Are those McDonald’s vegetable fries really that much healthier than ‘regular’ fries?
It was big news: people in France could only get vegetable fries at McDonald’s for 4 weeks. No more golden-yellow fried potato sticks, but fries made from beets, carrots and parsnips. The fast-food chain wanted to test whether this healthier vegetarian side dish would be popular. But are vegetable fries really that much healthier than ‘regular’ fries?
In other words, does it really make that much difference whether you eat vegetable fries or potato fries? Iris Groenenberg, a nutrition and health expert at Het Voedingscentrum, and health scientist and chef Lotte Vermeer answered that question for NU.nl. And the answer may not be what you expect.
Deep-frying is deep-frying
Whether you throw beets, carrots and parsnips into the fryer or potatoes, the fact remains that the products are deep-fried. That means so much fat is added that you ultimately put three times as many calories in your mouth. In addition, chefs often sprinkle quite a lot of salt over fried products. None of these actions makes them healthy.
Why deep-frying isn’t good for you
By deep-frying a product, you lose a lot of vitamins and minerals per calorie. This happens to a much lesser extent when you boil or bake the product. That’s why deep-frying (duhhh) isn’t a healthy way to prepare food. According to Groenenberg, it is difficult to determine exactly how many vitamins and minerals are lost during deep-frying. This depends, among other things, on the freshness of the product and how it was stored.
Failed experiment?
So was McDonald’s experiment a waste of effort? Not at all. Vermeer says it’s positive that people are now being introduced to vegetables they might not otherwise eat very quickly. A forgotten vegetable like parsnip is getting some much-needed attention this way. According to Vermeer, this development at McDonald’s therefore also adds more variety to people’s diets. And that fits perfectly with McDonald’s reasons for introducing the vegetable fries: discovering new flavors and products from the French land.
Enjoy your fries
Don’t forget that you go to McDonald’s to enjoy yourself. Anyone who wants to keep things 100% healthy would do better to walk well around the golden arches. Besides: the occasional (vegetable) fry is perfectly fine. So off to your favorite fast-food chain. By the way, have you already seen which new items are on the McDonald’s menu? Run!
Also read:
- This is the absolute worst thing you can order at McDonald’s
- Life goals: a McDonald’s ordering kiosk for your home
- 5 tips for truly crispy sweet potato fries
Source: NU.nl
