Stir-fried green vegetables could be hazardous to your health, a study by the Hong Kong Department of Health finds. Photo Credit: Jules.Food and Beverage
Michael Taylor is caught by surprise when he learns that a study conducted by the Department of Health in Hong Kong finds that stir-frying vegetables might be bad for your health.
Will wonders never cease? It looks like Grandma might have been right after all! It’s not such a bad idea to boil your vegetables – especially if they’re green! At least that’s what the Hong Kong Department of Health seems to be saying.
According to a newspaper article published in yesterday’s South China Morning Post, vegetables such as zucchini and green peppers produce high levels of acrylamide, a toxic substance, when stir fried at a high temperature in a wok.
Cancer Risk
This can not only damage the nervous system. It can also lead to cancer, the newspaper reports.
“The public can avoid the substance by cooking the food in a healthier way such as boiling or steaming,” Dr Xiao Ying, the department’s Food and Safety Officer, was quoted in the articles as saying.
Stir-fried zuccuni, water spinach, green peppers, onions, and garlic contain the largest amounts of acrylamide. Bitter melon, Chinese lettuce, Chinese spinach, spinach, and watercress contain the least.
But that doesn’t mean you should trade your stir fry for potato chips!
Stir-fried greens are not as bad for you as crispy snacks such as potato chips, crisp bread, and crackers. Fried potatoes should also be avoided.
OMG! Nothing is sacred! All these years, I thought that stir fries were supposed to be healthy!