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What Are Low-Fat Chips?

S. Gonzales

Last Modified Date: February 12, 2024

Low-fat chips are potato-based snacks that have been made to contain less health-threatening elements than regular options available on the market. They can be baked and include ingredients that are known to be good for the body. Texture and flavor can vary between chips, but can be important factors when determining a preferred brand. Despite advertisements claiming that they are a way to help consumers to control weight, their caloric totals are often comparable to their original versions.

Many low-fat chips are baked instead of fried. This can help to reduce the amount of grease and subsequent empty calories consumed. For those who are not impressed with baked chips, some manufacturers take care to make their fried products as close to the originals as possible.

Some individuals trade regular, fried potato snacks for low-fat chips to protect their health. As a result, it's not uncommon to find that these products have body-friendly ingredients added into their recipes. There may be an inclusion of olive oil or a substitution of table salt for natural sea salt so that blood pressure can be controlled, for example.

There may be an inclusion of olive oil or natural sea salt into recipes of low-fat chips to help control a person's blood pressure.

A common desire for those who want to eat low-fat chips is to find a version of this snack that has the same texture as the original products. This can be difficult and involve some trial-and-error. Some complaints of modified recipes are that the snacks crumble too easily and resemble rice cakes or foods made out of soy more than they do slivers of fried potatoes. The challenge of finding a great product that feels like the original is one that needs to be met with an openness to try several different brands.

While low-fat chips can be available in every flavor that regular versions are, their aftertaste can be a cause for concern amongst snack lovers. Unexpected flavors or residues are often left in mouths after consumption. Many notice that they can taste or smell starchy, bland, or even stale.

Though often marketed as a means to control weight, consumers should be advised that eating this type of snack does not necessarily lead to slimmer figures. Recipes can be altered to include substitutions that ultimately result in caloric counts that are on par with or even higher than those found in regular chips. For example, high amounts of sodium and sugar can be added to low-fat snacks to make up for a potentially uneven taste or texture.

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Discussion Comments

Wisedly33

June 21, 2014

Baked chips are fine. I like them. Save me, however, from low fat chips with that Olestra stuff in them. I remember when Pringles introduced their low fat chips with the Olestra stuff, and said one out of every 10 people would have gastric issues after eating them. Meet the one.

I won't go into gory details, but suffice it to say I didn't get very far from a bathroom for the rest of the night, until all that stuff worked its way out of my system. I said, "never again," and then inadvertently ate another variety that used the same stuff. Same result. Only that time, I had to go home from work and take a sick day! It's not worth the risk. I'll eat regular chips or baked. Not low fat.

Scrbblchick

June 21, 2014

Lays' baked chips are pretty good, especially in the barbecue flavor. They're crispy and may not taste exactly like a fried potato chip, but they're definitely a good substitute if you really want to cut down on your fat consumption.

Baked potato chips are also good for topping casseroles. I like the plain kind mixed with panko crumbs and a little olive oil to top a chicken casserole, or a vegetable casserole. That way, the topping stays nice and crispy. I hate soggy or soft casserole toppings. That's yucky.