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Fast Food Breakdown: French Fries

Thu, 11/08/2007 - 12:45pm by FitSugar
32,772 Views - 38 comments

What is it about french fries that makes us crave them so? Is it the saltiness? The crispy outside and soft, warm inside? Is it that they make ketchup taste so good?

Well whatever the reason, people love them and fast-food joints know that. Unfortunately deep-fried foods aren't exactly healthy for us, which we know, but maybe seeing some actual numbers will help prevent us from ordering the super-size fries at Mickey D's next time.

Want to see the nutritional info? Then read more

Check out how a large-size order of fries compares at these popular fast-food chains.



Place Calories Trans Fat (g) Sodium (mg)
McDonald's 570 8 330
Burger King 500 6 820
Wendy's 540 1 550
Arby's Homestyle 566 1 1,029
Arby's Curly 631 1 1,476
Hardee's Regular 610 unknown 370
Hardee's Crispy Curls 480 unknown 1,190
A&W Regular 430 5.5 640
A&W Chili Cheese 400 4 990
In-N-Out Burger 400 0 245
Jack in the Box Natural Cut 640 10 1180
Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly 550 10 1,200
White Castle 700 11 560
Sonic Regular 280 0 135
Sonic Chili Cheese 450 .5 610
Dairy Queen 730 5 1,530
Carl's Jr. 620 unknown 380
Popeyes 310 1 660
KFC Potato Wedges 260 0 740

Whoa, hang on a sec. Did I read those numbers from Dairy Queen correctly? 730 calories and 1,530mg of sodium? Yikes. I've never tried their french fries but they better be the best-tasting potatoes in the world. White Castle's fries aren't too far behind with 700 calories and a whopping 11g of trans fat. The worst thing is that people eat these on the side. If french fries contain this many calories, I don't even want to think about what the total number of calories would be if you ate them along with a burger.

If these numbers don't make you steer clear of fast-food french fries, maybe this video about McDonald's preservatives will seal the deal. It's disgustingly shocking. It makes you realize that it's not only the trans fat, calories, and sodium that are unhealthy, but you have no idea what kind of crap and chemicals these fast-food chains are putting into their food, and how it'll negatively affect your body.

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38 Comments Add a Comment

  • aimeeb's picture
    aimeeb
    1

    I'm not all too surprised.

    I never eat fast food but I do have to say when I do (has been ages) I always went for KFC and had the potato wedges. I think they are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than fries any day and out of this list THE best calorie wise.

    I guess I don't feel so bad anymore...

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • behemoth_the_cat's picture
    behemoth_the_cat
    2

    i hate french fries!!
    any kind: Mcdonalds, regular restaurant, home-made...
    they taste nasty and after i eat a portion i feel like i've gulped down a vat of oil
    nasty!!

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • Lovely_1's picture
    Lovely_1
    3

    I already knew they were bad - and that's why I try my best to avoid them at all costs!!!

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • miss matilda's picture
    miss matilda
    4

    Did you know McD's actually got rid of the SuperSize a few years back? They felt it was giving them a bad image after the movie of the same name came out. (my best friend worked at their ad agency)

    And I still love french fries. Laughing out loud nothing can change that. I eat them knowing full well what they are about. I just am ver sensible and only have them occasionally! Smiling

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • SummerBaby's picture
    SummerBaby
    5

    they got rid of it? but i can go into mcdonalds and ask for it and i will get it... or you mean they got rid of "supersizeD" and now when you ask for it they just give you a large?!... yea when i go i love the fires.. but i get a small.. the perfect size for me.. and there really isnt that much in there.. so i dont feel ill when i leave!... well thats not true haha.. i feel a little ill!

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • kiddylnd's picture
    kiddylnd
    6

    I eat them sparingly. Mostly Wendy's. My kittie likes McDonalds though. How come the A&W Chilli Cheese Fries are better for you than the regular? That doesn't seem to make sense to me. Puzzled

    I love potatoes but generally stick to baked, not fried.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • kiddylnd's picture
    kiddylnd
    8

    SummerBaby, what I had heard was that they, like Wendy's and several other chains have changed over to a S,M,L size. So when you order a 'meal' you get a medium size unless you specify otherwise. They have all sort of upped the size of what they had to accommodate the change, so the large is really a 'supersize' in disguise. MCD's no longer use the term Supersize and instead of offering it, they will sometimes ask you what size you want.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • cubadog's picture
    cubadog
    9

    I have never liked MCD'S fries anyway but when Burgerville has the sweet potato fries in the fall I can't help but order them once.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • ElleJay's picture
    ElleJay
    10

    I only allow myself to eat fast food once a month- if that. And when I do, it's a cheeseburger happy meal from Mcdonalds.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • nikodarling's picture
    nikodarling
    11

    I like to make my own fries with real potatoes - I hate the reconstituted potato starch things they serve at fast food places. I know its not healthy but its got to be better than this.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • sabine p's picture
    sabine p
    12

    niko, if you fry them in canola oil they probably aren't too bad for you. I love homemade french fries, hate the fast food version...

