French fries are a beloved food for many people. The combination of hot, crisp potatoes with a little salt is hard to resist! However, traditional french fries are fried in unhealthy oils, meaning they absorb a lot of fat and calories. This poses a problem for people trying to eat healthier or lose weight. In recent years, new methods of making french fries without frying them in oil have emerged. But are these “air fried” or baked french fries actually a healthier option? Let’s dig into the facts.
What are traditional deep fried french fries?
French fries are classically made by cutting potatoes into long strips, soaking them in water to remove starch, drying them, and then frying them in hot oil until crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The most common oils used for frying are vegetable oils like canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, or peanut oil.
Frying provides great texture and flavor. The hot oil quickly browns the outside of the potatoes and cooks them through. However, frying also allows the potatoes to absorb a lot of fat from the oil. A medium order of french fries from a fast food restaurant contains around 400 calories and 20 grams of fat. About 50% or more of those calories come just from the oil absorbed during frying.
What are the health concerns with fried french fries?
There are a few health concerns with traditionally fried french fries:
High in calories and fat
The large amount of oil absorbed during frying makes french fries high in calories and fat. This is especially true when eating large portions. Excess calories and fat can contribute to weight gain and obesity. The type of fat absorbed from frying oils is also a concern. Most frying oils are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. While we need some omega-6s, modern diets tend to contain far more omega-6s than omega-3s. Experts recommend a ratio closer to 1:1 or 2:1, while the typical Western diet contains a ratio around 10-20:1. High omega-6 intake is linked to increased inflammation in the body.
Acrylamide formation
Frying starchy foods like potatoes at high temperatures causes a natural chemical reaction that forms acrylamide, a potential carcinogen. Studies are still ongoing on the cancer risk from acrylamide in foods. But it’s recommended to limit exposures as a precaution, especially for children.
Loss of nutrients
Immersed in hot oil, some B vitamins and vitamin C can leach out of the potatoes into the frying oil. Fry cooking generally causes more nutrient loss than other cooking methods.
Oxidized fats
Heating any fat or oil to high temperatures causes oxidation, which can generate free radicals and harmful compounds in the oil. Consuming oxidized oils may increase inflammation and disease risk. Repeatedly re-using frying oil amplifies this problem.
What are french fries without oil?
There are a few different methods for making french fries without frying them in oil:
Baked french fries
Baked french fries are made by cutting potatoes into fry shapes, tossing them in a small amount of oil and seasoning, and baking them in the oven. Baking uses far less oil than deep frying, but still provides crispy results. Common instructions are to bake the fries at 425°F for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway. A tiny amount of oil is used to provide some crispiness – usually just a tablespoon or two for a whole batch.
Air fried french fries
Air fryers use super hot, circulating air to mimic the crispiness and browning of deep frying. Air fried french fries are made by cutting potatoes into strips, spraying or tossing with a small amount of oil, and cooking in a hot air fryer. Often a second shorter cooking session is done to make them extra crispy. This uses minimal oil to make the fries crisp on the outside while cooking through.
Microwaved french fries
Believe it or not, you can “fry” french fries in the microwave with no oil needed! This method involves cutting potatoes into fry shapes, patting dry, and cooking in the microwave uncovered for 4-5 minutes until soft. Then they are cooled and fried a second time until crisp. The two stages allows moisture to escape and crisping to occur. The result is an oil-free french fry!
| Cooking Method | Oil Used |
|---|---|
| Deep fried | 2-4 cups oil |
| Baked | 1-2 Tbsp oil |
| Air fried | 1-2 tsp oil |
| Microwaved | No oil |
As shown in the table, the amount of oil decreases substantially when switching from deep frying to baking, air frying, or microwaving to make fries. This reduces the amount of fat and calories absorbed.
Are french fries without oil healthier?
French fries made without deep frying in oil are generally healthier, for a few reasons:
Lower in fat and calories
Using little or no oil means french fries absorb far less fat and have fewer calories when baked, air fried, or microwaved. Here is a comparison of the nutrition facts for a 170g portion of french fries prepared different ways:
| Cooking Method | Calories | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Deep fried | 527 | 30 |
| Baked | 312 | 5 |
| Air fried | 228 | 3 |
| Microwaved | 212 | 0.5 |
As you can see, calories and fat content decreases substantially for french fries made without deep frying. This makes them a lighter, less fatty food option.
More balanced fatty acid profile
Without being submerged in a vat of vegetable oil, baked or air fried fries take on less omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. Some omega-6 is still picked up from the small amounts of oil used. But the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is improved compared to deep fried options.
Lower acrylamide
Acrylamide forms from a reaction between starch and amino acids during high-heat cooking. Deep frying starchy potatoes promotes more acrylamide formation compared to lower-temperature oven baking. Air frying at lower temperatures may also limit acrylamide.
Retain more nutrients
Without being fully submerged in hot oil, fewer B vitamins and vitamin C leach out of the potatoes into oil during baking or air frying. More nutrients are retained in the final product.
No oxidized oil
Heating oil to the high temperatures required for deep frying causes oxidation and the formation of unhealthy compounds. Oil-free cooking methods avoid this issue.
Downsides of french fries without oil
While french fries made without deep frying are generally considered healthier, there are some downsides:
Less crispy texture
It can be hard to achieve the same level of hot, crispy, crunchy french fry perfection from the oven or air fryer as you get with a deep fryer. There are tricks to get baked and air fried fries crispy, like double frying or freezing before cooking. But some people feel the texture just isn’t the same.
Less rich flavor
Deep fried foods soak up flavor from the oil, which contributes to their rich, indulgent taste. With way less oil used, the flavor of oven-baked or air fried french fries is often considered blander. More seasoning may be needed to balance out the potato flavor.
Longer cooking time
Deep frying takes just 2-3 minutes to cook french fries to a crispy, hot finish. Baking in the oven can take 30-40 minutes. Air frying may take 10-20 minutes. The longer cooking process may be less convenient.
Not calorie-free
While substantially lower in calories than deep fried, air fried and baked french fries are still fairly high in carbs and calories compared to many other vegetables. People restricting calories for weight loss may still need to portion them carefully.
Tips for the healthiest french fries without oil
If you want to indulge in french fries as a “healthier” way of enjoying this favorite food, consider these tips:
– Choose healthy potato options like sweet potatoes or purple potatoes for more nutrients
– Leave the skins on for extra fiber and minerals
– Use just a light spritz of olive oil spray instead of liquid oil before cooking
– Season with herbs, spices, or nutritional yeast instead of just salt
– Portion into small serving sizes instead of a huge platter
– Enjoy alongside other veggies or lean proteins to make it a balanced meal
Conclusion
Ditching the deep fryer and making french fries in the oven, air fryer, or microwave significantly reduces the amount of fat and calories thanks to using little or no oil. This makes them a bit healthier than traditional deep fried french fries. However, french fries made without oil are still fairly high in carbs and calories, so portion sizes should be watched. Overall, french fries without oil can be part of a balanced diet, but are still a treat that should be enjoyed in moderation, not as an everyday food. With some tweaks to ingredients and cooking methods, fries can be transformed into a somewhat “healthier” guilty pleasure.