Britain is a self-certified nation of crisp lovers, consuming more than six billion packets a year and munching on more flavours than any other country in Europe.
However, for those who are diet conscious, the salty snack can be a tempting treat that needs to be avoided, as the average bag is can contain upwards of 160 calories.
Walkers, Britain’s biggest manufacturer of crisps, makes about 10 million packets a day.
The biggest selling flavour for the Leicester firm is Cheese and Onion, and their standard 25g pack contains 124 calories and 6.7 grams of fat.
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Walkers, Britain’s biggest manufacturer of crisps, makes about 10 million packets of crisps a day, with the biggest selling flavour Cheese and Onion. A standard 25g pack contains 124 calories and 6.7 grams of fat. Meanwhile, upmarket brand Emily Crisps has 178 calories, 9.6g of fat and 13.2g of sugar in a packet of Chilli & Lime Potato Sticks
Which crisps are really healthy and which should you avoid?
POPCHIPS
Popchips Potato Chips – Barbecue 23g
Calories: 97
Fat: 3.6g
Saturated fat: 0.3g
Carbs: 14g
Sugar: 0.9g
Salt: 0.65g
Protein: 1.3g
WALKERS SUNBITES
Walkers Sunbites Sun Ripenedsweet Chilli 25g
Calories: 120
Fat: 5.6g
Saturated fat: 0.6g
Carbs: 16.1g
Sugar: 2.4 g
Salt: 0.65g
Protein: 1.8 g
WALKERS BAKED
Walkers Baked Ready Salted, 25g
Calories: 109
Fat: 3.4g
Saturated fat: 0.3g
Carbs: 17.3g
Sugar: 1.5g
Salt: 0.3g
Protein: 1.7 g
TYRELLS MIXED ROOT VEGETABLE CRISPS
Parsnip, beetroot & carrot crisps with sea salt, 40g
Calories: 202
Fat: 12.8g
Saturated fat: 0.3g
Carbs: 18g
Sugar: 9.6g
Salt: 0.5g
Protein: 1.6g
HIPPEAS
Chickpea Puffs Sweet & Smokin 23G
Calories: 90
Fat: 3.8g
Saturated fat: 0.4g
Carbs: 11.2g
Sugar: 0.7g
Salt: 0.3g
Protein: 2.9g
EAT REAL HUMMUS
Eat Real Hummus Chips Sea Salt 40g
Eat Real say a serving is 28g and they are sold in bags that are 1.43 servings
Calories: 180
Fat: 6.8g
Saturated fat: 0.5g
Carbs: 27.36g
Sugar: 0.88g
Salt: 0.8g
Protein: 2.6g
EAT REAL LENTILS
Eat Real Lentils Chips Sea Salt (40g)
Eat Real say a serving is 28g and are sold in bags that are 1.43 servings
Calories: 186
Fat: 7.8g
Saturated fat: 0.56g
Carbs: 26.4g
Sugar: 0.88g
Salt: 0.76g
Protein: 3.72g
EAT REAL QUINOA CHIPS
Eat Real Quinoa Chips Sour Cream and Chive, 30g
These are sold in 80g bags and have 2.66 portions per bag
Calories: 165
Fat: 8.6g
Saturated fat: 0.6g
Carbs: 19.2g
Sugar: 0.9g
Salt: 0.65g
Protein: 24g
So, with healthy alternatives constantly popping up, just how much healthier is the protein based alternatives to the schoolyard snack?
Some, it seems, aren’t healthier at all. Upmarket Emily Crisps Chilli & Lime Potato Sticks have more calories in their 35g packets than some classic Walkers crunch.
The vegetable sticks, made from sweet potato have 178 calories in, and 9.6g of fat as well as 13.2g of sugar, significantly more than the cheese and onion from Walkers.
Speaking exclusively to Femail, award-winning nutritionist Kate Llewellyn-Waters warned dieters against opting for a ‘healthier’ vegetable crisp.
‘The problem with vegetable crisp products, is that they are often viewed as healthier alternatives to their regular potato crisp counterpart, and unfortunately this isn’t always true.
‘Crisps, be that vegetable or potato crisps are still crisps, and even if they are made with vegetables such as beetroot or carrot, they are very likely to contain too much saturated fat and salt.
‘Many brands of vegetable crisps have higher levels of saturated fat and salt than leading UK potato crisp brands.
‘And, because clients see this as a “healthier alternative” many end up eating double portion sizes of this such product, as they see it as healthy and gives them a carte blanche to eat as many as they like.
‘This can impact an individual’s health and weight loss journey significantly
So, with healthy alternatives constantly popping up, just how much healthier is the protein based alternatives to the schoolyard snack?
While Tyrrells Vegetable Crisps have 202 calories in a packet as well as 12.8g of fat, 18g of carbs, 9.6g of which are sugars.
Trendy popchips, that are only 97 calories, and 90 calorie puffed chickpea brand ‘hippeas’ are more healthy than the average snack, with less sugar, salt and calories – but aren’t far behind a bag of skips, which only has 109 calories.
Walkers own version of their healthy snacks, baked crisps and sunbites both have less calories than a standard bag.
But Sunbites, marketed as a wholegrain healthy snack, only have six less calories than a standard bag and twice the amount of sugar.
The baked version, at 109 calories also have more sugar.
Eat Real told Femail: ‘Eat Real products claim to be ‘healthier’ not ‘healthy’ and the basis for this claim is that the products have no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and are free from all 14 major allergens. Walkers, for example uses Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Barley, Soya, Celery and Mustard in its factory, as declared on the packaging.
‘Eat Real declares its products as a ‘healthier’ alternative to regular potato-based snacking based on the average percentage of fat reduction compared to a standard potato chip. This reduction is demonstrated on the packaging as reduction from 10g to 5.5g fat when compared to regular potato chips.
‘The declaration of ‘healthier’ is also based on a combination of the content of fat, sugars and salt in total and not just the calorie content.
‘Eat Real products contain higher protein and fibre levels compared against regular potato snacks.
‘Eat Real products have a base of alternative pulses rather than potato, which results in a huge reduction in Acrylamide (known to cause cancer)
‘In addition Eat Real uses Rapeseed oil in production as it is a good source of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat – rapeseed has the lowest saturated fat of any oil and ten times as much omega 3 as olive oil. Walkers use Sunflower oil which although is a source of protective antioxidant vitamin E (although still less than rapeseed oil), its largely omega 6 polyunsaturates so you will need to ensure you get enough omega 3s from other sources of your diet to balance out the effects.’
Emily Veg Crisps told Femail: ‘Emily veg crisps are made from real vegetables and only natural ingredients. The vegetables we use, like sweet potato and green beans, contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin A, unlike the regular white potatoes used in most crisps, making them a good alternative.
‘The sugars in our products are naturally occurring (for example, in sweet potato) and we always avoid adding refined sugar, along with anything artificial. Our products are also Gluten Free and Vegan Friendly.
‘At Emily we believe that all snacks should be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle.
Source: Food Recipes and News
