If You Eat French Fries or Potato Chips, This Will Stop You

The potato has a history dating back to 1536 when the Spanish Conquistadors discovered the plant. The potato launched modern pesticide manufacture and use, and may double your risk of death when you eat fried potatoes more than twice a week. I'll give you strategies to enjoy potatoes without the risk.

June 28, 2017

Story at-a-glance

• The potato has a long and illustrious history ranging from worship by the Incan tribe in Peru to launching the first use of artificial pesticide developed from arsenic
• Recent research demonstrates a potential link between eating fried potatoes two or more times each week and doubling the risk of death from all causes; other research links white potatoes to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease
• French fries and potato chips are also high in trans fat; sweet potatoes are your best option as they are high in prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract

Obesity Takes Greater Than Ever Toll on Global Health

How to Get Rid of a Stye in Your Eye

By Dr. Mercola

The potato has had a long history. The Incan tribe from the highlands of Peru worshipped the potato and people from Ireland blamed the potato for the Great Famine when a blight destroyed potato crops across Europe.1 Today, the potato is the fourth largest food crop in the world.

The potato is a perennial plant that is high in starch and has more potassium than bananas.2 The vegetable is also source of vitamin C and B-6, and is sodium and fat free. However, while there are benefits to the vegetable, it is also high in carbohydrates; one medium potato contains 37 grams of carbohydrates. I recommend you limit your net carbohydrates (total carbs minus fiber) to between 50 and 80 grams per day, depending upon your metabolism.

This means a single potato can be 45 percent to 75 percent of your daily net carb amount. The consumption of fresh potatoes has declined in the past 50 years, dropping from 61 pounds per year per person in 1970 to 36 pounds per year per person in 2008.3However, consumption of processed potatoes, such as french fries or potato chips, has increased over the same period.

Processed potatoes cooked at high heat contain byproducts that are known carcinogens and trans fats linked to a number of health conditions. Recent research has now found a potential link between fried potato consumption and increased risk of death.

The Lowly Potato

In 1536, the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in Peru and discovered potatoes. They brought them back to Europe, and before the end of the 16th century sailors were planting them along the northern coast of Spain.4 By 1589, they reached Ireland and over the next 40 years spread across the rest of Europe.

In the mid-1840s a blight on potatoes wiped out most of the crop in many countries across Europe, especially in Ireland where the potato had become a staple. Over the course of the blight, nearly 1 million people died from starvation or disease, and another 1 million people emigrated from Ireland to Canada and the U.S.5

Some believe Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France before the revolution, enjoyed the flower blossoms from the potato plant so much she put them in her hair and her husband, King Louis XVI, wore them in his buttonhole.6 Historians think this was an attempt to encourage farmers to plant more potatoes.

As Europe and North America adopted the potato, it initiated a template for an agriculture industrial complex, eventually leading to the use of intensive fertilizer and of arsenic as the first artificial pesticide to eradicate the Colorado potato beetle.7 Competition to manufacture potent arsenic blends opened the modern pesticide industry.

Fried Potatoes May Increase Your Risk of Death

McDonald's has sold millions more fries each year with the simple question, "Would you like fries with that?"8 Also known as an upsell, this simple technique has contributed to ever increasing waistlines for their customers. Now, researchers have found those who eat fried potatoes two or more times each week may double their risk of death from all causes.9

Eating potatoes that were not fried was not linked to an increase in mortality risk according to the researchers.10 The authors had been tracking nearly 4,400 people over eight years to study the effects of osteoarthritis when they decided to include an evaluation of the participants' intake of potatoes and the impact it had on their lives.

In analyzing the data from the study, the researchers found that people who ate fried potatoes had double the risk of death during the study. Fried potatoes included french fries, hash browns and potato chips. Any preparation of potatoes that required frying was included in the fried potato category in the study.

The data from the study was observational, which presents challenges to extrapolating the results. The gold standard for medical research is randomly controlled experimental studies. These are often costly, while observational studies can be completed more economically.11 However, observational studies may not enable researchers to accurately link cause and effect.

The study could correlate french fries with an increased risk of death, but the researchers could not assume that french fries caused the death. The researchers tried to control for variables, but as this was an observational study, other factors that may have been involved could have been missed.12

However, while this type of study precluded the ability to establish a link between an increased intake of french fries and death, performing a controlled study would be unethical as the researchers would have to ask participants to increase their consumption and then measure risk of death.

