Baked vs. Fried: The Surprising Truth About French Fries

One of the favorite foods among Israelis is French fries. And it's not just us; in the U.S. and many other countries worldwide, fries are among the most popular foods. Children, in particular, love them, whether as a side dish or on their own.

Many of us assume that baked fries are much healthier than fried ones, but a new study challenges this notion. American dietitian Gabby McPherson published an article in which she examined the nutritional values of both baked and fried chips. Her goal was to determine if the lower-fat alternatives were indeed healthier than their fried counterparts. The study's results are quite surprising—she found that while baked fries are "healthier," the difference is not significant. Additionally, there's a downside to consider.

According to McPherson, a single bag of fried chips contains 149 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 1 gram of saturated fat. In contrast, baked chips contain 131 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 0.7 grams of saturated fat. "The nutritional difference is minimal, which means baked chips have a very small caloric advantage over their fried equivalent," she explained after the study.

McPherson found that baked fries contain about 25% more carbohydrates than fried ones. This is because additional starches and sugars are added to enhance the taste and texture.

She also noted that fried chips have more vitamins compared to baked ones. In a regular bag of fried chips, there is 12% of the daily recommended intake of potassium. Meanwhile, baked chips have only 7%. "The difference in vitamin C is even more pronounced—fried chips provide 24% of the daily intake of the vitamin, while the baked version has 0%," she concluded. "Baked fries are not necessarily healthier than fried ones, but both can be part of a healthy diet routine."