Exercise classes are back in business. Everyone’s trying to lose that post pandemic weight. Yes, we social distance, but people can still carry on conversations which can be heard by others in the locker room or gymnasium. One thing I’ve noticed is that many people enjoy talking about food and exchanging recipes. From there, the subject matter may turn to favorite restaurants. Last week, I heard two weight watchers comparing the merits of French fries served in different places around town. To me, this was like hearing smokers compare the nicotine content of different cigarette brands. Warning! Fries may be hazardous to health.
If someone is investing the time, and making the effort to participate in an exercise class, why concentrate on food at all? Much less admit to eating French fries on a regular basis?
Hopefully, I won’t be getting a text from McDonald’s or Wendy’s corporate headquarters. Although, it wouldn’t surprise me, considering the ease with which strangers are able to find my cell phone number. If so, they might hasten to assure me that potatoes are good source of nutrients. This is true. Plain old potatoes are pretty good for you. The problem occurs when we doctor them up with butter , sour cream and cheese. And worst of all, deep fry them in fat.
As an example, one small baked potato (100 grams) contains 93 calories and 0 grams of fat, while the same amount (100 grams) of French fries contain 319 calories and 17 grams of fat.
If you’re scarfing down a bag of fries that have been heavily fried in oil, they are dripping in saturated fats. Taking in too much saturated fat can raise your “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and can potentially lead to heart disease and stroke.
If you long for the taste of fries, you can make roast potatoes in the oven at home. Just cut the potatoes in cubes, sprinkle them with spices like chili powder, thyme or paprika. Then lightly roll them in olive oil and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Roasted potatoes contain less than half the calories of French fries, and they don’t have any saturated fat.
Do I ever eat French Fries? Yes, every once in awhile. But there’s one thing I can never forget: Warning! Fries may be hazardous to your health.