Is there much nutritional difference between onion rings and French fries?
Both are high-calorie, high-fat foods, usually fried in not-so-healthy hydrogenated shortening. Because they are coated in batter, onion rings are usually higher in calories. A six- or seven-ounce portion of onion rings may run about 700 calories and 40 grams of fat, while the same size portion of fries usually contains 540 to 600 calories and 25 to 30 grams of fat. Portion size, however, is a far bigger influence. A three- to four-ounce serving of onion rings (a “small” or “medium,” depending on the restaurant, or about half an order from a table-service restaurant) is lower in fat, calories and sodium than a six- to seven-ounce (or “large”) order of fries. Better than either onion rings or fries, of course, would be a leafy green or fruit salad with a modest amount of dressing. Q: How big is a “serving” of a fruit or vegetable? A: Nutrition recommendations are based on standardized serving sizes, like those in the Food Guide Pyramid. Each of the following is considered one serving: o