In 2014, Americans ate an average of 112 pounds of potatoes each year; 33 pounds were fresh potatoes and 78 pounds were processed.13 The potential danger of eating pounds of fried potatoes is generated by acrylamide, a chemical produced when the starchy potato is fried at high temperatures.

How Acrylamide Affects Your Health

Acrylamide, a byproduct of processing, is one of the most hazardous ingredients found in potato chips, hash browns and french fries. The browning process is what produces the chemical, so boiling and steaming doesn't create it. Beginning in 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended Americans reduce the amount of browned and overcooked foods that may be high in acrylamide.14

The FDA continues to recommend people cut back on the amount of foods high in acrylamide, as the chemical has been shown to cause cancer in animals and may also be responsible for causing cancer in humans.15 Acrylamide is also found in coffee, cereals, crackers, breads and dried fruit, to name a few. In fact, it may be found in up to 40 percent of calories eaten each day.16

In a study evaluating the amount of acrylamide found in chips, researchers found levels over the upper limit set by the European Union (EU) in 16 of the 92 brands tested.17 Currently, the EU set the upper limit at 1,000 micrograms per kilogram (mcg/kg) for crisps and they are considering lowering that benchmark to 750 mcg/kg, as acrylamide has been demonstrated and identified by the World Health Organization as a cancer risk.18

Although scientists knew the chemical was present in plastics and water treatment facilities, it wasn't until 2002 that scientists discovered it was present in foods. While acrylamide is a known carcinogen, links have been found between acrylamide-hemoglobin levels and estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.19 Higher levels of dietary acrylamide have also been linked to an increased risk of postmenopausal endometrial and ovarian cancer.20

Storing starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, in the refrigerator increases the amount of acrylamide produced if you do cook them at high heat or brown them.21 The process of increasing the amount of sugar in the potato that then produces more acrylamide during cooking is called "cold sweetening." Instead, raw potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place above 42 F (6 C).

Trans Fat Found in More Than Potatoes

Acrylamide exposure is not the only risk associated with fried potatoes. Trans fat products are often used to fry the potatoes and chips, adding another layer of risk. This short video shows you some of the foods where trans fat may hide. There are two types of trans fats; one is made by hydrogenating vegetable oil in a chemical process and the other is found in natural meat products and has no harmful effects on your health.

Processed trans fats have been linked to heart disease,22 insulin sensitivity23 with type 2 diabetes,24 inflammation,25 damage to the lining of your blood vessels26 and cancer.27 Aside from french fries and potato chips, harmful trans fats may also be found in:28,29,30

Pie crust	Cakes and cookies	Biscuits
Breakfast sandwiches	Margarine	Crackers
Microwave popcorn	Cream filled candy	Fast food
Doughnuts	Frozen pizza	Cake mixes
Frostings	Pancakes and waffles	Nondairy creamer
Ice cream	Meat sticks	Frozen dinner
Packaged pudding	Creamy frozen drinks	Asian crunchy noodles

Eating Potatoes Linked With Negative Health Conditions

Steaming or boiling potatoes may reduce your exposure to acrylamide and trans fat, but the potato itself may still increase your risk for other health conditions. They are high in carbohydrates, creating a blood glucose spike and resulting release of insulin. One cup of potatoes has a similar effect on your blood sugar as a can of Coke.31 This roller coaster effect of rising and crashing blood sugar often leaves you feeling hungry within hours, leading to overeating, weight gain and an increasing risk of type 2 diabetes.32

In 2010, more than 2 in 3 adults were considered either overweight or obese33 and in 2014, 9.3 percent of the population had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.34 These numbers are continuing to rise each year, and both of these conditions contribute to heart disease, stroke and a higher risk of death.

A recent study published in The BMJ found that those who ate four servings per week of baked, boiled or mashed potatoes had an 11 percent increased risk of high blood pressure.

Those who ate french fries or potato chips four times a week raised their risk by 17 percent.35 High blood pressure in turn increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke and is linked to kidney disease and peripheral vascular disease. In other words, while potatoes carry some health benefits, they are best eaten baked or boiled in moderation.

