Could you drink five liters of cooking oil?
The mere sight of someone drinking oil might make you nauseous.
But that's precisely the message of the British Heart Foundation's latest awareness poster. The poster depicts a girl, no more than ten years old, drinking an entire bottle of cooking oil, which then drips onto her clothes. The caption reads: "What goes into making potato chips goes straight into your gut."
This study by the British Heart Foundation has shocked millions of Britons.
The charity, which funds research into heart disease, released the study as part of a public awareness campaign aimed at highlighting the dangers of excessive potato chip consumption.
Dr. Ibrahim Ismail, a nutritionist and food educator, says that the contents of potato chip bags have serious long-term health consequences.
While they contain starch from potatoes, the most dangerous aspect is the oil used for frying at high temperatures. This oil contains high levels of saturated fats, which accumulate in blood vessels and contribute to atherosclerosis and heart disease.
This is in addition to the high levels of salt and preservatives, which have a negative impact on public health.
Statistics indicate that more than half of British children eat a bag of crisps every day, and one in five children consumes two or more bags daily. The association estimates this equates to consuming nine liters of oil annually.
Dr. Ismail believes this is not an exaggeration. For crisps to achieve their desired shape and taste, they must contain large quantities of oil, which often transforms into saturated fat at the high frying temperatures.
This latest study is part of a campaign by the British Association to raise public awareness of the often-hidden amounts of salt, fat, and sugar present in many different foods.
The association says it wants to reveal the true composition of these foods to help children and parents make informed and healthy food choices.