Could French fries be linked to depression?
Scarily, the link was noticed more in younger consumers of fried foods...
At first glance, you don't think of fries/chips as a food choice that is going to leave us anxious.
At most, we would equate consumption as something that leaves us feeling guilty.
But that's mostly due to it being an unhealthy food choice and not necessarily its negative association with our mental health.
Read more: LISTEN: Mental Health talk with Kathrine Bekker-Smith
But over the years, it has been revealed that unhealthy food can contribute to your mental anguish.
"A research team in Hangzhou, China, found that frequent consumption of fried foods, especially fried potatoes, was linked with a 12% higher risk of anxiety and 7% higher risk of depression than in people who didn’t eat fried foods." (CNN)
Fried foods have been known to contribute to obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health effects. Which is why there has been a look into reducing the consumption of fried foods to avoid it affecting mental health.
Read more: We've found the ultimate vending machine... and it serves French fries!
"However, experts who study nutrition said the results are preliminary, and it’s not necessarily clear whether the fried foods were driving mental health issues, or people experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety turned to fried foods." (CNN)
Interestingly, the study did find that the participants who were consuming more fried foods frequently were younger men.
It was also revealed that those with "underlying symptoms of anxiety and depression" may turn to comfort foods as a means to self medicate.
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"In the new study, the researchers suggest that acrylamide, a chemical formed during the frying process, especially in fried potatoes, is to blame for the higher risk of anxiety and depression." (CNN)
What used to be known as a pick-me-up every now and then, could become habitual.
Guess that go-to snacking of fresh chips isn't something you will be succumbing to without a full think-through in future.
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