Some French Fries Are Worse Than Others

Although all french fries are unhealthy, some are worse than others. In this short video, American journalist, author and activist Michael Pollan explains how "the desire for a certain kind of [french fry] leads to a certain kind of agriculture." McDonald's french fries are made with Russett Burbank potatoes, a particularly difficult potato to grow.

They must also be free of blemishes, so to eliminate the aphids that cause net necrosis in the potato, farmers will use an exceptionally toxic pesticide. It is so toxic they cannot venture into the fields for five days after spraying, and harvested potatoes have to off-gas in atmospheric-controlled sheds for six weeks before they're even safe to eat.

Your best potato choice are sweet potatoes. While they share the same name, they don't come from the same family of plants and have many more health benefits than the standard white potato you find in french fries, hash browns and mashed potatoes. Both white and sweet potatoes have the same number of grams of carbohydrates, but sweet potatoes have more than double the amount of fiber, thereby reducing the glycemic load on your body.

This fiber content may be referred to as digestive resistant fiber, an important prebiotic necessary for the nourishment of beneficial bacterial colonies in your gut. A large number of studies have linked an imbalanced gut microbiome with a number of diseases, including obesity, depression, anxiety and inflammatory diseases.36

Minimize Your Acrylamide and Trans Fat Exposure

Thus far, acrylamide has been found in foods heated to 250 F (120 C), which includes most processed foods. Basing your diet on whole foods, with a significant amount eaten raw, slightly cooked or steamed, is one of the best ways to avoid this cancer-causing byproduct. Raw foods are also recommended for general good health as it helps to optimize your nutrition.

For a step-by-step guide to making the transition to a healthier diet as simple as possible, see my optimized nutrition plan. For the times you would like to cook your food, keep the following tips in mind:

• Frying, baking and broiling appear to be the worst offenders, while boiling or steaming appear to be safer
• Longer cooking times increase acrylamide, so the shorter the duration of cooking, the better
• Soaking raw potatoes in water for 15 to 30 minutes prior to roasting may help reduce acrylamide formation during cooking. Chilling the potatoes after cooking (and other starch-rich foods such as rice and pasta) will make it healthier by turning much of that starch into digestive-resistant starch that helps optimize your gut health. Potato salad is perhaps one of the healthiest ways to eat your potatoes
• The darker brown or blackened the food, the more acrylamide it contains, so avoid overcooking your food
• Acrylamide is found primarily in plant-based carb-rich foods such as potatoes and grain products (not typically in meat, dairy or seafood)

Healthier Potato Recipes

Sweet potatoes are a deliciously sweet and satisfying potato option you may eat baked or in a tasty potato salad.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

• One sweet potato
• Sea salt, coarse
• Black pepper, ground
• Olive oil (coconut oil can serve as an even healthier option as it withstands heat better)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450 F. You may or may not peel the potato. If you don't peel the potato, clean the skin.
2. Cut the potato into large chunks about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick.
3. Place the sweet potato fries onto a baking sheet and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. Next, drizzle the fries with about 1/8 cup of oil. You may add more if you wish.
4. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Afterward, take them out and flip and return to oven for 10 minutes.
5. May take 1.5 hours to make and can serve 2 to 3 people.
6. 
   

Sweet Potato Salad courtesy of BBC Good Food:37

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds. sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

For the dressing

• 2 shallots (or half a small red onion), finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• small bunch chives, snipped into quarters or use mini ones
• 5 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Toss the sweet potato chunks with coconut oil and salt and pepper; spread on a baking parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender and golden. Cool at room temperature.
2. When just about cool, whisk together the dressing ingredients and gently toss through the potato chunks — use your hands to avoid breaking the potatoes.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/06/28/eating-fried-potatoes-doubles-death-risk.aspx

Acrylamide: Primary Hazard of Processed Foods

Heat-Induced Acrylamide May Be a Primary Hazard of Processed Food

July 17, 2013         
         

Story at-a-glance

• Acrylamide is a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical and is created when primarily carbohydrate foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted, grilled or toasted
• Acrylamide can form in many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F (100°C), but carbohydrate-rich foods such as potato chips and French fries, are the most vulnerable to this heat-induced byproduct
• Pet foods also contain acrylamide and heterocyclic amines—both potent carcinogens—courtesy of commercial pet food processing methods
• Animal studies have shown that exposure to acrylamide increases the risk of several types of cancer, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers acrylamide a "probable human carcinogen”
• Ideally, consume foods that are raw or minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic byproducts—the more raw food, the better

            

Total Video Length: 0:22:54
Visit the Mercola Video Library
 

By Dr. Mercola

Approximately 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on processed foods, and food marketers do a masterful job at making it seem like fast foods and junk foods are the obvious choice.  

