According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2023), people who regularly eat fried food at least 4 times a week increase their risk of cardiovascular disease by 37% compared to those who rarely eat fried food. As early as 2020, researchers at Harvard University showed that daily consumption of fried food increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25%.
The biggest problem is not the food itself, but the oil. Frying is usually done in refined oils, which lose quality at high temperatures and release harmful substances. If the oil is reused, as often happens in the food service industry, the problem is even greater.
Experiment from South Africa: how to make donuts less fatty
Researchers from the University of Venda in South Africa decided to find a solution. Their task was simple: how to make a traditional fried dessert called magwinya (something very similar to our donuts but even fattier) less harmful?
Magwinya is made from flour, yeast, sugar, and salt, and then the dough balls are fried in oil. The preparation method is almost the same as we use for donuts or fritters here.
The researchers made two versions:
- one classic, just with white flour,
- and the other with the addition of oat bran or psyllium.
Oat bran is the outer part of the oat grain, rich in fiber and minerals. Psyllium is a fiber from the seed of the plantain plant, which people have long used for regulating digestion and is also known here.
After baking both, they came to a surprising conclusion: donuts that contained oat bran or psyllium absorbed almost half as much oil as regular ones! Furthermore, psyllium proved to be even more effective than oats.
Why do fibers absorb less fat?
The explanation is quite simple. The fibers in bran and psyllium create a denser dough structure. This means that the oil has a harder time penetrating during frying. As a result, the dish remains lighter, less greasy, and more stomach-friendly.
In an article published in the Journal of Food (2021), it was noted that such dishes, besides having less fat, also had more minerals, were softer, and even tastier. This means that it was not just about health but also about food quality.
What does this mean for our donuts and fried foods?
Looking at Central Europe, the average resident consumes around 8 kilograms of fried food per year. Most of it consists of donuts and fried meat. If even a small amount of oat bran or psyllium were added to wheat flour, nearly 30% fewer unhealthy fats would be consumed annually.
This is significant, considering that excessive fat intake is one of the main reasons why 58% of adults today are overweight.
Traditional wisdom and modern science hand in hand
Looking back in history, people often used whole wheat flour or a mix with bran when frying. Such flour was more nutritious, and the food prepared with it was not as heavy. Today, science simply confirms what people have known for centuries. Fibers in flour improve digestion and reduce the greasiness of dishes.
Psyllium has long been used in Ayurveda (ancient Indian medicine) as a cleanser for the intestines. Today, we know that these fibers act like a sponge, binding fats and sugars that the body can easily eliminate.
Home trick you can use right away
Next time you're making donuts at home, try adding a handful of oat bran or a spoonful of psyllium to the wheat flour. The dough may seem slightly different, but the taste will be the same, and the dish will be less greasy.
A study from Germany (2022) also showed that people who ate fried food with added fiber had a 20% lower post-meal cholesterol increase compared to those who ate regular donuts. This means that even a small change in ingredients can make a big difference.
Less fatty donuts with just one ingredient
We all know that fried food is not a healthy choice, but sometimes we simply crave it. The good news is that there is a homemade, simple, and inexpensive solution, such as adding oat bran or psyllium to the dough. This way, donuts, cookies, or fritters will absorb less oil, and you will be eating something lighter and more body-friendly.
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