Unrefined cold-pressed sunflower oil is appreciated by many housewives for its availability, benefits and bright taste. However, the use of this food for frying is quite dangerous.
Unrefined sunflower oil is very popular in our country. Firstly, this product belongs to the budget category and is available in almost any store. Secondly, fresh sunflower seed oil has a pronounced taste of seeds and gives a unique taste to the dish. In addition, all vitamins (in particular, tocopherol) and beneficial fatty acids (oleic, stearic) are preserved in high-quality cold-pressed oil.
As a rule, fresh salads are seasoned with unrefined sunflower oil, hot boiled vegetables are poured, it is added to unsweetened cereals, and marinades are made with it. At the same time, there is a lot of evidence that odorless refined sunflower oil is extremely harmful: some doctors compare its effect on the body with the effect of petroleum products. Why many housewives completely refuse such oil, preferring the unrefined version. If, when used raw, the benefits of this product are undeniable, then the question arises - is it possible to fry in such oil?
Why unrefined sunflower oil is not suitable for frying
Many people simply underestimate the changes that occur even in the most useful product during heat treatment. In the case of oil, transformations are the most dangerous.
- In cold-pressed oil, the characteristic aroma of seeds is especially strong, and therefore it is able to completely interrupt the taste of the original product and spoil the dish, and during cooking the smell can even be unbearable.
- Most often, when frying, unrefined sunflower oil begins to bubble and "shoot", even if you put a dry product in it.
- When heated above 100 degrees, carcinogens are formed in cold-pressed oil. Of course, with a single meal of food prepared in this way, nothing will happen, but if such dishes are often in your diet, the harm to your health will be enormous.
- Heat treatment completely loses all the benefits of cold-pressed oil.
What if there is only such oil?
If you only have unrefined cold-pressed sunflower oil at hand, and you need to fry something, proceed as follows.
- Use a minimum of oil. Optimally - just grease the pan with a brush, in a thin layer.
- Try to cook at a low temperature, lengthening the frying time.
- Blot the finished dish with a napkin or place it on a paper towel to remove as much of the grease as possible.
