The bottom line: Veggie chips are really no "healthier" than potato chips, so it's not worth picking one over the other. If you want to swap out processed snacks without giving up the salt and crunch, opt for fresh veggies with hummus, homemade vegetable chips, or a handful of lightly salted nuts.
Go with the classic snap pea crisps ($40 for 12 bags), or try something a little different with red lentil or black bean crisps. The ingredients are all baked into the perfect crunchy snacks for getting anyone to eat more veggies!
Even if they're made from non-potato veggies, they contain too much fat and salt to be considered a nutritious snack option.
Carrots are easy to prep and still give you that nice crunch of the chips, but contain additional health benefits like Vitamin A for healthy eyes and skin. Plus, they contain virtually zero grams of fat. We also recommend red and green bell peppers or cucumber slices, all of which provide a refreshing crunch.
Nancy Copperman, director of public health initiatives at North Shore - LIJ Health System in Great Neck, N.Y., says that both potato chips and Pringles aren't exactly healthy, but Pringles contain 2.5 times more saturated fat per serving, a worse type of fat.
Overall, veggie straws are lowest in calories per serving, but not vastly different in total fat and sugars compared with regular potato chips, tortilla chips, and sweet potato chips. In fact, they're the highest in sodium and exceed the USDA's FNS sodium limit for Smart Snacks.
Fritos chili cheese flavored chips encapsulate the worst health risks out of the entire line of snacks, with a walloping 11 grams of fat and over a tenth of one's salt intake per snack bag. If you want to avoid an overabundance of sodium and fat for the day, steer clear of this nutritional nightmare.
But are they really a healthier chip? Not really. A serving of these "cauliflower" chips actually have more carbs than many traditional chips at 19 grams. Classic Lays potato chips come in at 15 grams, Fritos have 16 grams and Doritos also have 16 grams of carbs.
Clancy's Veggie Straws from ALDI are a great snack for any time of day. With natural flavors and 30% less fat than potato chips, they are a healthy alternative when you crave something crunchy!
Chips made from vegetables contain fiber, protein, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. They are lower in fat and have less calories than traditional potato chips. This makes them a popular snack for those concerned with weight management. Eating traditional potato chips can be a mundane experience.
Most of our chips are simply made using potatoes and sunflower oil. Our original oven chips are only 5% fat and our Home Chips Lighter have 30% less fat than standard Home Chips. In fact, 95% of our products have only green or amber nutritional indicators across saturated fat, fat, salt and sugar.
"Compared to frying frozen fries from leading fast food french fry brands in a deep frier, the air fryer version has 60% less fat." Registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Alissa Rumsey agreed that air fryers are healthier.
One ounce (about 15 chips) of baked potato chips has 14% fewer calories (153 vs. 131), 50% less fat (10 grams vs. 5 grams) and 67% less saturated fat (3 grams vs. 1 gram) than traditional potato chips.
French fries and potato chips are high in calories and fat, which could contribute to weight gain if consumed in excess. Therefore, it's best to enjoy these foods in moderation.
Curb Your Craving With This Reach for kale chips, air-popped popcorn, and crunchy produce like apples, celery, and carrots. Dip veggie sticks into hummus if you feel the urge for chips and dip coming on!
Root vegetable crisps
They might look more wholesome than potato crisps with their bright colours, but if you look more closely at the nutritional information you'll see that they aren't a healthier choice.
With just beets and salt in the ingredient list, these beet chips are a tasty, crunchy alternative to the store bought versions and much healthier than potato chips or processed vegetable chips.