Since the 1950s, the boiled potato has become less common at Norwegian dinner tables. Back then, people in Norway ate around 90 kilos of potatoes each year.
By 2022, statistics showed that Norwegians were eating more processed potatoes than fresh ones.
Processed potatoes include foods like crisps and french fries. Today, more than half of the potatoes eaten in Norway are processed, and many of them are served as fries.
But if potatoes are healthy, does that mean anything made from potatoes, such as tallow french fries is a little healthy too?
The First Issue: Fat and Eating Too Much
“Nothing is always healthy or always unhealthy,” says Jacob Juel Christensen, a nutritionist at the University of Oslo.
“But most people would agree that deep-fried french fries are unhealthy, mainly because they contain too much fat compared to the amount of potato, and this can make you eat more than you need,” he explains.
A graph from the Norwegian Directorate of Health’s 2023 report, Developments in the Norwegian Diet, shows how much potatoes are eaten per person each year. It breaks down potatoes eaten as food (in green) and those used in processed products (in purple).
Tine Sundfør, a clinical nutritionist with a doctorate in nutrition, agrees that fries are not a healthy choice.
“The problem is what gets added to the potato,” she says.
“Yes, fries are still potatoes, but they also include fat and salt—and sometimes even sugar in the frying oil. The fat soaks into the fries, making them very high in energy. You can eat a lot of them without feeling full. They are high in calories but low in fibre and protein, so they don’t keep you satisfied for long,” she explains.
Fat Takes the Place of Water
Boiled potatoes are filling and take time to eat. You might feel full before you even finish them, which helps with portion control.
If you take the same three potatoes and make fries, they are easier to eat quickly and less likely to make you feel full. On top of the potato, you are also eating a lot of added fat.
Christensen says that raw potatoes naturally contain a lot of water. When deep-fried, the water is replaced by fat.
Instead of eating a food that fills you up with water and fibre, you’re eating one that contains less water, less fibre, and much more fat. This makes it easy to overeat.
Fat Content in Different Potato Foods (per 100 grams):
- Raw potato: 0.1 grams of fat
- Frozen fries: 5.2 grams of fat
- Fast food fries: 16.9 grams of fat
- Crisps: 29.3 grams of fat
(For more data, visit Matvaretabellen.no from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.)
The Second Issue: Salt
When potatoes are cut into sticks and fried, they have a lot of surface area to absorb fat—and salt.
“Sugar, fat, and salt are the main ingredients that activate the brain’s reward system and make us want to eat more,” says Sundfør.
“Fries taste salty, and that’s part of their appeal. When you combine salt with fat, it’s easy to keep eating, even if you’re already full.”
Most of the salt people consume doesn’t come from what they add themselves—it’s already in the food they buy.
Too much salt can raise blood pressure, which also increases the risk of overeating, the first major issue with fries.
The Third Issue: What You Eat With Them
“Fries are not usually served with something healthy like boiled cod,” Sundfør says. “They’re often paired with meals that are already high in fat and calories.”
Eating fries with a piece of chicken breast or cod and some vegetables is not too bad, she says.
“But fries usually come with a burger. Even if it’s a fish burger, it’s often breaded.”
This means fish and chips aren’t necessarily a healthier choice than a typical burger meal—unless the fish is a large piece with very little breading.
These meals are often made for convenience, so people eat them quickly and don’t feel full as soon.
“When we eat with our hands and eat fast, we don’t feel full until after we’ve finished eating,” Sundfør says.
How Often Can You Eat Fries?
According to Sundfør, it’s not a big deal if you eat fries occasionally.
But what does “occasionally” mean?
It depends on your overall diet.
“If you never eat crisps, you could have fries once a week. But if you like crisps, then once a month is enough,” she advises.
Many Norwegians tend to eat a lot of fries while on holiday in warmer countries.
If you don’t usually eat foods like hotdogs or burgers, you can afford to eat a few more fries once in a while.
“Nothing is unhealthy in small amounts. What really matters is your whole diet,” Sundfør says.
Norway is still in a good position when it comes to food habits. While half of the potatoes eaten are processed, fries are not yet a regular part of every meal, unlike in some other countries.
Sundfør noticed this difference during a mountain holiday with relatives from the UK. She was surprised when they ordered fries alongside Greek salad and soup.
“They thought it was totally normal. But that’s not good for our food culture. It changes what people think is normal. Luckily, people in Norway still eat a lot of fresh potatoes. We need to protect our food traditions so fries don’t become part of every meal,” she says.
What About Oven-Baked Frozen Fries?
Boiled and baked potatoes are still considered the healthiest by Sundfør, Christensen, and official dietary guidelines.
But what if you bake frozen fries in the oven at home?
Christensen checked the contents of a few frozen fries packages online. One of the ones he found had no added salt.
“They have more energy and a bit more carbs than raw potatoes, but they’re not as bad as deep-fried fries. Still, you might eat more of them than you need,” he says.
Sundfør agrees. “You use less fat when baking them, so they have fewer calories. But frozen fries already have some fat added so they’ll crisp up in the oven, and that makes it easy to overeat.”
Try Potato Wedges Instead
Sundfør suggests making potato wedges at home, preferably with the skin on. That way, you keep more vitamins.
“You can also control the cooking time and choose a better oil, like a good olive oil. That’s a better option,” she says.
The kind of oil you use is important, too.
“Choose a good olive oil. It has a healthier fat makeup than many other vegetable oils,” Sundfør recommends.
She adds that many people used to think olive oil couldn’t handle high heat, but that’s not true.
“Harmful substances can form only when you fry something at very high heat for a long time—by then, your food is burnt anyway.”
You don’t need to buy the most expensive olive oil either. A cheaper hot-pressed version works well for cooking.
“Extra virgin olive oil is made without heating the olives, so it keeps more of the good plant compounds like polyphenols. These are damaged by heat. So, use refined oil for cooking and save the best one for salads or bread,” she suggests.
What about sweet potato fries? Are they healthier?
“No,” Sundfør says. “They’re usually made with just as much fat and salt, and often even more salt to balance their natural sweetness.”
How Potatoes Are Prepared Makes the Difference
Whether potatoes are good for you depends on how they’re cooked and what’s added to them. Experts agree: for your health and for the planet, it’s best to boil or bake them, and keep the skin on when you can.
Potatoes Are Good for the Planet
New Nordic dietary guidelines encourage eating more potatoes. But are they really that healthy?
“The potato itself is pretty neutral when it comes to health,” says Christensen, who helped review the research for the new guidelines.
“They’re not especially good or bad for things like heart disease or cancer.”
What makes them look healthier is often what you compare them to. Potatoes are better for your health than meat, for example.
“They make good basic food. Compared to rice and pasta, which people often eat instead, potatoes are clearly the better choice,” he says.
Why Potatoes Are Better Than Rice and Pasta
Potatoes have more vitamin C and fibre and fewer calories than pasta or rice. They also have good-quality protein and other nutrients like niacin, folate, and potassium.
“Boiled and baked potatoes are filling and can help with weight control,” Christensen says.
But that’s not the only reason to eat more potatoes.
“They’re also great for the environment. They’re cheap to grow and have a low climate impact. Potatoes can play a big part in solving climate problems,” he adds.