Ask This Question Before You Order Fried Food

As you guys know, I have been through a lot over the years with my health, digestive problems, food sensitivities, hypothyroidism, and other issues. I’ve been on a journey to recover through my diet and changing my lifestyle! Thanks to my food sensitivities, one of those lifestyle changes has been getting really good at asking questions when I eat out.

I’m that person that servers probably hate – not because I’m rude, but because I often have a whole list of questions before I order. Today, I learned there is one very important question I need to add to my list.

The other afternoon my husband and I decided to try out a restaurant in our neighborhood we have always wanted to try. They serve authentic sausages, burgers, and fried chicken, but they also offer vegan options. I was excited to splurge and try their “healthier” alternative, an Apple-Sage Vegan Bratwurst and the fried Brussel sprouts as an appetizer. I had my server questions ready to go: what are the sausage filler ingredients? Are there any included toppings or seasonings not listed on the menu? What type of oil do you use to fry the Brussel sprouts in?

The appetizer came first. I took my first bite of Brussel sprout, and had a weird feeling. I could have sworn it tasted like meat. I took another bite and I was sure – my Brussel sprouts definitely tasted like fried chicken. I was weirded out, and ended up pawning off the rest of the sprouts to my husband.

When we got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Was it just cross contamination? I decided to do some research. What I discovered wasn’t just about cross contamination of flavor (which apparently is relatively common in the US). It was more dangerous.

After going down an internet black hole, I learned that the reason my Brussel sprouts tasted like fried chicken was most likely because the restaurant was using the same oil in the fryer over and over again without changing it out. I had been asking what type of oil was used in the fryer, but I never knew to ask how often it was changed! I imagine the restaurants mean well. I’m sure they are just looking to save time and money by waiting longer to change the oil. But, the research I found shows that this lapse in judgement is actually endangering people. European nations actually heavily regulate the practice of oil overuse, but there are no laws about it in the US!? I suddenly felt guilty for making my husband finish the sprouts.

Here is what I learned: frying food can actually be a pretty healthy way to cook, IF it is executed properly. But, studies have shown that charring and smoking meats leads to high levels of cancer-causing chemicals known as HCAs and PAHs. When oil is continually reused in the fryer, tiny particles fall off the food and sink to the bottom. In the case of my sprouts, it was likely fried chicken. Those particles char over and over again and then attach themselves to any other food that gets fried. Other countries have found connections between Acrylamide in fried food and the oil not being changed or properly filtered. These tiny seemingly innocent particles in the oil could be causing cancer! Why is the US not regulating this?

The issue isn’t even the oil – it’s how the oil is cared for and how often it is changed. It’s such an easy solution. Restaurants need to be held accountable. There needs to be a limit on how many times they can reuse the oil. They should be required to filter or test it regularly. Europe should not be so far ahead of us on this. If our government won’t enforce this, we need to enforce it ourselves. Customers do hold power!

From now on, when you order at a restaurant, add these questions to your list: How often do you change the oil? Do you use any sort of filtration system? When was the last time you tested the fryer? You may be looked at as an annoying customer, but your health, and the health of your family, is worth it.

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