Chips and French fries are not considered healthy foods, but there are ways to reduce the formation of harmful substances.
Acrylamide is a substance that is naturally formed during the frying of potatoes, but it is also formed during the thermal processing of other starchy foods such as bread or toasted bread when it is baked, when making biscuits, gingerbread, cookies. It is even present in coffee.
It is a substance that naturally forms due to chemical reactions that occur between amino acids, asparagine, and sugars. Animal studies have shown that it is carcinogenic in higher concentrations.
The concentration of this substance varies depending on the food, that is, the type of potato used.
Manufacturers should, in accordance with good manufacturing practices, make efforts to minimize the acrylamide content. This means using potatoes that have less sugar, so the raw material should be adequate, stored at over 6 degrees, which is also recommended for home use. Additionally, the temperature should not exceed 168 degrees when making chips or French fries, to prevent burning or drying out, and to maintain moisture above one percent. Similarly, when preparing at home, there should be no black spots or areas on the potatoes. It is also good to rinse the sliced potatoes with water before frying or baking to wash away these carbohydrates.
French fries and chips are not considered healthy food
Some might say that eating one bag of chips won't harm you. However, chips contain many other factors that make them unhealthy. We can say that they are one of the, if not the unhealthiest food in our diet. Chips and French fries.
There are multiple reasons why chips and French fries are infamous - salt raises blood pressure, flavor enhancers are added, the oil used contains 40-50 percent of cancer-causing substances, and it also raises cholesterol levels, affecting the heart and blood vessels.
The oil in fryers is rarely changed because fryers have a capacity of 50-70 or more liters. Even in good restaurants, deep-fried foods are cooked in oil that has been heated and cooled thousands of times, and in the end, acrylamide, which is carcinogenic, is formed.
Therefore, our chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other non-communicable diseases, are largely related to our lifestyle. And we know that chips are often consumed while sitting in front of the television, enjoying, for example, with alcohol.
Antioxidants from raw fruits and vegetables or cooked food with salads could partially neutralize the effects of some carcinogenic substances.