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • Tutta's picture
    Tutta
    14

    I usually avoid the fries when we go out somewhere. My guilty addiction is Chick Fil A's waffle fries. They are so good...and so bad.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • hottpink's picture
    hottpink
    15

    Gosh, I love fries so much. They are my weakness but what I do is, whenever my hubby orders them, I take 2 or 3 and then I am satisfied!

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • thedingo's picture
    thedingo
    16

    I love fries too, but I like to make my own. My trick is to put them in boiling water just long enough to get them wamr but not to have them release their starch and sugars. Then I dry them and wait until they're cool and bake them. I don't need any oil. And they're tasty.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • Allytta's picture
    Allytta
    17

    what about home made french fries? not deep-fried? canola oil and charlotte potatoes and sea-salt.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • emalove's picture
    emalove
    18

    I don't really like french fries...I randomly started disliking them about a year or two ago.

    Sweet potato fries, on the other hand...I could eat a ton of those!

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • tiabia's picture
    tiabia
    19

    French Fries are awful for you, but I just love them...it's my one vice (as well as candy, but that's a different subject all it's own). However I have gotten better at resisting the temptation...of course now that I've happened upon and Ollie's Trolley in the area...well...I'm fighting!!!!

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • UrbanBohemian's picture
    UrbanBohemian
    20

    So sad, but not surprising. It's a splurge for sure, but they're probably best saved for occasional times.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • Kate Marie's picture
    Kate Marie
    21

    My pick off that list is the curly fries at Arby's! They're so tasty. But I only have them maybe twice a year, and I always split the order with my family. Aside from that, I hardly EVER eat fries. They just don't appeal to me.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • jiujiu's picture
    jiujiu
    22

    i almost didn't want to read this so i could live blissfully in my ignorance.

    oh well. guess if i must indulge i'll head to kfc for a fix.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • DejaVecu's picture
    DejaVecu
    24

    Oven fries! Leave a little skin on them. YUM. And they aren't fried, much better for you and they taste better too. (I hate salty.)

    Baked potato too. Really, it's just about that potato taste for me.

    40 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • Soniabonya's picture
    Soniabonya
    27

    mmmmm. In N Out Drool love those hamburgers and fries. And you see them cook em too. I know what I'm having for lunch today!

    40 weeks 4 days ago Report Comment
  • DCStar's picture
    DCStar
    28

    Instead of by ORDER size, I'd like to see this chart done showing ounces (or cups, some sort of quantifier) of potatoes.

    40 weeks 4 days ago Report Comment
  • girllovewarrior's picture
    girllovewarrior
    30

    I make my own French fries (actually Belgian fries), by cutting them fresh at home and frying them in olive oil Smiling myum

    39 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment
  • Peyote's picture
    Peyote
    31

    JUST SAY NO TO FAST FOOD!! Your body deserves so much better!

    38 weeks 1 day ago Report Comment
  • Novaraen's picture
    Novaraen
    33

    Mmmmmm fries!! I'm going to In-n-Out tonight...their fries are delish!!!

    28 weeks 6 days ago Report Comment
  • pequeña's picture
    pequeña
    35

    I haven't been to a fast food restaurant for like 12 years or something. When I was 6 or 7 I used to go to McDonalds every now and then with my mum and she would get me the Happy Meal, and that was the last time. Now I can't stand them, the smell, the food... ew. I can't even get into one.

    girllove, I also prepare fries at home every now and then, with olive oil and I also cut them myslef ; )

    24 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • leeluvfashion's picture
    leeluvfashion
    36

    I rarely eat fast food however when I do have french fries, it's from Wendy's (I order a small size.) Yes, it isn't healthy however it's only a 5 times a year and I make sure to eat a 200-300 calorie yet fiber rich breakfast & lunch; that way when I splurge on a Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich w/ a small order of fries, it won't be as calorie crazy as if I had a 450 calorie breakfast & lunch.

    23 weeks 4 days ago Report Comment
  • crystahl's picture
    crystahl
    37

    i stay away from fast food... but just hearing french fries mentioned makes me want them NOW! lol. I MUST RESIST...
    my mom buys some great oraganic fries made with sea salt... tasty.. wish i could remember the brand name...

    20 weeks 5 days ago Report Comment

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