Some even manage to make you believe such foods are a healthy option. But not only are these processed foods “dead” and devoid of any natural nutrition, they can also be loaded with potentially carcinogenic substances.  

Just over a decade ago, researchers discovered that a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical called acrylamide is created when carbohydrate-rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted, grilled or toasted. 

The chemical is formed from a reaction between sugars and an amino acid (asparagine) during high-temperature cooking. The answer, of course, is to limit or eliminate processed foods and increase the amount of whole, raw foods in your diet. I typically aim for 80-85 percent raw food in my own diet.

Acrylamide May Be a Primary Hazard of Processed Food 

Acrylamide can form in many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F (100°C), but carbohydrate-rich foods are the most vulnerable to this heat-induced byproduct. As a general rule, the chemical is formed when food is heated enough to produce a fairly dry and “browned” surface. Hence, it can be found in:

• Potatoes: chips, French fries and other roasted or fried potato foods
• Grains: bread crust, toast, crisp bread, roasted breakfast cereals and various processed snacks
• Coffee; roasted coffee beans and ground coffee powder. Surprisingly, coffee substitutes based on chicory actually contains 2-3 times more acrylamide than real coffee

Acrylamide is not the only hazard associated with heat-processed foods, however. The three-year long EU project known as Heat-Generated Food Toxicants¹ (HEATOX), identified more than 800 heat-induced compounds in food, 52 of which are potential carcinogens... For example, the high heat of grilling reacts with proteins in red meat, poultry, and fish, creating heterocyclic amines, which have also been linked to cancer. 

Humans are not the only victims here. As discussed by holistic veterinarian Dr. Barbara Royal, pet foods also contain acrylamide and heterocyclic amines, courtesy of commercial pet food processing methods.

Exposure to Acrylamide Increases Your Cancer Risk 

Animal studies have shown that exposure to acrylamide increases the risk of several types of cancer, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers acrylamide a "probable human carcinogen." According to a 1988 study²:

“The data show that acrylamide is capable of inducing genotoxic, carcinogenic, developmental, and reproductive effects in tested organisms. Thus, acrylamide may pose more than a neurotoxic health hazard to exposed humans.

Acrylamide is a small organic molecule with very high water solubility. These properties probably facilitate its rapid absorption and distribution throughout the body. After absorption, acrylamide is rapidly metabolized, primarily by glutathione conjugation, and the majority of applied material is excreted within 24 hours... Acrylamide can bind to DNA... which has implications for its genotoxic and carcinogenic potential.”

A study³ published in 2007 linked higher dietary acrylamide intake with an increased risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women, particularly among non-smokers. It has also been linked to nerve damage and other neurotoxic effects, including neurological problems in workers handling the substance.  

While the EPA regulates acrylamide in drinking water and the FDA regulates the amount of acrylamide residue in materials that may come in contact with food, they do not currently have any guidelines limiting the chemical in food itself.

How Much Acrylamide Are You Getting from Your Diet? 

In drinking water, the federal limit for acrylamide is 0.5 parts per billion, or about 0.12 micrograms in an eight-ounce glass of water. However, a six-ounce serving of French fries can contain 60 micrograms of acrylamide—about 500 times the allowable limit! A 2002 food analysis published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry⁴, found moderate levels of acrylamide (5−50 μg/kg) in heated protein-rich foods and higher levels (150−4,000 μg/kg) in carbohydrate-rich foods. Unheated or boiled foods showed undetectable levels (<5 μg/kg) of acrylamide, leading the researchers to conclude:

"Consumption habits indicate that the acrylamide levels in the studied heated foods could lead to a daily intake of a few tens of micrograms."

