Fond of eating French fries, samosas, and fritters? Then there is bad news for you. This one habit of yours is not only harmful to increasing obesity but mental health problems have also been seen to increase due to this. Researchers even say that people who frequently eat deep-fried foods, especially deep-fried potato fries or fritters, may be more prone to stress-depression than other people.
Fried things have been considered obesity-cholesterol-increasing in studies so far, although, in this study, scientists said that such a diet is also affecting mental health. Over time, the risk of developing stress anxiety and, in severe cases, depression, increases in such people.
It has been told in the study that its risk is being seen especially in young people.
Fried food harmful
To understand how fried things can be harmful to the body, researchers conducted a study, the results of which have been published in the journal PNAS. In this research, the data of about 1.5 lakh people were evaluated for more than a decade. The study concluded that those who ate the most fried foods had a 12 percent higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder and a 7 percent higher risk of developing depression.
Why are fried things bad?
The authors found that fried foods contain a chemical called acrylamide that has been shown to harm mental health. This chemical is released when foods are cooked at very high temperatures. Phases of the study found that acrylamide, over time, promotes brain inflammation, which leads to behavioral changes and related problems.
Acrylamide is also produced when potatoes and other foods become too crispy and brown, the researchers reported. It has also been found in roasted coffee beans. This means that acrylamide can be in the crunch of potato chips, in french fries, and even in toasted snacks. Consumption of such things should be minimized.
What do researchers say?
Acrylamide acts as a neurotoxin and can cause oxidative and inflammatory damage to any area of the brain. Some research has also suggested that acrylamide may also increase neurodegeneration and problems related to neurotransmission in the central and peripheral nervous systems.
David Katz, author of the study and a preventive and lifestyle medicine specialist, says that this study shows that the risk of anxiety/depression increases with a high intake of fried food. However, research remains to be done to find out how it affects people who already have a mental health disorder. All people should pay attention to reducing the intake of such things.
(PC: Freepik)
