Please tell me French Fries are OK!
Is fast food okay? I love me some french fries.
French fries are part of a “Western diet.”
Cool. A diet like how they ate in the Wild West?
I’m not talking about Billy the Kid’s diet. The “Western diet” increases your chance of a heart attack. This dietary pattern contains a lot of fried foods, salty snacks, eggs, and red meat. Interestingly, one study compared heart disease with the Western diet, Oriental diet (high in tofu, soy, and other sauces), and a Prudent diet (high in fruits and vegetables). The Oriental diet did not increase heart attacks. However, the Prudent diet actually decreased heart disease. So eating a Western diet is more like this for your heart:
Darn it. Why can’t healthy food be fried, smothered in butter, come with a side of bacon, and make you skinny?
Fried foods do taste better and add more calories to food. One study has shown that about one in five people eat fried fast foods most days of the week. Not surprisingly, a majority of college students eat fried food about 3 times weekly because of taste, convenience, and because it’s cheap. Those likely to eat more fried foods are people who are younger, have a lower income, are non-white, are chubbier, more likely to smoke, and less educated.
So is there any proof that fried foods cause heart disease?
Yes, a study observing American male doctors for 10 years showed that eating fried foods even once weekly increased their risk of getting heart failure. Another study in men and women observed heart attacks were more common in those who ate fried fish three or more times weekly compared to people who ate baked or boiled fish. Another study in women showed that those who ate fried foods daily had a higher chance of early death. One interesting observation was that fried shrimp or chicken eaten even once weekly was associated with higher death from heart disease.
Sniff, Sniff! Goodbye all- you-can-eat shrimp buffets and KFC. What are some common fried foods?
Fried chicken, fish, shellfish, shrimp, potatoes (french fries, hash browns), chips (potato, corn, tortilla), crackers (Ritz/cheese), taco shells, and rice. Others are tostadas, fief cassava, pork skins, plantains, flat/crispy rolled tacos, taquitos, tempura, and Indian fry bread.
If you ever go to the Iowa State fair like I did in medical school, you can find the following fried delicacies: mac ‘n’ cheese, corn dogs, enchilada funnel cake, butter (yes, fried butter), nutella, oreos, bacon/cheese, and even a DEEP FRIED SNICKERS BAR.
Does anybody survive to go to the Iowa State fair the next year? I’m bummed that french fries made the list. Has anyone ever done a study on french fries?
One study compared people who fried potatoes (french fries, fried cubed potatoes, and hash browns) to those who ate un-fried potatoes (boiled, baked, mashed and potato salad). Eating un-fried potatoes was NOT associated with a higher chance of death but…
Oh no, not a “but.”
But, fried potatoes eaten more than two times a week were associated with a higher chance of early death. They also noted that the average American eats about 115 pounds of potatoes a year, most of which is french fries, potato chips, or other frozen/processed potatoes.
Yes! So you’re telling me I can eat french fries once a week!
Apparently if you live in Sweden you can eat french fries more often than that. Swedes on average eat five servings weekly of boiled potatoes, french fries, or other fried potatoes. After 13 years no higher risk of heart attacks was seen in people who ate the most fried potatoes.
Wow! Why would fried potatoes in America cause heart attacks but not fried potatoes eaten in Sweden?
The difference may be that most Americans eat fried foods at fast food restaurants that tend to re-use cooking oil and Swedes tend to eat fried foods at home where the oil is fresh.
What’s the problem with re-using oil?
When oil is re-used, it begins to create stuff that’s not good for our blood vessels. These bad things then get fried into our food. Re-using oil leads to the creation of trans-fats which raise cholesterol, advanced glycation end-products which cause blood vessel inflammation, and acrylamide which may cause heart disease and cancer. Eating fried foods may also stop our ability to block the activity of bad cholesterol.
So you’re saying that fried foods cooked at home are probably better for you than fried foods made at restaurants or bought at the store?
Bingo. Most studies show that people who eat fried foods at home using fresh oil do not get more heart attacks. Eating food cooked in re-used oil, but not fresh oil, may cause high blood pressure. Another study showed that blood flow through blood vessels was DECREASED for four hours after eating foods made with re-used oil, but blood flow was normal after eating fried foods made with fresh oil. Diabetes is also more common in people that eat fried foods away from home three or more times weekly.
How many of us actually eat away from home?
In 2015, Americans spent more of their monthly budget on eating out than they spent on groceries.
Another “wow.” Does the type of oil used for frying matter?
In the studies that show that fried foods are harmful, it does not matter what type of oil is used. The studies that show no increased risk of heart disease from fried foods use olive and sunflower oil. Interestingly, olive oil has also been shown to be resistant to degrading when heated for frying.
Okay Doc, just summarize it for me.
Food can do one of three things:
1). Protect us from heart attacks
2). Cause heart attacks
3). Do neither
It seems that eating fried foods made with fresh oil (primarily olive or sunflower oil) is probably not harmful. Fried foods made with re-used oil, especially fast food (i.e. french fries, fried chicken) or processed fried foods (potato chips, crackers) probably causes heart attacks. Frying greatly increases calories to our food. So. . .
Also, enjoy wild west movies, just don’t eat a Western diet!
Great and very informative article. I have never thought of reused oil being the problem. This past year I purchased an air fryer that I use to cook most of my fresh vegetables. Potatoes, carrots and other hard vegetables have been enjoyed with this healthier option of cooking while enjoying the crisp texture that oil frying creates.