Potato chips in particular are notoriously high in this dangerous chemical. So high, in fact, that in 2005 the state of California actually sued potato chip makers for failing to warn California consumers about the health risks of acrylamide in their products. A settlement was reached in 2008⁵ when Frito-Lay and several other potato chip makers agreed to reduce the acrylamide levels in their chips to 275 parts per billion (ppb) by 2011, which is low enough to avoid needing a cancer warning label.  

Still, that’s a far cry from the allowable limit of 0.5 ppb in drinking water!
The 2005 report⁶ "How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of Potato Chips," issued by the California-based Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), spelled out the dangers of this popular snack. According to their analysis, ALL potato chip products tested exceeded the legal limit of acrylamide by a minimum of 39 times, and as much as 910 times! Interestingly, baked chips, which are often touted as a healthier chip, can contain more than three times the level of acrylamide in regular chips, according to US Food and Drug Administration data⁷.

How to Avoid Heat-Induced Toxins in Your Diet 

Acrylamide levels vary greatly among processed foods, even among different batches of the same food item. The chemical has so far only been found in foods heated above 250 F/120 C, which includes most processed foods. Basing your diet on whole foods, with the majority or a significant portion eaten raw or only lightly cooked is therefore one of the best ways to avoid this cancer-causing cooking byproduct. Aside from creating potentially toxic byproducts, cooking and processing also depletes the food of valuable micronutrients, which is another reason for eating as much raw food as possible.  

Another important aspect of raw foods is the energetic aspect. Dr. Johanna Budwig from Germany has stated that live foods are electron rich and act as high-powered electron donors and “solar resonance fields” to attract, store, and conduct the sun's energy in your body. The greater your body’s store of light energy, the more energy you’ll have available for healing and the maintenance of optimal health. For the times when you do cook your food, keep the following tips in mind:

• Frying, baking and broiling appear to be the worst offenders, while boiling or steaming appear to be safer
• Longer cooking times increase acrylamide, so the shorter the duration of cooking, the better
• Soaking raw potatoes in water for 15-30 minutes prior to roasting may help reduce acrylamide formation during cooking
• The darker brown the food, the more acrylamide it contains (for instance, dark brown toast compared to light brown toast)
• Acrylamide is found primarily in plant-based foods, such as potatoes and grain products (not typically in meat, dairy or seafood)

According to the findings by the HEATOX project, you're far less likely to ingest dangerous levels of acrylamide when you eat home-cooked foods compared to industrially or restaurant-prepared foods. And when you do eat at home, the best advice they could give was to avoid overcooking your food. For more in-depth information about acrylamide, I recommend reading the online report: "Heat-generated Food Toxicants, Identification, Characterization and Risk Minimization"⁸  

Take Control of Your Health with Whole, Raw Food 

While many foods – from coffee and breakfast cereal to bread – contain acrylamide, the highest levels have been detected in starchy plant-based foods, particularly French fries and potato chips. As a general rule, just remember that cooking food at high temperatures is ill advised, and that most processed foods will contain acrylamide as a side effect of high-heat processing.  

Ideally, consume foods that are raw or minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic byproducts—the more raw food, the better. My nutrition plan emphasizes the need for at least one-third of your foods to be consumed raw. Personally, I consume about 80-85 percent of my food raw, which I believe is one of the most important factors that help keep me healthy. For a step-by-step guide to make the transition to a healthier diet as simple and smooth as possible, simply follow the advice in my optimized nutrition plan. 

Remember, eating fresh whole foods is the "secret" to getting healthier, losing weight and really enjoying your food. Once you get used to it, you'll find you can whip up a healthful meal from scratch in the same amount of time it would have taken you to drive down the street to pick up fast food. The main difference will be greater satisfaction, both physically and mentally, and perhaps even financially, as processed foods typically end up being more expensive than cooking from scratch.

[-] Sources and References

• ¹ Heat-Generated Food Toxicants (HEATOX)
• ² Mutation Research 1988; 195(1):45–77
• ³ Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev November 2007 16; 2304
• ⁴ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry July 17, 2002
• ⁵ SF Gate August 2, 2008
• ⁶ Environmental Law Foundation June 2005, How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of Potato Chips (PDF)
• ⁷ U.S. FDA, Survey Data on Acrylamide in Food, December 2002, Updated July 2006
• ⁸ The HEATOX Project, Heat-generated Food Toxicants, Identification, Characterization and Risk Minimization (PDF)

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/17/acrylamide.aspx?

