No More Crispy Home Fries

Was it an act of defiance? Once again, I requested extra crispy home fries. This time though, I was secretly mired in conflict. I love my potatoes burnt to a crisp. But, I recently read that not only are fried potatoes unhealthy, they have been added to the list of foods that contain nitrosamine, a chemical that can cause serious health problems, including cancer.

To quickly summarize, the hazard of nitrosamines dates back to a Norwegian Mink farm in the 1950s, when animals began to suddenly die from liver disease and cancer after being fed a new diet of fish meal preserved with nitrites. It was soon discovered that the nitrites were being converted in the animal’s stomach to nitrosamines, sickening and killing the animals.

Nitrosamines are strongly associated with gastrointestinal cancers along with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and type II diabetes.

What to do?

1. Reduce your intake of processed meats. Check the ingredient panel for nitrates, nitrites, celery juice or celery salt. Celery is a source of nitrates and the chemical effect is the same.

2. Reduce consumption of nitrosamine containing foods such as beer, artificial cheese, smoked and salted fish.

3. Enjoy potatoes boiled or baked and reduce your intake of crispy french fries and home fries.