It’s no surprise that salt and vinegar chips are a popular snack, for their spicy flavor and satisfying crunch. But they tend to be high in carbs, fat, and sodium, and don’t contain many other nutrients to keep you full. While chips and other snacks can be part of a healthy diet if consumed in moderation, Consuming them frequently can cause weight gain and contribute to other health problems, says the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Consequently, you may want to eat them in limited quantities.
Even heart-healthy varieties, like baked or low-sodium potato chips, are best enjoyed just once in a while. If you crave French fries regularly, consider making your own at home by thinly slicing sweet potatoes or other vegetables and air frying them.
How eating French fries affects your health
Salt and vinegar chips are high in calories, carbohydrates and fat. These foods are highly processed, in general, and do not provide many vitamins or other nutrients, advises the University of Central Florida.
Because chips often contain no protein or fiber, they are less likely to make you feel full or satisfied. As a result, you may eat much more than the recommended serving. This means you’re also taking in quite a few more calories, which contributes to weight gain.
Highly processed foods, such as potato chips, also tend to be high in saturated fat, which can increase levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, the study notes. American Heart Association (AHA). Having a high LDL level can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you eat foods like salt and vinegar chips regularly, chances are your sodium intake is high, too. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 90 percent of Americans consume too much salt daily. And much of this high sodium intake comes from packaged, prepared and processed foods, like chips.
Regularly eating foods high in sodium can increase blood pressure. And having high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the FDA notes.
Excess sodium can also cause you to retain water, which contributes to bloating and even weight gain, AHA advises.
Salt and Vinegar Chips: A Closer Look at the Nutrition Facts
Salt and vinegar chips are a popular snack. Some chip companies, such as Lay’s, produce a variety of salt and vinegar chips, including original, baked, and kettle-cooked options.
According Lay peopleOne serving of Original Salt and Vinegar Chips is equal to 28 grams (g), or approximately 17 chips. Each serving has 160 calories and 10 g of fat, with 1.5 g of saturated fat, reports the US Department of Agriculture FoodData Central database. French fries also have 15 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fiber.
There aren’t many essential nutrients in Lay’s Salt and Vinegar Chips. But you can find 10 percent of your daily value for vitamin C and 9 percent of your daily value for potassium in each serving.
As the name suggests, salt and vinegar chips also have a high amount of sodium. There are 220 milligrams (mg) of sodium in each 17-chip serving. This represents almost 15 percent of the 1,500 mg of sodium daily recommended by the AHA.
Although baked, boiled, or low-sodium chips are often presented as healthier alternatives (and may be lower in fat and salt), they can still be high in calories and carbohydrates, contributing to weight gain and other health problems, if eaten regularly. For example, a 28 g serving of original baked potato chips has 120 calories and 21 g of carbohydrates, according to Food data center.
Satisfying Snack Alternatives
Salt and vinegar chips are a snack you might want to enjoy once in a while, rather than every day. If you crave traditional French fries, opt for baked varieties, which contain less fat. Also look for those with minimal ingredients, which may indicate they’ve been less processed, she advises. Hartford Health Care.
Or try making your own at home. You can thinly slice bananas, cassava, beets, red potatoes, or sweet potatoes and air fry them for heart-healthy alternatives. Baking kale and broccoli until crisp and roasting Brussels sprouts with seasonings can also provide a satisfying crunch.
When having a snack, Harvard Health Publications recommends opting for more satiating and nutrient-rich foods. The healthiest snacks include unprocessed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains, notes the AHA. They all contain protein, fiber and healthy fats to keep you feeling full.
For a crunch without chips, try apples with peanut butter or enjoy roasted chickpeas or popped popcorn. Low-fat cheese, hummus with veggie sticks, and roasted cashews are also nutritious snacks.
