I’m on a search-and-devour mission to find the healthiest potato chip. I don’t eat chips very often, but when I do, I want them to be dietitian-approved and delicious.
Some food and nutrition experts like to joke that Americans are, in essence, half corn (due to our love affair with high-fructose corn syrup and the corn-based diet we feed livestock). If this is true, then the other half of us must be potato (due to our obsession with French fries and potato chips). We crunch $6 billion worth of potato chips each year.
A 1-ounce serving of regular fried chips contains 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 2.5 grams of saturated fat. Switching to a skinnier version could make a significant dent in the nation’s waistline. When faced with hundreds of choices in the grocery store aisle, keep these chip tips in mind.
- “Lightly salted,” “low salt,” and “no added salt” are cues that sodium will be in check.
- Flavored varieties often have the most sodium within the product line.
- For your heart’s sake, the options with the least amount of saturated fat and a modest amount of sodium are best.
- For cholesterol-lowering benefits, new options are available with plant sterols, an ingredient that is proven to lower harmful LDL cholesterol by 15% or more.
- Munch mindfully. An ounce doesn’t go that far and even the healthiest chips can sabotage your diet.
The new chips I’m chomping weigh in at 110 to 140 calories with 2.5 to 6 grams of fat. What’s more impressive is how low they are in heart-stopping saturated fat.
For example, Corazonas is the first company to add the cholesterol-lowering plant sterol to their chips. They are so darned tasty that you’d never suspect they contain anything that’s heart-healthy, even though they are not as super-slim as other newbies on the market. Kettle Brand Bakes have impressively reduced the calorie and fat content, as have Lesser Evil and Pop Chips.
Let me know your favorite healthy potato chip and what you think about my picks below.
| Potato Chip | Taste Texture | Calories | Fat | Saturated fat | Salt (mg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corazonas Heart Healthy* Potato Chips Mediterranean Garlic & Herb | Thick, hearty lengthwise slices of real potatoes in worldly flavors like Pacific Rim BBQ. Have added plant sterols to lower cholesterol. Yum. My favorite! | 140 | 6 | 0.5 | 105 |
| Kettle Brand Bakes Lightly Salted Potato Chips | Delicate real potato slices kettle-baked to a crisp, in flavors like Hickory Honey BBQ. Best bet if you prefer thin chips. | 120 | 3 | 0 | 115 |
| Lesser Evil Classic Sea Salt Krinkle Sticks | Technically not a chip, these potato snacks get kudos for being low in calories. Made from dehydrated potatoes, not potato slices, these snacks look more like a French fry than potato chip. Great kid’s alternative to chips or fries. | 110 | 2.5 | 0 | 310 |
| Pop Chips All Natural Original Potato Chips | These lightweight chips are made from potato flour (not potato slices) and popped using pressure and heat. A great tasting, satisfying crunch. | 120 | 4.5 | 0 | 290 |
*Contains 0.4 grams plant sterols per 1-ounce serving.
By: Julie Upton
(PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO)
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Comments (10)
FYI: The term “healthy” can’t be used for a food product unless it meets certain FDA criteria (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flg-6-2.html#healthy), so only one of the products in your “healthy potato chip” table can even use that term. I’m a nutritionist and a fan of the Kettle Brand Bakes (especially BBQ)… which was chosen by http://www.winningfoods.com back in 2003 for its nutrition and taste.
yes, lucky we dont’ have to follow FDA food packaging guidelines when we write article, as we could not refer to nuts, avocados or anything with over 3 grams fat per serving as HEALTHY! When is the government going to recognize healthful fats!
I just tried those popchips this weekend and like their BBQ much better than Kettle Bakes BBQ… they’ve got a lot more real crunch!
…they’re also loaded with sodium. Keep in mind that advertising and web sites must comply with FDA labeling rules, whether you agree with them or not. If everyone used their own criteria for “healthy,” the word would mean nothing (kind of like it is now).
Well for me, I’d rather have something that tastes good and satisfying my crunchy snack craving, my “health” issue is watching my fat intake and calories so I’m willing trade off a little more sodium so long as it tastes good… we’re talking chips after all, not fruits and veggies! :)
Most of us know what is good for us and what is not.
Eating potato chips is a habit, obviously a strong one. If one has weight or sodium problems, potato chips are not a healthy choice. Suggest to accompany your sandwich or whatever with carrots, celery or tomatoe slices. Make this suggestion your habit.
we are to know for LDL CIP IE LOW COLOSTAAL
It would be interesting to see what else these ‘healthy’ items include. I’m betting most would have the neurotoxin called MSG (621) or similar.
What about the level of trans fats? It’s the trans fats that oxidises the LDL and makes it harmful…until the LDL is oxidised it is not harmful.
Then are likely to be other unlisted chemicals that provide us with the taste punch we love so much….and increase the cravings/addiction.
Sigh! It’s back to carrot sticks and home made dip.
For those folks looking for foods with plant sterols, you might try the Kardea Gourmet nutritional bars and sterol fortified extra-virgin olive oil. http://www.kardeanutrition.com.
Also, some good recipes for natural cholesterol management at http://www.kardeagourmet.com