A Harvard Professor Suggests Limiting Yourself to Six French Fries Might Help You Live a Longer Life

From Esquire

The coastal elites are ruining everything yet again. According to a New York Times article, Eric Rimm, a Harvard professor at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health said that the recommended "healthy" serving of French fries is six. Not six servings. Six fries.

Calling them "starch bombs," Rimm says, "I think it would be nice if your meal came with a side salad and six French fries." (For what it's worth, The Takeout reports that a USDA approved serving of French fries is twelve.) On Twitter, Dr. Rimm responded to the naysayers with a subtle defense, but in this world of extremes, you're either pro-French fries, or a monster:

In a way, he's got a point. A large order of fries at McDonald's clocks in at 510 calories, while Five Guys' large portion is a staggering 1,314 calories. Additionally, a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition referenced in the original Times piece also notes that those who partook in fried potatoes two to three times a week were at a higher risk of mortality. While that is a very important statistic, it raises another question: what exactly are you living for anyway?

If I purchase an order of French fries, it's not because I was trying to make the healthy decision to begin with. It's not why I'm scouring the bag in search of an onion ring, or the possibility of forgotten fries (or as I call them, "forgies"). And if the day has been bleak enough, it's not why I'm licking the grease spots on the bag-that's to remind me that I'm alive.

So if you want to live a long time in a world that wants you to stop at six beautiful, crispy pillars of joy, then be my guest. But for those Thelmas to my Louise out there, we'll keep eating the whole damn box.

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