Do You Like Dips With Your Fries? According to a New Study, They Can More Than Double Your Calorie Intake

What's one of the quintessential comfort foods? French fries, yes, because there's no one in the world who can resist those little sticks, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, that can make even the worst of days better. And if there's one thing that can make them even more delicious, it's the sauces that often accompany them: mayonnaise, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard—they're all fine. But, unfortunately, there's bad news for all their lovers: a study from Penn State's College of Agriculture Sciences has shown that if we eat a snack accompanied by these condiments, the calories can increase, even more than double.

The Study

The study evaluated 46 participants who were served 70 grams of chips, once with and once without the accompanying sauce. The results were clear: chips and sauce combined resulted in a 77% higher calorie intake than chips alone. To put this into perspective: in the first case, the subjects consumed a total of 345 calories, compared to 195 calories in the second case.

But it wasn't just the amount of energy they provided that was studied: they also observed that adding the sauces didn't change the amount of chips consumed. This result confirmed that people don't feel more satiated when they also consume the sauces and, consequently, aren't inclined to eat fewer chips. The researchers also noted that subjects were also inclined to take larger bites when the sauce was available.

What Are The Implications?

The results of this study – although further research is needed – highlight how combining any food with salsa can significantly increase calories. And the fact that salsas don't produce any feeling of satiety is a risk that should be taken into account, especially in the fight against obesity: as pointed out by John Hayes, one of the researchers, "the most surprising finding of our study is that people didn't eat fewer chips when dips were available, but the same amount of chips plus dips."

This lack of compensation means that adding dips to chips can substantially increase overall energy intake without people realizing it. The risk, therefore, is that we fail to keep track of the amount of calories we consume throughout the day, going beyond our daily calorie needs.

This study is part of a series of research aimed at combating the phenomenon of obesity, linked above all to incorrect eating habits, such as a greater consumption of ultra-processed and high-calorie foods, which sauces fall squarely into.