We all know French fries are full of unhealthy calories, however, non of us give much thought to its actual number. Nevertheless, ignorance is not bliss and it’s important to be aware of the amount of calories we consume with every bag of French fries.
French fries, the all popular fast food item on the American menu is an addictive dish enjoyed all across the globe in various different ways. Although, they are featured as side dishes at nearly all fast food joints, the famous US sandwich chain; Pirmanti Brothers takes special pride in their sandwiches that comprise two Italian pieces of bread filled with lots of French fries, along with meat, coleslaw, and tomato slices.
A recent article published in the Chicago Tribune stated that the best plate of fries in Los Angeles is available in a Lebanese restaurant, called Hayat’s kitchen. Apparently, the French fries prepared here are unique. It comprises freshly fried American-style French fries in a pool of olive oil, sprinkled with sautéed cilantro, red pepper flakes, and creamy paste of garlic. Fries are relished in different forms, however, what about their calorie content.
McDonalds
One large serving of French fries that corresponds to 170g contains 539 calories.
| Serving size | Calorie Count |
| Small (71g) | 230 |
| Medium (117g) | 380 |
| Large (154 g) | 500 |
Burger King
| Serving size | Calorie Count |
| Small (71g) | 245 |
| Medium (117g) | 387 |
| Large (154 g) | 530 |
Arby’s – Homestyle
| Serving size | Calorie Count |
| Small (71g) | 302 |
| Medium (117g) | 377 |
| Large (154 g) | 566 |
Wendy’s
| Serving size | Calorie Count |
| Small (71g) | 290 |
| Medium (117g) | 453 |
| Large (154 g) | 507 |
Dairy Queen
| Serving size | Calorie Count |
| Small (71g) | 360 |
| Medium (117g) | 510 |
| Large (154 g) | 730 |
Since deep-fried French fries are high in calories, try baking your fries. Here’s the recipe for it:
Ingredients
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
Procedure
Peel and slice the potatoes, then, place them in a bowl of ice water. This will help them become crisp after baking. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. When you want to cook, drain the water and pat the potato slices dry on a paper towel. In a shallow baking pan, spread the potato slices in one layer and pour in some olive oil. Tilt the pan, so that the oil spreads evenly over the potatoes. Bake for 30-40 minutes. By this time, the potatoes would have turned golden brown. Place them on paper towels and sprinkle some salt and paprika. These baked fries have a calorific value of 93.
How we wish French fries exhibited a more healthier calorific value. However, the truth is they are not healthy. One way to make it less unhealthy is by frying the potatoes in soy, sunflower, or canola oil instead of corn oil. Researchers from the University of Hawaii conducted a research to find out which fries were healthier, and found that the 69% of the fast food restaurants use corn oil to fry their fries. Corn oil has higher cholesterol-raising saturated fat content as compared to other oils, so, limit its consumption.
Disclaimer: This NutriNeat article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert advice.