Discerning snackers have a lot of excellent choices these days. But when it comes to a classic potato chip, what’s the healthiest version? Is there even such a thing as a “healthy” chip?
It depends on what you’re looking for, dietitians tell TODAY.com, but some chip choices are definitely healthier than others.
“Potato chips in their most natural form are really just potatoes, oil and some salt,” Rachel Stahl Salzman, registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine, tells TODAY.com. And potatoes are a vegetable! So, even a greasy potato chip can provide some fiber, vitamins and minerals, she says.
But that’s not exactly the healthiest way to get those nutritional benefits.
While a potato can provide nutrients like potassium and vitamin A, “When you slice them really thin, deep fry them in — most often unhealthy — oils and smother them in salt or seasoning, they become less healthy,” Julia Zumpano, registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition, tells TODAY.com.
But that doesn’t mean chips can’t be part of your diet, Zumpano says. “Anything in moderation can be included safely,” she says, “especially if you’re mindful of the ingredients and controlling the portion.”
So, if you’re looking for a healthier version of your go-to salty, crunch snack, here’s what to watch out for, according to dietitians.
What to look for in healthier chips:
Baked rather than fried
Classic potato chips are typically fried, but frying foods isn’t the healthiest way to cook them.
A diet high in fried and ultraprocessed foods is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular issues, cancer, dementia and mental health issues. Fried, fatty foods can also exacerbate health conditions like acid reflux.
Fried potatoes may have some unique risks as well: “We know that fried potatoes, including french fries, give off some byproducts that have been shown to be unhealthy,” Zumpano says.
In particular, fried…
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