Happy National French Fry Day — Go Ahead, You’ve Earned It

National French Fry Day is celebrated every year on July 10 to honor one of the world’s most beloved comfort foods — crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and incredibly versatile. And honestly, if there was ever a food holiday worth celebrating, this is the one.

But before you grab that basket of golden goodness, here’s a little fun fact to impress your friends: Despite their name, French fries are believed by many to have originated in Belgium. The “French” in their name might actually refer to the method of “frenching,” or julienning, vegetables. According to some historians, potatoes were being fried as early as 1680 in the Meuse Valley of Belgium, where locals often ate small fried fish — but when the river froze, they used potatoes as a substitute. It is believed the term “French” was introduced when American soldiers arrived in Belgium during World War I and tasted Belgian fries, calling them “French” because it was the official language of the Belgian Army at the time. So yeah — not French. Awkward.

In 1802, during his presidency, Thomas Jefferson served potatoes in the “French manner” at a White House dinner, helping introduce the dish to American society. And the rest, as they say, is deep-fried history.

Americans Love Their Fries — Like, A Lot

Let’s talk numbers, because they’re wild. According to Visual Economics, the average person consumes 29 pounds of French fries a year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports Americans consume 30 pounds of French fries, pizza and ice cream combined each year. The fried potato dish has its own national day, and Americans eat more than 4.5 billion pounds of French fries each year. That’s not a typo.

Meanwhile, in Belgium, every person consumes 165 pounds of fried potatoes annually. Clearly, Belgium is winning at life.

But Wait, Aren’t Fries Bad for You?

Here’s where it gets interesting — and where science actually takes your side for once. A study by Purdue University reveals that eating potatoes may actually help people control their blood pressure. Researchers found that eating potatoes results in a greater drop in systolic blood pressure than taking potassium supplements. And eating normal portions of French fries in combination with a healthy diet was found to have no negative effect on blood pressure.

Lead researcher Dr. Connie Weaver put it plainly: “Considering Americans fall significantly short in meeting daily potassium intakes, these findings show the importance of promoting, not restricting, whole food good-to-excellent sources of potassium in Americans’ diets, like potatoes.”

Take that, salad people.

Speaking of which — 47% of people say they would always choose a salad over fries, according to Aetna. We respect the commitment, but we also don’t believe you.

Science Says Blame the Music

If you’ve ever walked into a fast food restaurant and found yourself ordering fries when you fully intended to eat something “healthy,” it may not be entirely your fault. A survey by the University of South Florida found that loud and fast music increases the likelihood that a customer will order unhealthy foods like fries. So technically, the playlist made you do it.

Work Hard, Eat Fries

According to Fit Rated, 26% of women exercise because they indulge in fries on a regular basis — which honestly sounds like an extremely solid motivation strategy. However, Pure Gym notes that you would need to do 30 minutes of spin class to burn off an order of loaded fries. Worth it? Absolutely yes.

So Who Makes the Best Fries?

According to a survey by Civic Science, Americans have strong opinions about their fast food fries, and McDonald’s wins in a landslide:

• McDonald’s — 50%
• Wendy’s — 15%
• Chick-fil-A — 14%
• Burger King — 11%
• Arby’s — 9%
• KFC — 2%

McDonald’s dominance here is not even close. Half of America has spoken.

How Do You Take Your Fries?

A survey by McCain Fries reveals that 50% of people dip their French fries in some type of sauce — because plain fries are apparently not enough of an experience. Other findings from the survey include:

• 35% of people sprinkle seasoning on their French fries
• Men (49%) are less likely than women (63%) to share their French fries — apparently chivalry has its limits
• 33% of people say straight cut fries are their favorite type of fry

From regular to waffle, Belgian, steak, thick-cut, crinkle-cut, cottage, wedge, curly, shoestring, tornado and, of course, the smiley face — today is the day when fries are celebrated in all shapes and sizes.

So whether you’re a dunker, a seasoner or a straight-cut purist who refuses to share — today is your day. Go find your fries and celebrate accordingly. No spin class required. (Well, maybe 30 minutes. But that’s tomorrow’s problem.)