If you try to maintain a healthy diet, you probably already know that snack foods and chips are full of fat and calories. But are any chips healthy? And how do chips calories compare? While you're not likely to find snack chips with health benefits, there are a few choices that are better than the rest.
Healthiest Snack and Chip Choices
Many healthy eaters chooseSensible Portions Garden Veggie Strawswhen they are craving a crunchy, salty snack. You can consume a hearty portion (38 straws) for just 130 calories.The following nutrition information is provided by the USDAfor one serving (38 straws or 28g) ofGarden Veggie Straws.
- Calories:130
- Fat:7g
- Sodium:250mg
- Carbohydrates:16g
- Fiber:0.5g
- Sugars:0.5g
- Protein:0.5g
While this snack food does provide some benefits over traditional potato chips or cheese puffs, eating veggie straws is not the same as eating vegetables.
Sensible Portions snacks are made from potato starch, potato flour, cornstarch and other ingredients for flavoring. The snack provides slightly less fat than traditional potato chipsbut does not provide the healthbenefits you gain from eating fresh whole veggies, like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
So how do Veggie Straws compare to other popular snack foods?A single serving of most snack crisps or chips is about one ounce or 18 chips.
- A single serving of Lay's Baked Potato Chips provides 120 calories, 2 grams of fat, zero grams trans fat, 23 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of sugar.
- A single serving ofSea Salt Potato Popchipsprovides 120 calories, 4 grams of fat, zero grams trans fat, 19 grams of carbohydrate, 0 grams of sugar and one gram of protein.
- A single serving ofPringles Reduced Fat Originalprovides140 calories, 7 grams of fat,17 grams of carbohydrate, and 1gram of protein.
- A single serving of Siete No Salt Grain Free Tortilla Chips provides 130 calories, 7 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbohydrate, and 1 gram of protein. This chip has 0 sodium.
- A single serving of Rhythm Superfoods Organic Beet Chips Naked provides 150 calories, 0 grams of fat, 32 gams of carbohydrate, and 4 grams of protein.
- A single serving of Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips provides 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 22 carbohydrates, and 1 gram of protein.
Your best bet when looking for a crunchy snack chip that is low in calories might be Snacklins.A single serving ofSnacklins Plant Crispsprovides 90calories,4grams of fat,15grams of carbohydrate, and 0 grams of sugar. They are also grain-free and gluten-free.
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The Least Nutritious Snack ChipOptions
Most traditional snack chips provide between 150 and 200 calories per serving.
- A single serving of regular potato chips provides 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrate, and 2 grams of protein.
- A single serving ofCheetos Crunchyprovides 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrate, 1 gram of sugar and 2 grams of protein.
- A single serving of Fritos Original Corn Chipsprovides 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrate, and 2 grams of protein.
- A single serving of Doritos Nacho Cheese Flavored Tortilla Chips has 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 18 grams of carbohydrate, and 2 grams of protein.
- A single serving of Miss Vickie's Sea Salt and Vinegar Kettle Cooked Potato Chips has 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrate, and 3 grams of protein.
- A single serving of Ruffles Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips has 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrate, and 2 grams of protein.
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Baked vs. Fried: Which Is Better?
There is a heated debate among health experts about which is better (or worse) for your diet, fried chips or baked chips. Advocates of baked chips point to the fact that fried foods are higher in saturated fat, total fat, and calories. Fans of fried chips say that their products generally provide fewer unnatural and processed ingredients. So who is right?
The fact is that chips are a source of empty calories—whether they are baked or fried. You're not likely to gain any health or nutritional benefits when you indulge in these snack foods. These foods also tend to boost your daily sodium and starch intake. So the healthiest snack food for you is probably the one that you are likely to eat less of.
It is fairly common for us to overeat foods that we perceive to be healthy or at least healthier.It's called the health halo effect. We feel that certain foods either provide a benefit or do less damage so we are less careful about how much of the food we eat.
To keep your healthy eating program on track, check your portion size and try to eat just a small amount —regardless of whether the chips are baked or fried.
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Things to Consider When Choosing Chips
In addition to looking at markers like calories and grams of fat, it is also important to consider how long the ingredient list is. If it contains a long list of ingredients with complicated names, it is probably a highly processed food. For example, compare the long ingredient list of Doritos, which is considered a processed food, to Rhythm Superfoods Organic Beet Chips Naked, which only contains one ingredient (beets). Eating too much highly processed foods can put you at risk for obesity, colorectal cancer, and even anxiety and depression.
You should also look at how much sodium is in a serving of chips. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends less than 2,200 mg per day of sodium. As a guide, they suggest each serving of a food you eat should have less than 5 percent of the Daily Value. Fritos Original Corn Chips have 13% of your Daily Value of sodium in one serving, while Siete No Salt Grain Free Tortilla Chips has 0 sodium. It is important to watch your sodium intake as too much can cause health problems including high blood pressure.
Don't be swayed by the labels either. For example, just because a chip is labeled "grain-free" doesn't mean it is a healthier option. You must look at the other ingredients as well. In addition, there is really only a small population that benefits from eating grain-free foods, such as those with IBS.
Look at what other nutrients the chips provide, such as protein, iron, and calcium when choosing chips. Remember, even though you see something labeled "vegetable chips," such as Terra Vegetable Chips, doesn't mean you get the same nutrients as eating the real vegetables as they still have some processing done to them.
The Best Way to StoreSnack Chips for a Healthy Diet
Believe it or not, the way you store food (including chips)can have an impact on your diet and the number of chips calories that you consume.Studies have found thatwhere we keep snack foods in the kitchen can have an impact on your total daily calorie intake. So where should you store your snacks? Experts say you should keep them tucked away.
- High cabinets or low cupboards are best. If you have to work a little harder to get to your favorite snack foods, you're less likely to mindlessly indulge.
- Don't keep snacks on the counter. Your kitchen counter is the worst place to store your chips and snacks. Why? Because you'll be more tempted to eat when you're not hungry if you see these foods more often.
- Store snack foods in the original bag or box. While storing chips in a resealable plastic container may help to keep them fresh longer, you lose the benefit of the Nutrition Facts label when you throw away the package. By keeping your chips in the original container, you have a regular reminder of the calorie and fat grams as well as the standard serving size.
And lastly, when you choose to enjoy your favorite chips or snacks, never eat directly out of the bag. It's nearly impossible to keep track of how much you're eating when you mindlessly snack out of the package. Instead, take just a small handful of chips and put them in a bowl.
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The Bottom Line
When you have the urge to snack on something crunchy, chips can be a good option. Although they aren't as nutritious as crunchy vegetables, you have healthier options when you want to indulge a little. It is all about balance and watching portion sizes. When picking chips, keep in mind how long the ingredient list is, the sodium count, the serving size, and the calories. Highly processed chips such as Doritos, Fritos, or Ruffles Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips can be swapped for more nutritious options, including Snacklins Plant Crisps, or Rhythm Superfoods Organic Beet Chips Naked.
