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French fries vs. Fast food — In-Depth Nutrition Comparison

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A recap on differences between french fries and fast food

  • French fries are higher in vitamin B6 and potassium, yet fast food is higher in vitamin B12, selenium, iron, vitamin B2, zinc, vitamin B3, folate, and vitamin B1.
  • Fast food covers your daily vitamin B12 needs 37% more than french fries.
  • French fries contain 3 times more potassium than fast food. While french fries contain 579mg of potassium, fast food contains only 197mg.

Food varieties used in this article are Fast foods, potato, french fried in vegetable oil and Fast foods, hamburger; single, regular patty; plain.

Infographic

French fries vs Fast food infographic
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Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 25% 5.4% 51% 30% 41% 14% 54% 27% 32% 4.9%
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 19% 19% 17% 115% 40% 69% 57% 43% 47% 111%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +29.6%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +193.9%
Contains less SodiumSodium -36.6%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +244.4%
Contains more IronIron +277.8%
Contains more ZincZinc +404%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +44.5%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +2155.6%
~equal in Copper ~0.121mg
~equal in Phosphorus ~134mg

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 16% 0% 33% 0% 43% 9% 56% 35% 86% 0% 28% 23% 20%
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 3% 7.6% 1.5% 79% 84% 105% 32% 49% 111% 12% 60% 19%
Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +∞%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +339.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +75.5%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +128.6%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +86.5%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +830.8%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +87%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +∞%
Contains more FolateFolate +166.7%
~equal in Vitamin B5 ~0.53mg
~equal in Choline ~34.4mg

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
3% 15% 41% 39% 2%
Protein: 3.43 g
Fats: 14.73 g
Carbs: 41.44 g
Water: 38.55 g
Other: 1.85 g
17% 12% 32% 38%
Protein: 16.52 g
Fats: 12.01 g
Carbs: 31.5 g
Water: 38.45 g
Other: 1.52 g
Contains more FatsFats +22.6%
Contains more CarbsCarbs +31.6%
Contains more OtherOther +21.7%
Contains more ProteinProtein +381.6%
~equal in Water ~38.45g

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
17% 44% 39%
Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 2.336 g
Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 5.969 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 5.398 g
41% 44% 15%
Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 4.493 g
Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 4.835 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.68 g
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat -48%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +23.5%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +221.3%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
French fries Fast food
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in price Equal
Rich in vitamins Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient French fries Fast food DV% diff.
Vitamin B12 0µg 0.89µg 37%
Selenium 0.9µg 20.3µg 35%
Iron 0.81mg 3.06mg 28%
Protein 3.43g 16.52g 26%
Vitamin B2 0.039mg 0.363mg 25%
Polyunsaturated fat 5.398g 1.68g 25%
Zinc 0.5mg 2.52mg 18%
Vitamin B3 3.004mg 5.617mg 16%
Folate 30µg 80µg 13%
Vitamin B1 0.17mg 0.317mg 12%
Vitamin B6 0.372mg 0.212mg 12%
Cholesterol 0mg 33mg 11%
Potassium 579mg 197mg 11%
Saturated fat 2.336g 4.493g 10%
Starch 22.87g 9%
Vitamin E 1.67mg 0.38mg 9%
Fiber 3.8g 1.7g 8%
Sodium 210mg 331mg 5%
Vitamin K 11.2µg 4.9µg 5%
Manganese 0.247mg 0.357mg 5%
Vitamin C 4.7mg 0mg 5%
Calcium 18mg 62mg 4%
Fats 14.73g 12.01g 4%
Monounsaturated fat 5.969g 4.835g 3%
Carbs 41.44g 31.5g 3%
Fructose 2.27g 3%
Magnesium 35mg 27mg 2%
Calories 312kcal 297kcal 1%
Vitamin B5 0.58mg 0.53mg 1%
Vitamin A 0µg 9µg 1%
Phosphorus 125mg 134mg 1%
Vitamin D 0µg 0.1µg 1%
Net carbs 37.64g 29.8g N/A
Vitamin D 0IU 2IU 0%
Sugar 0.3g 4.88g N/A
Copper 0.124mg 0.121mg 0%
Trans fat 0.06g 0.514g N/A
Choline 36.8mg 34.4mg 0%
Tryptophan 0.144mg 0%
Threonine 0.46mg 0%
Isoleucine 0.642mg 0%
Leucine 1.13mg 0%
Lysine 0.785mg 0%
Methionine 0.306mg 0%
Phenylalanine 0.67mg 0%
Valine 0.728mg 0%
Histidine 0.402mg 0%
Omega-3 - EPA 0g 0.005g N/A
Omega-3 - DHA 0g 0.001g N/A
Omega-3 - ALA 0.407g 0.121g N/A
Omega-3 - DPA 0g 0.009g N/A
Omega-3 - Eicosatrienoic acid 0.001g 0g N/A
Omega-6 - Gamma-linoleic acid 0.029g 0.004g N/A
Omega-6 - Dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid 0g 0.009g N/A
Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid 0.007g 0.003g N/A
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 4.898g 1.391g N/A

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
French fries Fast food
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
27%
French fries
43%
Fast food
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
28%
French fries
54%
Fast food

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
French fries
French fries is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 33mg)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
French fries
French fries is lower in Sugar (difference - 4.58g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
French fries
French fries contains less Sodium (difference - 121mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated fat?
French fries
French fries is lower in Saturated fat (difference - 2.157g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Fast food
Fast food is lower in glycemic index (difference - 4)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Fast food
Fast food is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. French fries - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170698/nutrients
  2. Fast food - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170693/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.