Are Vitamins Lost When Frying Foods?

Many eschew fried foods to avoid the high fat content. Along with adding fat, frying can affect the nutritional quality of foods; high-temperatures and fat can leach out A, B and C vitamins, which are important for those on weight-gain and weight-loss diets alike. Though raw vegetables and braised, baked or boiled meats are healthier than fried foods, stir-frying will retain more vitamins than deep-frying.

How Are Vitamins Lost?

• Frying can lead to a loss of vitamin A, since fat leaches out some of the vitamin. Frying also adversely affects vitamin B and C content, since these vitamins are very heat-sensitive. Cooking at high temperatures, especially for a long period of time, leads to vitamin loss.

Comparison With Other Cooking Methods

• A study by Mieko Kimura and Yoshinori Itokawa compared the effects of different cooking methods on a variety of foods. The study found that boiling and soaking lead to the most vitamin loss, followed by parching, frying and stewing. Cooked vegetables lose more vitamins than meats and other foods.

Healthier alternatives to Frying

• Fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw and unpeeled whenever possible to retain the most vitamins. Steaming and pressure-cooking vegetables will also preserve nutritional content. Meats retain more vitamins when braised, baked or broiled rather than fried.

Best Practices for Frying Foods

• To retain the most vitamins, choose fresh products and store them in the refrigerator. Before cooking, wash vegetables, but don't soak them, since water can leach out vitamins. If possible, avoid peeling vegetables, since the skin contains vitamins. To reduce heat, stir-fry your food and cook them in a minimal amount of olive oil, which doesn't get as hot as other oils. Serve as close to cooking time as possible; food will lose vitamins over time when stored.