1. Is “Baked” Really Better Than “Fried”?
Whether you’re creeping down the stairs for a midnight treat or are browsing the snack aisle at
your local grocery store, you may feel like you’re being health smart by grabbing the “Baked,
not Fried” potato chips. Many health conscious chip lovers have been steering clear of fried
potato chips, opting instead for baked chips which are lower in fat.
However, recent research studies show that you may need to think again if you’ve been assuming
that baked snack versions actually bump their status up to healthy foods. A chemical, called
acrylamide, is a potentially neurotoxic compound found in many potato chips, and has been
linked to cancer. Shockingly, the chemical isn’t an additive; rather, it’s actually produced during
the baking process. It’s formed when food is heated at high temperatures to create a dry,
yellowish brown surface. This chemical is also used to make polyacrylamide materials, used to
treat waste water and drinking water, glues, make-up and paper products.
Acrylamide in Healthy Foods
Many studies have shown that acrylamide causes cancer in animals and is toxic to the nervous
systems of both humans and animals. According to the International Agency for Research on
Cancer, acrylamide is a “probable human carcinogen … capable of inducing genotoxic,
carcinogenic, developmental, and reproductive effects.” The US Environmental Protection
Agency regulates acrylamide in drinking water and the US Food and Drug Administration
regulates how much acrylamide residue can come into contact with food; but unfortunately – and
shockingly – the actual presence of the chemical inside food isn’t being regulated.
Many people trying to choose healthy foods reach for baked snacks over fried ones because of a
lowered fat and calorie count; however, baked chips contain as much as three times the
acrylamide as regular chips. The production of this chemical is a result of baking other foods too.
Golden-brown baked French fries look delicious, and many health conscious fry-lovers bake and
season their own fries to avoid deep frying. Unfortunately, that picture-perfect golden-brown
actually contains acrylamide. The chemical is present in many foods with that same attractive
hue and color, like certain cereals and even toasted bread; however, the level of acrylamide in
potato chips and French fries is significantly higher in comparison.

2. Chip makers were nearly forced to add a cancer-warning label to their packaging in 2005, when
the State of California sued them for not warning consumers about the presence of acrylamide in
their products and the dangerous health effects associated with the chemical. To protect their
market share, chip makers lowered the levels just enough to avoid the legal requirement of a
cancer label. Other organizations, such as researchers from Health Canada and the World Health
Organization, have expressed concern over the presence of acrylamide in popular food products.
The problem is that the exact level of risk that the chemical poses can’t be determined. Scientists
simply don’t know yet how much acrylamide is too much, why the chemical forms in food, and
how to reduce its presence.
Keywords : Healthy Nutrition, Healthy Foods
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