Who can resist a bag of salty, crunchy chips? But we all know that these crispy, fried potato treats aren't the healthiest of snack choices. That familiar, inner voice that reminds us to stay on the straight and narrow path of “good for you” foods points in the direction of the produce aisle. But what if you could get the crispy taste of a fried potato in the form of a non-fried, vegetable based snack? You would have a bag of baked veggie chips. It sounds like the perfect solution to an impending snack crisis. Veggies that are salty, crispy, and taste delicious dipped in French onion dip. What a way to get your seven servings of produce. Or is it? Are baked veggie chips really as healthy as they're cracked up to be?
The first question to ask is whether those baked veggie chips are really “veggie”. When you read the ingredient list of many brands of baked veggie chips, vegetables are listed near the bottom. Instead of broccoli, spinach, and squash, you're getting mostly vegetable food coloring sprinkled on top of potato flour. Then there's the calorie and fat content. If they're baked veggie chips, not fried, the calorie and fat content may be a bit more reasonable, although even some baked veggie chips are deceptively high in fat and calories. Again, label reading is critical. Don't be misled by phrases such as “low fat” and “low calorie”. Confirm it with your own eyes.
What about the much discussed and often maligned mineral sodium? The sodium content of baked veggie chips can range from under one hundred to over three hundred milligrams per serving. Since veggie chips are a snack, choose a chip that keeps sodium under a hundred milligrams per serving.
There's another problem with baked veggie chips. They are high in acrylamides. Acrylamides are found in many baked and fried starchy foods that have been cooked or baked to a high heat, particularly French fries and potato chips. Acrylamides are known carcinogens in animals. Surprisingly, baked veggie chips have one of the highest quantities of acrylamides, possibly because they're baked to a high temperature in a dry environment. No one is sure what role acrylamides play in human health, but it certainly can't be positive. Just one more reason to limit your intake of chips of any type.
It's obvious that baked veggie chips aren't going to take the place of freshly prepared, steamed vegetables when it comes to promoting health, but if you feel like you have to have a chip, choose wisely by reading the ingredients and the nutritional content closely. One better selection in the chip department are Crispy Delites Natural Veggie Chips. They have around 110 calories per serving with only 3 grams of fat. You even get 3 grams of heart healthy fiber in every serving.
If you choose to snack on baked veggie chips, at least do it in moderation and don't let it take the place of your seven servings of fruits and vegetables for the day. Your body will thank you.
