The Healthiest Chips: Nutritionists Reveal Tips for Finding the Perfect Snack

Discerning snackers have plenty of good options these days. But when it comes to the good old potato chip, what’s the healthiest version? Is there such a thing as “good health”?

It depends on what you want, nutritionists tell TODAY.com, but some chip options are healthier than others.

Rachel Stahl Salzman, a registered dietitian and diabetes education and training specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine, told TODAY.com. And potatoes are vegetables! So, even a greasy potato chip can provide fiber, vitamins and minerals, he says.

But that’s not the healthiest way to get the nutritional benefits.

Although potatoes can provide nutrients such as potassium and vitamin A, “When you slice them thinly, dip them in – usually unhealthy – oil and sprinkle them with salt or spices, while be healthy,” Julia Zumpano, registered dietitian. Cleveland Clinic 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 safely added, especially if you pay attention to ingredients and portion control,” he says.

So, if you want a healthy version of your salty snack, this is what you should pay attention to, according to nutritionists.

What to look for in healthy chips:

It is boiled rather than fried

Classic potato chips are usually fried, but frying is not the best way to cook them.

A diet high in fried and processed foods is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and mental health problems. Fried, fatty foods can also aggravate health conditions such as acid reflux.

Fried potatoes can also have unique risks: “We know that fried potatoes, including french fries, provide products that have been shown to be unhealthy,” Zumpano says.

In particular, baked potatoes can contain acrylamide, a compound that occurs at high temperatures. In laboratory studies, acrylamide can cause cancer and other health issues in animals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Potato snacks that are boiled instead of fried will be a healthy choice, experts agree.

Healthy cooking oils

The oil used to make potato chips is also important, experts say. In particular, “we want to pay attention to excess fat,” Stahl Salzman says, which we want to reduce in order to support our overall health.

Look for brands made with avocado or olive oil, experts say. In particular, experts once told TODAY.com that olive oil is the healthiest cooking oil because of its combination of healthy fats, vitamins and antioxidants. However, the smoke point of olive and avocado oils is lower than other options, which makes them more suitable for baking than frying.

A chip “infused with a high-quality oil, like olive oil or avocado oil, would be two good choices,” Zumpano says.

Some potatoes are made with a mixture of vegetable oil. For example, Lay’s Classic Potato Chips are made with a blend that includes canola, corn, soybean and/or sunflower oil, according to the company’s website. Vegetable oils like these usually have a good balance of healthy fats and nutrients, experts told TODAY.com earlier. And generally they can withstand high temperatures.

Avoid chips made with animal oil as well as coconut, palm or palm oil, which are high in fat, nutritionists say.

A variety of vegetables and legumes

Potatoes have some nutrients – even in chip form. But with so many other options available now, why not leave?

“Now they’re making shifts with beetroot, kale and sweet potato, all of which provide different levels of vitamins and minerals,” says Stahl Salzman. You can even make them yourself.

Recommended

There are also corn, popcorn and black bean chips, as well as snap peas, chickpeas and lentil-based snacks that provide a greater dose of satisfying protein and fiber.

But veggie chips like these aren’t necessarily healthier than their potato counterparts. “You really can’t rely on it as your vegetable – even if it’s beetroot or kale – because it can have a lot of sodium and fat added to it,” Stahl Salzman explains.

Also, look for cooked and cooked foods with healthy, nutrient-dense oils. And remember that even those chips aren’t the best way to get the nutritional benefits from their vegetable ingredients, experts say.

“You might get a little bit of a nutritional benefit from some of those foods, but they’re still snacks,” Zumpano says. “You’ll be better off eating kale or black beans versus the chip version.”

Chip health tips:

When TODAY.com asked for healthy snack ideas, experts suggested these chip options:

• Safe and healthy Quinoa Chips
• Siete Sea Salt Tortilla Chips
• Splitz Original Crunchy Split Pea Crisp Snacks
• Pulp Pantry Jalapeño Lime Chips
• Hippeas Organic Sea Salt and Lime Chickpea Tortilla Chips
• Back to Nature Rosemary Garlic Dipper Crisps

All snacks can fit into a healthy diet, but keep portion sizes in mind

The truth is that all of these chip options are still snacks. They’re not meant to be a great source of nutrients – they’re meant to be delicious!

So, in general, nutritionists say it’s okay to eat your favorite snacks in moderation even if they don’t fit the traditional definition of “healthy.” (If you have certain health conditions, you may need to be more careful with salty foods like these, however.)

That means your snacks don’t have to be “healthy.” If plain old potato chips are your thing, something like a kale chip, blue corn tortilla chip or popcorn chip may not satisfy your cravings. So, if you go with those alternatives, Stahl Salzman says, you may be tempted to pay more by eating than by serving.

On the other hand, some people may find that their favorite potato chips are so “hyper-latable” that they can’t eat just one at a time, Zumpano explains.

When choosing a healthy chip, consider your preferences, snacking habits and nutritional goals, experts agree.

“It’s kind of a delicate balance,” says Stahl Salzman. “And if you’re going to go for plain old potato chips, stick to a small portion, enjoy it and move on.”