In order to ascertain whether the lower-fat options are healthier, registered dietitian Gaby McPherson examined the nutritional makeup of a single-serving bag of baked and fried chips. Her results might surprise you.
Food firms have been pushing baked chips as a healthier substitute for fried, fatty chips, but McPherson’s research, which she published on the EatingWell website on Monday, seems to indicate otherwise.
The baked chip industry is expected to reach $10.9 billion by 2031, up from $6.2 billion in 2021, according to Allied industry Research, which was reported by The New York Post.
On the other hand, McPherson’s research implies that fried potato chips might not be as bad.
Fried potato chips certainly include more calories and fat, according to the dietician,She also came to the conclusion that there wasn’t much of a difference between those chips and baked chips.
Fried chips include 10 grams of total fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, and 149 calories per serving; baked chips have 5 grams of fat, 0.7 grams of saturated fat, and 131 calories per serving.
According to McPherson, “baked chips offer less overall fat than regular chips, making them slightly lower in calories, which will have a minimal impact on your daily calorie intake.”
She also discovered that, on average, baked chips contain 25% more carbs than their fried counterparts.
Potato chips that are fried also contain vitamins and minerals that are not present in baked chips.
It turns out that ordinary chips provide two more helpful elements than baked chips: potassium (12% vs. 7% of your Daily Value in a typical serving) and vitamin C (24% vs. 0%).
McPherson says that portion control is essential for consuming chips in a healthy way and that people shouldn’t rely solely on salty snacks for their dietary needs.
She said, “Baked chips aren’t necessarily healthier than regular chips.” However, both can be included in a diet that is healthful. Select your favorite and savour every last crunchy bite.
“Baked chips are enhanced in flavor and texture by adding additional starches and sugars, which could be the reason for the increase in carbohydrates,” the spokesperson said.
