Eat french fries every day for a month? Sure, as long as it’s for science.
That’s exactly what 107 people did in a scientific study, while 58 others ate a daily serving of almonds with the same number of calories.
At the end of the study, the researchers found no significant differences between the groups in people’s total amount of fat or their fasting glucose measures, according to the study, published Feb. 18 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The french fry eaters gained a little more weight, but it was not statistically significant. The people who ate french fries gained 0.49 kilograms (just over a pound), vs. about a tenth of a kilogram (about one-fifth of a pound) in the group of people who ate almonds.
“The take-home is if you like almonds, eat some almonds. If you like potatoes, eat some potatoes, but don’t overeat either,” said study leader David B. Allison, PhD, a professor at Indiana University’s School of Public Health in Bloomington. ‘It’s probably good to have a little bit of each – each has some unique advantages in terms of nutrition.”
“This study confirms what registered dietitian nutritionists already know – all foods can fit. We can eat almonds, french fries, kale, and cookies,” said Melissa Majumdar, a registered dietitian and certified specialist in obesity and weight management at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta. ‘The consumption of one food or the avoidance of another does not make a healthy diet.”
At the same time, people should not interpret the results to mean it’s OK to eat french fries all day, every day. “We know that while potatoes are nutrient dense, the frying process reduces the nutritional value,” Ms. Majumdar said.
“Because french fries are often consumed alongside other nutrient-poor or high-fat foods, they should not be consumed daily but can fit into an overall balanced diet,” she added.
Would you like fries with that?
The researchers compared french fries to almonds because almonds are known for positive effects on energy balance, body composition, and low glycemic index. The research was partly funded by the Alliance for Potato Research and Education.
French fries are an incredibly popular food in the United States. According to an August 2021 post on the food website Mashed, Americans eat an average of 30 pounds of french fries each year.
Although consumption of almonds is increasing, Americans eat far less in volume each year than they do fries – an estimated 2.4 pounds of almonds per person, according to August 2021 figures from the Almond Board of California.
Dr. Allison and colleagues recruited 180 healthy adults for the study. Their average age was 30, and about two-thirds were women.
They randomly assigned 60 people to add about a medium serving of plain french fries (Tater Pals Ovenable Crinkle Cut Fries, Simplot Foods) to their diet. Another 60 people were assigned to the same amount of Tater Pals fries with herbs (oregano, basil, garlic, onion, and rosemary), and another 60 people ate Wonderful brand roasted and salted almonds.
Investigators told people to add either the potatoes or nuts to their diet every day for a month and gave no further instructions.
After some people dropped out of the study, results were based on 55 who ate regular french fries, 52 who ate french fries with herbs and spices, and 58 who ate the nuts.
The researchers scanned people to detect any changes in fat mass. They also measured changes in body weight, carbohydrate metabolism, and fasting blood glucose and insulin.