Currently, Americans get a lot of their total fat from saturated fats, which can lead to heart disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and more. In the Body Reboot book, we discuss why it’s better to stick clear of saturated fats, though, it’s okay to have fats on a high-fat, low carb diet. One thing we want to clarify in this article is if you go on the ketogenic diet it is okay to fry your food. Many people enjoy frying their eggs and bacon in butter, for example. However, when it comes to deep-frying, it’s essential to stay away from battered/breaded/crumbed anything — the coating gets made out of eggs, bread crumbs and flour which are all carbs. The hidden carbs combined with frying is what can cause health problems down the line.

If you do intend to regularly fry your food, go after non-hydrogenated lards such as coconut oil or ghee. They have a higher smoke point which means you will get more of the vital fatty acids. Now that you understand the difference between fried foods with hidden carbs and frying your food in healthy fats let’s learn why fried foods can be bad for your health.

WebMD discusses how eating too many fried foods can lead to health issues such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. They also explain why trans fats are not good for you, which is another reason why you should opt for frying with healthy oils, such as olive oil, instead.

A few studies, including one published in 2014, have linked fried foods to serious health problems like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

“Fried foods may influence risk of these diseases through several key risk factors: obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol,” says lead author Leah Cahill, PhD, an assistant professor at Dalhousie University in Canada. “The process of frying is known to alter the quality and increase the caloric content of food.”

Fried foods served in fast-food restaurants are often cooked in hydrogenated oils, which are high in trans fats. Many restaurants use these oils because they give food a satisfying taste and crunch. But they're not good for you. Trans fats raise bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, lower good (HDL) cholesterol levels, and raise your chance of having heart disease.

Hydrogenated oil is especially unhealthy when it's reused, which restaurants often do. Oils break down with each frying, which changes their composition and causes more oil to be absorbed into the food, Cahill says. These changes further boost your chances of having high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

The FDA ban on trans fats, which takes full effect in 2018, won’t necessarily make fried foods healthier, Cahill says. Many restaurants have already switched to other oils in advance of the ban.

WebMD already mentioned above how fried foods can lead to heart disease and other health issues. Healthline elaborates on why eating fried foods increase your risk for diseases below:

Eating Fried Foods May Increase Your Risk of Disease
Several studies in adults have found an association between eating fried foods and the risk of chronic disease.

Generally speaking, eating more fried foods is associated with a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Heart Disease
Eating fried foods may contribute to high blood pressure, low “good” HDL cholesterol and obesity, which are all risk factors for heart disease.

In fact, two large observational studies found that the more often people ate fried foods, the greater their risk of developing heart disease.

One study found that women eating one or more servings of fried fish per week had a 48% higher risk of heart failure, compared to those who consumed 1–3 servings per month.

On the other hand, increased baked or broiled fish intake was associated with a lower risk.

Another observational study found that a diet high in fried foods was associated with a significantly higher risk of heart attack.

Meanwhile, those who ate a diet high in fruits and vegetables were at a significantly lower risk.

Diabetes
Several studies have found that eating fried foods puts you at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

One study found that people who ate fast food more than two times per week were twice as likely to develop insulin resistance, compared to those who ate it less than once a week (22).

Furthermore, two large observational studies found a strong association between how often participants ate fried food and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Those consuming 4–6 servings of fried food per week were 39% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, compared to those consuming less than one serving per week.

Similarly, those who ate fried food seven or more times per week were 55% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, compared to those consuming less than one serving per week.

Harvard discusses a study that also revealed that eating a lot of fried food can have horrible consequences. The more fried foods you eat throughout the week, the more likely you’re going to be unwell shortly.

People who eat a lot of fried foods may have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to a large, long-term study.

Led by Leah Cahill, research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), and An Pan of the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, the researchers examined data from more than 100,000 men and women over about 25 years. They found that people who ate fried food at least once per week had a greater risk of both type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and that the risk increased as the frequency of fried food consumption increased. For instance, participants who ate fried foods 4-6 times per week had a 39% increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and those who ate fried foods 7 or more times per week had a 55% increased risk, compared with those who ate fried foods less than once per week.

