Study shows why potato chips should be avoided

One study linked frequent consumption of fried foods, particularly french fries, to mental disorders. According to research, consuming fried foods can increase the risk of developing anxiety by 12% and depression by 7%.

The researchers came to this conclusion after evaluating 140,728 people over the age of 11. Of this total, the scientists detected 8,294 cases of anxiety and 12,735 cases of depression.

During the analysis, french fries specifically showed a 2% increased risk of depression compared to other fried foods.

The research, which was conducted at Zhejiang University in China, is published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Experts believe that the reason why frying is linked to mental health is acrylamide, a chemical that forms during the frying process at temperatures above 120°C.

The dangers of acrylamide

The study found that acrylamide may induce anxious behavior after overeating fried foods.

The authors note that “long-term exposure to acrylamide leads to anxiety and depressive behavior through neuroinflammation resulting from oxidative stress.”

In addition, the substance can generate neurological infections that, according to the researchers, can cause permanent disturbances in the nervous system.

They concluded, “These findings, both epidemiologically and mechanistically, provide strong evidence to unravel the mechanism of acrylamide-induced anxiety and depression and highlight the importance of reducing consumption of fried foods for mental health.”