21. Fries
Most of us can’t resist fries, whether they’re purchased from a takeaway or consumed at home but by over-indulging in this tempting treat too often, you could be endangering your health. According to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the potato chip is now the largest contributing factor to the growing obesity epidemic. Chips contain acrylamide, which is odourless and tasteless but that doesn’t make it harmless – this toxin has been linked to a variety of health concerns, including DNA damage and raised inflammatory markers. In one study that appeared in the American Journal of Nutrition, researchers discovered that acrylamide from foods may increase the risk of heart disease.
Scientists have also discovered that eating fries more than twice weekly can double your risk of dying. Italian researchers tracked 4440 people aged between 45 and 79 over an eight-year period, during which time 236 of them died. After examining the participant’s potato-eating habits, they observed an elevated mortality risk among those who regularly consumed fried potatoes.
It’s okay to indulge in fries occasionally, but when you do you should cook them in a healthy way, in oil that hasn’t been reheated. Reheated oil releases harmful aldehydes, which have been linked to cancer, heart disease and Parkinson’s disease, so if you are going to fry chips, make sure that every time you do you use fresh oil.
