Get freed from fried foods

Satchel Paige, the great ballplayer in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball (with the Cleveland Indians in 1948), had a career that spanned five decades and launched him into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He had immense talent — and was smart about making nutritional choices that kept him healthy. One example of his advice: “Avoid fried foods, which angry up the blood.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! And new research out of China published in the journal Heart shows just how much fried food angers your body. The meta-study found every serving you eat per week ups your risk of coronary heart disease and major cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack or stroke, by 2-3%.

But heart disease is not the only health hazard associated with fried foods. There are epidemiological studies that show that eating it regularly contributes substantially to the development of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Many Americans eat fried food daily. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, between 2013 and 2016, about 37% of American adults consumed fast food on any given day — and most of it is fried. And kids are loading up on it too. A 2016 survey by the Rudd Center at the University of Connecticut found 91% of responding parents bought fast-food lunch or dinner for their child in the previous week.

Now is as good a time as any to ditch French fries, fried chicken, fried shrimp and even those onion rings. “But where’s the crunch you crave going to come from?” you ask. Easy. There are endless delicious chicken and fish dishes that can be made with healthy oils that are prepared by baking or broiling. You might even expand your palate and try a bunch of new foods that offer exciting flavors while they boost your heart health, increase your longevity and make you feel better.

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare. com.