Beware the hidden danger: Acrylamide in your chips
Regardless of the season, potatoes are present in almost every kitchen. It's worth paying attention to how they are prepared. Although they are rich in nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and zinc, a harmful substance may be released from them during thermal processing.
Can potatoes be unhealthy?
Potatoes often appear on our plates in various forms, most commonly as chips, mash, baked, or potato pancakes. However, few realise that dangerous acrylamide can form during prolonged frying.
Foods rich in carbohydrates that are exposed to high temperatures (over 120 degrees Celsius) during processes like frying, baking, or grilling contain a significant amount of poisonous acrylamide.
Ingesting it can negatively affect our bodies. "It is a highly toxic compound formed during the preparation and production of food products. Large amounts of acrylamide are produced particularly during the cooking of chips. In the body, acrylamide damages brain cells and can cause breast cancer and bladder cancer" – reads abczdrowie.pl.
What's worse, not only chips, pancakes, or baked slices are problematic – also crisps and other fried snacks may contain this undesirable substance, including roasted peanuts, almonds, biscuits, chocolate products, dried fruits, and many others. Therefore, it's worthwhile to be aware of this threat and prepare dishes in a way that minimises the risk of its formation.
You can eat chips, but do this before frying
The good news for chip lovers is that they don't have to give them up. A simple method can avoid harmful acrylamide. Sliced potatoes should be soaked in hot water for about 10 minutes before frying, and they'll be delicious and safe.
Performing this simple task can reduce the presence of harmful substances by up to 90% and avoid unpleasant health consequences.
To maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is important to avoid eating foods fried at high temperatures. If possible, replace them with healthier alternatives.
