.gov/ForConsumers/Consum...

BUT

2. Other organisations like FSA (UK Food Standards Agency) do not advise people to stop eating these because "Given the uncertainties in exposure and the possible exposure to sources other than food, scientists have concluded that it is not possible to draw any definitive conclusions about the cancer risks of acrylamide in food." food.gov.uk/science/acrylamide

What do you think?

[OlsBean]

Just another reason (as if we need anymore) to avoid sugar, not that personally I would trust or pay much heed to what the FDA recommends.

It's also worth noting the issue is supposedly caused by heating starch (sugar) to a high temperature regardless of the cooking method (omitting boiling/steaming) so your "Avoid Fried" topic title is a little misleading because if the reports are to believed then even over browning something like toast under the grill is an issue. So simply put the actual issue is with overheating of sugar not Fried Foods

[SRMGrandma]

I think there is no good reason to eat fried food (except that it tastes so good Fried food is one of the things to be avoided for heart disease, which is the number one killer. Frying food and charring food may both be found to cause cancer. As far as I am concerned it is pretty easy to avoid. In my opinion food is medicine so making the best choices is the key to staying healthy.