As much as we love our greens, veggies, and fresh fruits at Aubergine Kitchen, we also proudly serve falafels, chicken bites, and sweet potato bites that we bake to crispy perfection.
Not only do we elect to bake these menu items, we don’t even own a deep fryer—not at any of our locations. It’s important to us that our customers know what is in the food we serve, but we also want transparent about how we prepare our food.
We grill, bake, roast, sauté, you name it—but we never fry.
This is one of the 7 core principles that guide our philosophy for providing healthy, delicious food that you can always rely on. What do we have against frying? The issue is in the fat. Now don’t get us wrong—fats are critically important to maintaining a balanced diet, but not all fats are created equal. Let’s break it down.
Why Won’t We Fry?
We use heart-healthy, unsaturated fats in almost every item on our menu. The fats found in things like avocado, olives, and salmon help to lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels, which is critical for heart health. Alternatively, saturated and especially trans fats do the opposite. These types of fat have been soundly proven to raise LDL cholesterol levels, which has serious ramifications for heart health.
Deep-frying food majorly contributes to the presence of trans fats in our diet. When saturated fats undergo a process called hydrogenation, the molecular structure of those fat cells undergo a transformation and become very difficult for our bodies to break down. Hydrogenation occurs in environments of high temperature—temperatures at which deep-fried foods are generally cooked at.
Because the molecular structure becomes so difficult for our bodies to break down, regular consumption of trans fat has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. Trans fat consumption has also proven to be associated with a heightened risk of experiencing strokes and development of diabetes.
Our Solution
Because of our commitment to never subject our food, nor our customers to the adverse effects of deep-frying, we’ve had to come up with alternative cooking methods that provide a high level of satisfaction. With the grilled meats, roasted veggies, and baked falafels offered on our menu, you won’t be missing out on any of the deep-fried alternatives out there—and you’ll be taking care of your heart!
As pleased as we are with our selection of delicious alternatives to deep-fried favorites, we’re always looking for ways to innovate. Are there any deep-fried foods you love that we can try to put a healthy spin on? Let us know by sending us an email at care@auberginekitchen.com!
Eat better, cook different.