Livestrong adds to the reasons why it’s in your best interest to stick clear of eating fried foods. They say that it can also lead to an increased risk for stroke and becoming overly obese.

Increased Obesity Risk
Foods high in fat, such as fried foods, are also higher in calories, since a gram of fat provides 9 calories compared to the 4 calories found in each gram of protein or carbohydrates. If you eat fried foods regularly, you are more likely to become overweight or obese. A study published in the February 2013 issue of “Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases” found that consuming fried foods more than four times per week increased the risk for obesity compared to consuming these foods less than two times per week.

Increased Stroke Risk
Southern cuisine, which typically includes a lot of fried foods, may increase your stroke risk, according to a February 2013 CBS News report. You'll increase your risk of a stroke by 41 percent if you eat fried Southern dishes at least six times per week compared to eating this type of food less than once a month, according to a study led by University of Alabama, Birmingham, nutritional epidemiologist Dr. Suzanne Judd. If you fry your foods in a type of fat that provides a lot of saturated fat, such as butter, lard or coconut oil, it may also increase your cholesterol and your risk for heart disease.

Health Fitness Revolution discusses various reasons on how else fried foods can potentially cause serious health issues.

Fried foods lead to inflammation in the body which create problems with joints.
Modified, processed and fried foods don’t break down in body properly; remaining in kidneys, liver, intestines, prostate and colon for extended periods of time as toxins.

Fried food breading soaks up nearly every drop of the oil, so eating fried chicken and pan pizza is like drinking oil straight from the vat. This increases your low-density or “bad” cholesterol.

In restaurants, typically hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are used – which is code for trans fat. Trans fat is a man-made fat that improves the shelf life of processed foods, but at the same time, raises your cholesterol and increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you forget everything else, remember this: Avoid hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

Most of the fried fast food contains calories.  They are usually processed and have chemical additives. To increase the shelf life of the food, they are injected with chemical additives and are uncovered of nutrients. So, fried food does no good to us and doesn’t increase our life span.

It is found that most of the fried meat in restaurants are polluted or infected with growth hormones. Growth hormones are very famous in this field and are frequently used to increase the growth tempo of livestock. The people who ate fried meat are more vulnerable to certain cancer and infertility. Many people have developed these diseases according to research.

When oil is reused over and over again as it often is in fast food chains, the oil continues to breakdown every time it is heated. It’s not only the oil that undergoes a harmful change. Other nutrients can be altered by the heating process. An example of this is carbohydrates, which, when heated to very high temperatures, can actually release a certain type of carcinogen. This is another reason to keep in mind that fast food chains are not the place to find nutrition.

Again, we’re not saying cooking with oils is terrible. If you’re not on the keto diet and that’s all your diet consists of then, you likely will have a problem. However, if you fry your food in healthy oils (see the Ruled.me list below), and stick to the keto approved healthy fats below, you should be fine. Of course, always consult with your doctor when in doubt.

Some ketogenic diet foods that are ideal for fats and oils (organic and grass-fed sources are preferred):

Fatty Fish
Animal Fat (non-hydrogenated)
Lard
Tallow
Avocados
Egg Yolks
Macadamia/Brazil Nuts
Butter/Ghee
Mayonnaise
Coconut Butter
Cocoa Butter
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Avocado Oil
Macadamia Oil
MCT Oil

If you’re using vegetable oils (olive, soybean, flax, or safflower) choose the “cold pressed” options if they are available.

If you tend to fry things up, try to go after non-hydrogenated lards, beef tallow, ghee, or coconut oil since they have higher smoke points than other oils. This allows less oxidization of the oils, which means you get more of the essential fatty acids.

Utilizing healthy fats as a part of your diet is imperative, and the good news is you can still consume a variety of fats on the keto diet. Find out why it’s okay to eat fat and how your body turns into a fat burning machine by checking out our book. Trust us; it's okay to eat fat. At the time of writing this post, we're giving away free copies of the Body Reboot book. If you help us cover the cost of shipping, we’ll send you a FREE book. Go over to this page to see if there are any remaining copies.

Sources: WebMD, Healthline, Harvard T.H. Chan, Livestrong, Ruled.me, Health Fitness Revolution