Food Showdown: Can You Pick the Chip Champion?

By , SparkPeople Blogger
Sometimes, you want a crunchy, salty snack—and rice cakes just aren't going to cut it. When using portion control, it's completely possible to sneak in a serving of chips for an occasional treat. But not all chips are created equal, and it can be overwhelming to choose from so many different varieties. Sweet potato chips and ''baked'' chips have cropped up in the snack aisle, both promising a better-for-you, wholesome chip. Between TERRA Crinkles Sweet Potato Sea Salt Chips and Kettle Brand Baked Potato Chips with Sea Salt, which is the chip champion?
 
The Winner: Kettle Brand Baked Potato Chips with Sea Salt!

First, let's take a look at the ingredients for both chips:

Kettle Brand (from the Kettle Brand website): Potatoes, vegetable oil (safflower and/or sunflower oil), sea salt.

TERRA (from the TERRA website): Sweet potato, expeller pressed canola oil and/or safflower oil and/or sunflower oil, sea salt.

Both chips have similar minimal ingredients lists, which is great. However, it's all in the way the chips are prepared. The sweet potato chips are cooked in oil, which bumps up the fat content considerably when compared to the baked chips. One ounce of the Kettle Brand chips is 120 calories and 3 grams of fat, while one ounce of the TERRA chips will cost you 160 calories and 11 grams of fat. That's almost four times the fat! But watch out--not all baked chips are created equally. Other brands may have similar nutritional stats, but pack in hidden ingredients like soy lecithin and corn sugar. The bottom line is to read your labels and compare brands to make the most informed decision that you can.

TIP: When indulging in chips, portion out one serving into a bowl and put the bag away. It can be easy to mindlessly munch on salty snacks, especially when watching TV or socializing! As a general rule, a one-ounce serving of chips is about 15-20 chips.

Do you eat chips for a treat? What's your favorite kind?