Top Cancer Causing Foods Vs Top Anti-Cancer Foods

Top 5 Cancer-Causing Foods

5 Ways to Dodge Dangerous Food Threats

Reducing acrylamide, harmful chemicals, and heavy metals is especially important for children, health experts say.
  

By Leah Zerbe

 

 

Soaking potatoes can drastically cut back
on harmful acrylamide exposure.

 American children are eating dangerous levels of contaminants hiding out in the food supply, including food by-products like acrylamide, commonly found in crackers, cookies, and french fries, a November 2012 study published in the journal Environmental Health found.

While many studies look at a single contaminant, the new research from University of California–Davis studied a broad range of dietary bad actors, such as pesticides, heavy metals, and acrylamide, a naturally occurring compound found in carbohydrate-rich foods cooked at high temperatures, aiming to determine whether children's exposure commonly exceeds the limits considered to be safe.

Eating these environmental toxins is a real and significant concern, particularly for preschool and elementary-school-age children. Researchers found many in these age groups ate the contaminants at levels have known health effects, including cancer, liver toxicity, and damage to the neurological and reproductive systems.

"We have a wide range of contaminants in our food and air and water, and some are of higher concern than others," explains study coauthor Irva Hertz-Picciotto, PhD, MPH, professor of epidemiology at the University of California–Davis School of Medicine. "In some cases the levels are too low—finding it doesn't necessarily mean there's a risk. That said, there are a number of classes of chemicals that do have known toxicities."

In the case of some foods, meal favorites may go through multiple chemical applications and more dangerous transformations before winding up on your dinner plate. For instance, pesticides are deliberately applied to potatoes and grains—sometimes multiple times—fumigants or anti-sprouting agents may be applied after sprouting for storage, and then acrylamide may form when these foods are prepared at high temperatures.

These food threats pose an even greater risk to children because their bodies and brains are still developing and likely to be affected by these harmful contaminants.

Here are simple ways to clean up your food act.

Be smart about seafood. Sometimes even the healthiest foods have high levels of certain things. In the case of seafood, that's often the brain-damaging heavy metal mercury. "Fish is extremely healthy and provides certain molecules that are really important in brain development," explains Hertz-Picciotto. But she's also quick to point out the flipside: While it's clear that consumption of fish provides essential omega-3 fatty acids provide brain-boosting benefits to children of mothers whose diet includes fish, it's important to avoid species known to contain built-up levels of harmful mercury and PCBs. Opt for tuna with lower levels, such as Wild Planet products, or wild-caught Alaskan salmon.

For more safer picks, check out The 10 Healthiest Fish on the Planet.

Soak your spuds. Since acrylamide typically occurs when carb-rich foods—especially potatoes—are cooked above 248 degrees Fahrenheit, researchers suggest cutting back on processed, carbohydrate-rich foods, particularly crackers, french fries, chips, cakes, breads, and cereal. The good news is preparing some of these foods at home puts you in control and in a position to lower acrylamide levels. For instance, when making homemade fried potatoes, potato chips, or mashed potatoes, try this trick: Before cooking, soak the raw, sliced potatoes in water for 2 hours before frying, to reduce acrylamide by nearly 50 percent; if you're rushed, a 30-second rinse of the sliced spuds reduces acrylamide by more than 20 percent. Or you can microwave the potatoes for 30 seconds before cooking, which slashes levels of acrylamide by 60 percent.

Bonus tip? Since storing potatoes in the refrigerator can result in increased acrylamide during cooking, keep your spuds out of the fridge and instead store in a dark, cool place, like a closet or pantry, to prevent sprouting.

Befriend rosemary. A 2008 Danish study found that adding rosemary, an antioxidant-rich herb, to dough before making wheat buns lowered acrylamide content by up to 60 percent. Even adding just a small amount of rosemary—1 percent of the dough—significantly lowered acrylamide levels.

Marinating meat in rosemary also promotes health by lowering levels of the carcinogenic compounds created when meat is cooked at high temps.

Another way to lower levels? When toasting bread, go for a lighter toast (not a dark brown one) to reduce acrylamide levels.

