Of all chips, plain chips are the least unhealthy
Obviously, even we wouldn’t go so far as to say that any kind of chips is healthy, or good for you (except perhaps for your mood). Nor that they’re a great way to get your daily portion of (potato) vitamins. But that good old humble chip, simply the plain variety, really isn’t all that bad!
The art of leaving things out
That’s mainly because of everything it doesn’t contain. Grab any old bag of Doritos and take a look at that long list of ingredients that aren’t exactly appetite-inducing. We’re certainly not against a little flavour enhancer, and fortunately in the Netherlands you can assume that food is safe, but palm oil, glucose syrup, sugar and dextrose? Wow. Put it back. And now grab a bag of über-simple plain chips. Just a bag of Appie’s own-brand chips or, if you want to go fancy-ass, a bag of Kettle Seasalt. What’s in it? Potato, sunflower oil, salt. That’s it.
Is that a banana in your bag of chips?
Do you know what else chips contain as a bonus? Potassium. 100 grams of plain chips contains 1,275 mg of potassium – proportionally, about as much as a small banana! Potassium is a mineral that’s good for your blood pressure and for regulating the fluid balance in your body. You’ll also find fibre and protein in them, and don’t think you’re going to find those when you open a bag of Skittles or something similar as a binge-snack.
So?
Have we convinced you? Shall we all leave the complicated sweet sugar chips alone and restore the humble thin slice of fried potato to its rightful place? I know what I’ll be opening tonight…
Also read:
- What to eat when you’re having a f-ing awful day
- The origin of chips
- How many potatoes are in a bag of chips?
