I am writing this post to remind myself to not eat potato chips. In my potato chip days, I could eat an entire 1000+ calorie bag in one sitting. Potato chips have at least two major problems:
1. They are associated with an increased risk of obesity. In fact, a study from Harvard Medical School showed that weight gain over a four year period was most strongly associated with potato chip intake.
2. They contain a substance known as acrylamide. Acrylamide increases the risk of heart disease by inducing inflammation, as reflected in elevated C-reactive protein levels. Acrylamide also damages the reproductive system via cell toxicity and DNA damage.
References:
Acrylamide genotoxicity in young versus adult gpt delta male rats. (Link)
Acrylamide in Asian foods in Hong Kong. (Link)
Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men. (Link)
Chronic exposure to acrylamide induces DNA damage in male germ cells of mice. (Link)
Chronic intake of potato chips in humans increases the production of reactive oxygen radicals by leukocytes and increases plasma C-reactive protein: a pilot study. (Link)
Dietary patterns in Canadian men and women ages 25 and older: relationship to demographics, body mass index, and bone mineral density. (Link)
Effects of fried potato chip supplementation on mouse pregnancy and fetal development. (Link)
Food away from home, sugar-sweetened drink consumption and juvenile obesity. (Link)
Pilot study on the impact of potato chips consumption on biomarkers of acrylamide exposure. (Link)
Structural and ultrastructural evidence of neurotoxic effects of fried potato chips on rat postnatal development. (Link)
The effects of acrylamide on sperm parameters and membrane integrity of epididymal spermatozoa in mice. (Link)
Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Acrylamide (CASRN 79-06-1) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Feed and Drinking Water Studies). (Link)
Trans-unsaturated fatty acids and acrylamide in food as potential atherosclerosis progression factors. Based on own studies. (Link)