Avoid arsenic in food. You may have heard about arsenic in rice and rice-related products like brown rice syrup sweeteners. Indeed, some reports show that arsenic in rice levels are sometimes higher than what's allowed in drinking water. According to Environmental Working Group researchers, you can reduce your exposure to arsenic in food by practicing these methods:

1. If you're preparing rice, rinse it thoroughly. Rinsing your brown rice with water can lower arsenic levels by 30 to 40 percent! (White rice doesn't hold up to cooking when rinsed well, unfortunately.) Try working alternative grains like quinoa into the mix at meals, too.
2. Limit products listing rice syrup as a sweetener. This natural sweetener could contain higher levels of arsenic due to the grain's natural ability to absorb the compound.
3. Instead of rice cereal as baby's first solid food, try sweet potatoes, squash, bananas, and avocados. For older children and adults, opt for real oatmeal or mixed-grain cereals.
4. Limit certain fruit juices to a maximum of one-half to one cup a day. Why? Orchards used to use arsenic as a pesticide, and it lurks in the ground decades later.

Eat organic. Many food labels lack any substance, but organic is not one of them. Strict rules set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program ban the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, along with human sewage sludge and genetically engineered seeds. And the good news? Eating an organic diet does make a big difference when it comes to keeping pesticides out of kids' bodies. In one study, just a week of switching preschoolers to organic fruits and vegetables caused the metabolites of pesticides in their urine to drop. 

 http://www.rodale.com/acrylamide

Pre-cooked frozen chips ... 'could cause cancer'

Pre-cooked frozen chips served in restaurants and fast-food chains 'could cause cancer'

By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED:05:31 GMT, 28 September 2012| UPDATED:16:26 GMT, 28 September 2012


They are enjoyed by millions in restaurants, fast-food outlets and pubs.

But the humble frozen chip could be a cause of cancer, a worrying study reveals.

Scientists have found that the kind of partly-cooked fries supplied to many food outlets are most likely to contain higher levels of carcinogenic chemicals.

These oven chips arrive sliced, dried and part-fried, a process of partly cooking them so they are crisp on the outside, but remain raw on the inside.

This means they do not need as long to cook into the final, tasty version that can then get served up to customers.

But it is this factory process that can influence the amount of acrylamide, a 'probable human carcinogen', that remains in the chips by the time they are dished up, said the US study.

Experts from the American Chemical Association called for manufacturers to use more efficient ways to cook potatoes from raw that limits the amount of acrylamide found in them.

Acrylamide is a natural substance found in many different types of food, including potatoes, according to the study for the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

But the process often used to prepare frozen chips for the catering trade does not reduce its levels.

Food chemist Donald Mottram and his team report: 'The commercial process includes potato selection and sorting, cutting, blanching, sugar augmentation, drying, frying and freezing.

'In combination with final cooking, this generates the colour, texture and flavour that consumers expect in french fries.'

Experts found the factory process of pre-cooking frozen chips can influence the amount of acrylamide,
a 'probable human carcinogen' that remains in the chips by the time they are dished up

 

It added: 'Acrylamide forms naturally during the cooking of many food products. Acrylamide formation in fried potato products is inevitable.'

A computer model measured how acylamide, amino acids, sugars, fat and other levels varied during the cooking process and what happens when the various ratios are altered.

And the most effective in terms of reducing acrylamide is to reduce the fructose to glucose ratio once the potatoes had been cut into chips, they found.

The report said: 'To minimise the quantities of acrylamide in cooked fries, it is important to understand the impact of each stage on the formation of acrylamide.

'A mathematical model based on the fundamental chemical reaction pathways of the finish-frying was developed, incorporating moisture and temperature gradients in the fries.

'This showed the contribution of both glucose and fructose to the generation of acrylamide and accurately predicted the acrylamide content of the final fries.'

A spokesman from the NHS said: 'This is a complex mathematical modelling study which was not designed to give firm answers regarding the levels of acrylamide in pre-prepared fries, nor to attribute this to particular brands or distributors, tell us about levels that may be in other frozen chips, home-cooked chips or other pre-prepared products that contain potato or cereal products.

'Most importantly it cannot confirm the potential health risk from acrylamide.'

