High in carbohydrates, fat and calories, french fries can elevate blood glucose levels and cause weight gain if you eat them on a regular basis. Managing blood glucose levels and maintaining a healthy weight play vital roles in preventing heart disease, kidney disease and other complications of type 2 diabetes. To keep your blood glucose within the target range and control your weight, the American Diabetes Association, or ADA, recommends that you limit high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods such as french fries and get most of your carbohydrates from low-fat whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Carbohydrate Content
A 3.5 oz. serving of french fries from a family-style restaurant has 37 g of carbohydrates, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA. When you eat foods containing carbohydrates, your body converts the sugars and starches in these foods into glucose, which your body uses for energy. In type 2 diabetes, your body no longer absorbs glucose effectively due to a lack of insulin or an overexposure to glucose. The glycemic index, or GI, measures the effects of carbohydrate-containing foods on your blood glucose level. When you eat french fries, the starches in potatoes can cause a marked increase in your blood sugar, according to the Glycemic Index Foundation, which suggests that no more than half of your carbohydrate intake should come from high-GI foods. Oats, leafy green vegetables, legumes and most fruits have a low GI value and help regulate blood glucose levels.
Blood Glucose Management
Although the GI value of a carbohydrate-containing food can affect your blood glucose level, the type of carbohydrates you eat aren't as important as the total amount of carbohydrate when it comes to managing and preventing type 2 diabetes, the ADA notes. If you want to indulge in french fries occasionally, you can count their carbohydrate content toward your total intake of carbs for that day. The ADA recommends that you aim for 45 to 60 g of carbohydrates at each meal. The carbohydrates in a 3.5 oz. serving of french fries would make up 62 percent to 82 percent of your carbohydrate allowance for one meal.
Fat Content
A 3.5 oz. serving of french fries has 292 calories and 15 g of fat, according to the USDA. The partially hydrogenated vegetable oils used to fry potatoes at many restaurants and fast-food chains are a form of trans fat, which can increase your cholesterol levels. In a Feb. 2006 article published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," Thomas L. Halton and co-authors propose that the combination of trans fat content and the high glycemic value of french fries might increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. To prevent weight gain and heart disease, the ADA recommends that you replace trans fats and saturated fats -- the type of fat found in meat, dairy products and other animal-based foods -- with the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados and fish.
Prevention
Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases when french fries replace low-fat, high-fiber complex carbohydrates in your diet, Halton notes. In a study of the relationship between potato consumption and type 2 diabetes, Halton reports that women who ate french fries regularly also ate more red meat and fewer whole grains, vegetables, fruits and other high-fiber foods. To prevent weight gain and regulate your blood sugar levels, the ADA advises that you get regular physical activity, take diabetes medication as prescribed and base your diet on low-calorie complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables and legumes.
References
- American Diabetes Association: High Blood Glucose
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Potato and French Fry Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Women; Thomas L. Halton, et al.; Feb. 2006
- The Glycemic Index
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrate Counting
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Restaurant, Family Style, French Fries, 100 g (3.5 oz.)
