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# Should I Eat French Fries?

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/kL7utfHP.m3u8" -->
## Video: Should I Eat French Fries?

[Watch (HLS stream): Should I Eat French Fries?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/kL7utfHP.m3u8) (2:30)

![Should I Eat French Fries?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/kL7utfHP/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2015-06-10. A record number of experts weighed in on this one, and regretfully, 7 out of the total 9 give French fries a firm thumbs down._


---

Jul 27, 2023 6:24 PM UTC

---

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[Don’t Panic, But Japan’s McDonalds is Running Out of French Fries](/video/FbER7syG/)

### Don’t Panic, But Japan’s McDonalds is Running Out of French Fries

---


## Transcript

Should you eat French fries? A record number of experts weighed in on this one, and sadly seven out of nine of them gave French fries the firm thumbs down. [ MUSIC ] Jonathan Bonnet says they involve frying, salting and removing one of the healthiest parts of the potato. The skin, where many of the nutrients and fiber are found. It's a scary thought considering that french fries are the number one vegetable consumed by toddlers as young as 15 months. A medium order of fries as 365 calories. Calories. 17 grams of fat. 264 mg of sodium. And sometimes, even sugar & trans fat. When potatoes are made into fries they no longer have any nutritional redeeming values, says Kristin Kirkpatrick.

What's more, french fries usually come with burgers, and both are often used as vehicles for sugar laced ketchup and fatty mayo, says David Katz. Let's face it. It's very hard to stop eating these things he says. One study found that foods high in fat and refine carbohydrates are likely to be addictive. On a much stranger note, french fries may mess with your eyes according to the work of Chung Jung Chiu. He found a link between foods popular in the western diet, including french fries, An age- related macular degeneration. All of which makes a compelling case for fries as a selective treat, says Alice Lichtenstein.

Nearly half of the experts we talked to warned about the carcinogen acrylamide, a chemical that forms in some foods when they're cooked at high temperatures by frying, roasting, or baking. Even at low concentrations it accumulates over time and may contribute to diseases like cancer says Allal Ouhtit. You should limit your intake of french fries say Eric Morrissette, but eating them occasionally isn't likely to be a health concern. One way to cut down on the toxin is to cook fries for less time in good oil that hasn't been reheated says Vincenzo Fogliano. Steve Elmore agrees He's research acrylamide since 2002, but doesn't think there's enough to prove that it causes cancer in humans.

For those of us with a french fry fetish, it's tough news to hear, but on the plus side, any food this bad for you must taste oh so good, a fact you'll savor when you'll sparingly treat yourself to a small order of fries. [ MUSIC ]

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