Are Fried Potatoes Unhealthy? (Video)

Potatoes are a versatile and highly nutritious root vegetable. But like other foods, they become less healthy when highly processed, particularly when transformed into products like French fries and potato chips.

It’s no surprise that fried foods are not necessarily nutritious and may have some health risks. Dumping food into a vat of hot oil, even if it is vegetable, can change nutritious food into something harmful. Let’s explore the transformation of whole potatoes into fries and chips, talk about the implications, and examine healthier alternatives.

To understand what makes these processed potato products unhealthy, it’s helpful to know how they are made. This is the process:

1. First, whole potatoes are harvested and washed to remove dirt.
2. For chips, the potatoes are then sliced very thin. Fries are cut into strips.
3. Some manufacturers briefly immerse the slices in hot water or oil to remove starch, which is called blanching. French fries are typically blanched in water or oil at lower temperatures to soften them and remove starch.
4. Potato chips are submerged in oil and fried at high temperatures (usually around 350°F to 375°F) for a few minutes until crispy. Fries are typically pre-cooked at low temperatures before being fried.
5. After frying, chips they are salted or flavored and then packaged for distribution.
6. Many French fries are frozen before packaging, which allows for storage and mass distribution. When fries are prepared at home or in restaurants, they are fried again at high temperatures.

The most common oil used to fry potatoes, especially for commercial products like French fries and potato chips, is industrial vegetable oil. This is a highly processed blend of oils, often including soybean oil, canola oil, and corn oil. Vegetable oil sounds like a natural, healthy product, but industrial vegetable oil is far from natural.

So, while potatoes can be nutritious, frying them in industrial vegetable oil and adding preservatives transforms them into a manufactured food product that you might choose to limit or avoid entirely in your diet.  Here’s why:

French fries and potato chips are often deep-fried in vegetable oils that are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can distort the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in your body.  Additionally, such fats tend to become more unstable when cooked at high temperatures. Excess omega-6 fats compared to omega 3 fats, and fats which have been made unstable, can contribute to unhealthy types of inflammation.

Processed potato products are typically very high in salt, which can put a strain on your kidneys.

During processing, much of the potato’s natural fiber is lost. What remains is a food high in simple carbohydrates, which can cause blood sugar issues and is linked to obesity and diabetes.

In addition to those factors, some types of potato chips are worse for you than others.

Flavored Potato Chips  are typically loaded with artificial flavorings, preservatives, and high amounts of sodium.

Baked Chips with Added Sugars or Additives are often thought of as a healthier option, but some brands add sugar, starches, and preservatives to enhance their flavor.

Does all of this mean you should give up chips and fries entirely?  Not necessarily, because there are healthier alternatives.

Air-Fried French Fries use hot air circulation to cook with minimal oil, retaining much of the potato’s nutrients.

Sweet Potato Fries or chips have less impact on blood sugar and are rich in nutrients like beta-carotene. Look for baked or air-fried sweet potato fries.

Potatoes can be in fried avocado, coconut, or olive oil rather than industrial vegetable oils.

Finally, remember the rule that the fewer ingredients, the better. Look for brands with just three ingredients: potatoes, oil, and salt.

And keep in mind that even healthier forms of fries and chips can become unhealthy when consumed in large quantities. Pairing these snacks with real foods like carrot sticks or nuts is always a good idea.

Or, you can choose to avoid them altogether. Steaming, baking, or boiling are the healthiest cooking methods for potatoes, since these methods retain the most nutrients.