Are fried chips truly less unhealthy than baked ones? You might be surprised by new analysis

You’re going to be shocked by what a Missouri-registered dietician found out about the differences between baked and fried chips.

To find out if the lower-fat options are truly healthier, Gaby McPherson examined the nutritional makeup of a “typical single-serving bag” of each product. On Monday, she made her findings available on the EatingWell website.

Food corporations have been pushing baked chips as a healthier substitute for the fried, fatty chips that are commonly found on grocery store shelves, and as a result, their popularity has skyrocketed in recent years.

The baked chip market, according to Allied Market Research, was estimated to be worth $6.2 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow to $10.9 billion by 2031 as more customers become conscious of their waistlines.

However, McPherson’s research suggests that eating fried potato chips might not be as bad for you as you might think.

The nutritionist found that while fried potato chips do include more calories and fat, there wasn’t much of a difference between them and baked chips.

Fried chip bags typically contain 149 calories, 10 grammes of total fat, and 1 gramme of saturated fat per serving. By contrast, 131 calories, 5 grammes of fat, and 0.7 grammes of saturated fat are found in baked chips.

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.

“To improve flavour and texture, more sugars and starches are added to baked chips, which could explain the increase in carbohydrates,” the spokesperson said.

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%).

She did make it clear that the salty snack shouldn’t be the main source of essential nutrients for customers.

When it comes to eating chips healthily, McPherson asserts that portion management is ultimately the most crucial factor to take into account. Customers should feel free to indulge in any quantity of chips they choose, as long as it is for a single serving.

She said, “Baked chips aren’t necessarily healthier than regular chips.” However, both can be included in a diet that is healthful. Select your favourite, then savour every last crunchy bite.