Buying Guide for Vegetable Chips & Crisps
Crisps are thin slices of potato that are fried in oil. Chips are large chunks of potatoes that are fried in oil. Traditional chips were thick slices of potato cut into disk shapes. The new style is long, thin slices. Chips are thin slices of potato that have been deep-fried or baked until they are crunchy. Snacks, sides dishes, or appetizers are commonly served with chips.
Benefits of Chips and Crisps
Vitamins
The sneaky power of potatoes cannot be overstated. The traditional spud often considered a naughty comfort food has an array of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your health when mashed, baked, or roasted. A nutritional powerhouse, they provide vitamin B6, B3, vitamin C, potassium, copper, manganese, and dietary fiber.
Fuel for the Day
You can get plenty of energy from potatoes, which are low-calorie and low-fat carbs. Our bodies are known to run on the energy we provide them with, and they work hard to convert all that goodness into glucose that keeps them running smoothly. Our bodies digest potatoes easily and deliver glucose to our cells as a result of their high starch content.
Less Fat
Potatoes may taste starchy and naughty, but they are actually 70-80% water, so they'll keep you hydrated, energized, and full with little fat. For a delicious, low-fat dinner, just make sure you keep on the skins and cook them without adding anything else.
Good for Skin
The skin of the potatoes is so important for retaining all the vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, that I raved about earlier. Potatoes can reduce inflammation, prevent damage caused by the sun and pollution, and promote collagen, which can reduce wrinkles.
Factors to Consider Before Buying Chips & Crisps
Saturated Fat
Chips and crisps are an easy option for entertaining and other ‘treat’ occasions and thankfully there are quite a few products lower in saturated fat than the old-fashioned chip. We recommend choosing products with 2g or less saturated fat per 100g. If that is too restrictive for you, look for varieties with 5g or less saturated fat per 100g (5 percent).
Sodium
Higher sodium intakes, primarily from salt, are associated with high blood pressure, another risk factor for heart disease. Chips can contain anywhere from 100mg to more than 1100mg of sodium per 100g. We recommend choosing products with 500mg or less sodium per 100g, or if that's too restrictive, aim for 900mg or less per 100g. Less sodium is definitely better.
Energy
It is largely due to the fat content of chips that they are energy-dense. We all need fat in our diets, but we also know that too much will just add to our waistlines. Select products with less than 1700kJ or less per 100g, or if that's too restrictive, choose varieties with less than 2000kJ per 100g.
Brand
It is best to go with brands rather than others as the ingredients offered in brands are of better quality. They also pass through several tests and pass the food standards. This makes them healthy and safe.
Conclusion
Salted potato chips are low in nutrients and high in calories. A 1.5-ounce bag contains 223 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 221 mg of sodium. Acrylamide is formed when high-starch foods are fried, roasted, or baked, according to the American Cancer Society.
If you limit yourself to a small, snack-size bag of chips every now and then, instead of having a full-size bag every day, then you will be fine. To know your buying choices, head over to our featured section. We review and recommend leading products based on taste, packaging, and value for money.
