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Eating fried potatoes doubles your risk of early death, study says

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Apparently, death by French fry could happen to you if you’re not careful.

People who eat fried potatoes more than twice a week double their risk of an early death when compared with people who avoid this crunchy treat, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Even though it goes without saying that fried potatoes aren’t health food, Nicola Veronese, who authored the study, told CNN there has previously been very limited scientific research on the issue.

"Even if it is an observational study, we believe that the cooking oil, rich in trans-fat, is an important factor in explaining mortality in those eating more potatoes,” Veronese told CNN, adding that trans fat has been shown to raise the "bad," or LDL, cholesterol in the blood, which can lead to cardiovascular disease.

Not surprisingly, National Potato Council CEO John Keeling hit back, telling CNN the “study isn’t relevant to the general population” since it was collected for an osteoarthritis study and only surveyed people with arthritis.

Keeling went so far as to say "it is very much a stretch to brand fried potatoes, or any other form of potato, as unhealthy.”

Read more at the original article here.