French fries: name and how unhealthy are they?

We all love French fries. It is popular and a common food dish in most of the fast food restaurants of the world. It is easy to prepare and tasty too. But when it comes to the calories, how healthy or unhealthy is this dish? What is its nutritive value? Does it have any health benefits? Does it harm the body in any way?

French fries

French fries is a food dish that one will find everywhere in the world at fast food restaurants. It can be easily home made as well. This dish is made from white potatoes. The potatoes are cut into thin tubular slices and then deep fried in oil. When they are cut in wedges and tried, they are called potato wedges. The heat makes the potatoes soft and the frying makes them crispy. This adds to the taste and fun of eating them.

This dish is delicious too. It is simple and easy to prepare needing not many ingredients. This food dish is a convenient food. One can carry it as a travel food and it will not spoil very soon.

How did the name French fries come up? Was it created in France? Actually as per the food history, this dish was created by the American soldiers who were posted in Belgium during World War I. Since the native language in Belgium is french, they called the new fried potatoes French fries. There is another claim that villagers residing along the River Meuse had a traditional staple of fried fish. But in winter, when the river froze and fish was unavailable, the starved villagers used potatoes in place of fish.

Nutritive value

As per US FDA, 100 grams of these fries have 312 calories or more. Total fat in it is 15 grams and of this, 2.3 grams is saturated fats with 5.4 grams each of mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. There is no cholesterol in it, unless the oil used is of animal origin. This food has 210 mg of sodium. This is 8% of the total daily requirements. There is 579 mg of potassium. Total carbs are 41 g while sugar is a mere 0.3 grams. Protein is 3.4 g in it and dietary fiber is 3.8 grams.

These fries have iron, calcium and magnesium. There is also vitamin B6 and vitamin C in it.

Are they healthy?

The benefits of these fries are predominantly from the potatoes. Very less benefit is from oil or seasonings. In fact, these oil and seasonings may be responsible for the unhealthiness of the dish.

The vitamin C in the dish helps immune function. Vitamin B6 in it helps cell function and brain development and cognitive function. The antioxidants prevent cell damage and oxidative stress. Starch food can give a satiety feeling and help in weight management. The fries are economical food when outside or during travel trips.

But the fries have high content of fats and salt. And hence, they can lead to high blood pressure, heart ailments, high blood cholesterol, and such chronic diseases. French fries are good if eaten occasionally and in moderation. Otherwise, they can cause harm in the long run.