The Food Standards Agency does not advise people to stop eating processed foods that are high in acrylamide, but do advise that a healthy balanced diet should be followed.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2209794/Pre-cooked-frozen-chips-served-restaurants-contain-cancer-causing-chemical.html

Do Potato Chips Contain Cancer-Causing Chemicals?

 

Fact or Myth: Do Potato Chips Contain Cancer-Causing Chemicals?

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This is a Fact.


The European Union conducted a 3-year long study to investigate Heat-generated Food Toxicants. The report, which was published at the end of 2007, declared that there are more then 800-heat induced compounds, 52 of which are possible carcinogens. One such carcinogen, a dangerous chemical known as acrylamide, has been shown to increase your risk of developing cancer and potentially lead to neurological disorders.

How Does This Neurotoxin Creep Into Our Food?

Perhaps the raw foodies are on to something, as acrylamide forms when we bake, fry, toast, roast or grill healthy, natural, plant-based foods at high temperatures. During cooking, sugars and an amino acid called asparagine can react to form this toxin. Starchy, carbohydrate-rich foods, such as potato chips and french fries contain the highest levels of acrylamide, but truthfully any food cooked at temperatures higher than 250 F/120 C pose a possible risk. Even coffee contains acrylamide!

According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, heated protein-rich foods contain moderate levels of the chemical (5−50 μg/kg). Foods rich in carbohydrates, such as potato, beetroot, commercial potato products and crispbread contain the highest levels (150−4000 μg/kg), while uncooked or boiled foods show miniscule levels (<5 μg/kg). Researchers maintain: "Consumption habits indicate that the acrylamide levels in the studied heated foods could lead to a daily intake of a few tens of micrograms."

When a Trace Amount Can Have Tragic Consequences

In 2003 Swedish scientists investigated levels of acrylamide in popular dietary items, such as processed potato products, bread, cereal, biscuits, cookies and coffee. Researchers approximated an average daily intake of 31 μg/kg, levels that both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) deem hazardous to health.

In order to put these levels into perspective, consider that the federal limit for acrylamide in our drinking water is 0.12mg per 8 oz of water. Now consider that a 6 oz. serving of french fries delivers a whooping 60 mg of acrylamide – that’s 500 times over the limit!

Potato chips and cancer is the most dangerous culprit, so dangerous in fact that the state of California sued potato chip manufacturers for not issuing a warning to consumers about the possible health risks of crunching on their favorite chips. In 2008, potato chip companies such as Frito Lay agreed to lower levels of acrylamide to 275 parts per billion (ppb), a level that doesn’t warrant a potato chips and cancer label, but is still too risky for many people’s tastes.

Still not convinced to put down the chips? A 2005 study conducted by the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) demonstrated that potato chips surpass the legal limit of acrylamide levels by as little as 39 times and as much as 900 times!

Baked chips definitely aren’t the solution; the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that they may contain 3 times the amount of acrylamide as regular fried chips do. Let’s look specifically at Ore Ida’s Golden Fries: the traditional fried version contains 107 ppb, whereas the baked version contains 1098 ppb, very clearly showing that baked does not necessarily mean better.

Acrylamide’s Link to Cancer

Labeled a “probable carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, acrylamide has been linked to estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Research has also found a connection between increased acrylamide intake and postmenopausal endometrial and ovarian cancer.

Acrylamide has also been associated with nerve damage and other neurological conditions. It has been used in industrial products such as cosmetics and plastics, and workers working with the compound have developed neurological conditions.

How to Avoid Acrylamide

Fortunately the EPA and FDA regulate acrylamide in our drinking water and materials that may mix with our food. Unfortunately, there are no regulations in effect that monitor the amount of the chemical in our actual food.

Boiling or steaming your food is preferable to baking or frying, and the shorter time you cook it, the healthier it will remain. Typically, the browner and drier the food, the higher the levels of acrylamide.

Nutritionists recommend soaking potatoes for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking, in order to preserve and protect nutrients.

Further Related Reading:

• Go Ahead Have Another French Fry…The New Health Benefits of Potatoes
• African Star Grass Surprising Treatment for UTI & Enlarged Prostate
• A Japanese Potato That Flushes 25% of the Calories You Eat?

http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/fact-or-myth-potato-chips-and-other-cooked-potatoes-contain-cancer-causing-chemicals#axzz20NkEQM14