Does light chips contain fewer calories than normal chips?

Chips are definitely not healthy, we all know that. Yet many people find it difficult to stay away from it completely! After all, a nice evening in front of the TV or an afternoon on the couch is almost impossible without. And of course chip manufacturers have understood that very well!

For this reason, more and more â € healthierâ € ™ varieties of chips are appearing in the shops. Light chips are an excellent example of this. Most people know that they are not exactly healthy, but at least they contain fewer calories â € “right? Unfortunately, even that is a bit disappointing… How that is possible, we will explain today. And of course we also look at healthier alternatives!
For this reason more and more â € healthierâ € ™ varieties of chips are appearing in the shops. Light chips are an excellent example of this. Most people know they are not exactly healthy, but at least they contain fewer calories â € “right? Unfortunately, even that is a bit disappointing… How that is possible, we explain today. And of course we also look at healthier alternatives!

Chip unhealthy

The bad reputation of chips is mainly due to the enormous amount of fats. The surplus of salt is of course also a problem, but we won't talk about that much in this article. These fats are more interesting for the calories in chips. With no less than 9 calories per gram, they ensure that even a small portion of chips quickly becomes a bomb of calories.
The bad reputation of chips is mainly due to the enormous amount of fats. The excess of salt is of course also a problem, but we will not talk about that much in this article. These fats are more interesting for the calories in chips. With no less than 9 calories per gram, they ensure that even a small portion of chips quickly becomes a bomb of calories.

At first glance you would think that light chips will solve at least part of the problem. After all, light means that something contains fewer calories, doesn't it? That means less unhealthy fats, logically. The problem is that the conditions for the “light” label are a bit more complicated than that.

A product can be called light in three cases: if it contains 30% less calories, if it contains 30% less sugar, or if it contains 30% less fat. As long as one of those conditions is met, the rest doesn't matter. Obviously, this provides the opportunity for tricks. Consider, for example, the light peanut butter in which the amount of sugar had more than doubled.
A product can be called light in three cases: if it contains 30% less calories, if it contains 30% less sugar, or if it contains 30% less fat. As long as one of those conditions is met, the rest doesn't matter anymore. Obviously, this provides the opportunity for tricks. Consider, for example, the light peanut butter in which the amount of sugar had more than doubled.

So the first question we have to ask ourselves is: which of the options are light chips? In general, here it is the amount of fat that has been reduced by 30%. That seems like good news: after all, that saves a lot of unhealthy fats, doesn't it? Unfortunately, further research shows that progress is not as great as expected.

After all, the lack of fat must be compensated in some way or another so that the chips do not taste worse. The most common solution is to simply add a lot of starch. As a result, light chips contain a lot more carbohydrates than regular chips.

This of course has consequences for the total amount of calories in the chips. More than 10 grams of fat are removed per 100 grams of chips - a difference of about 100 calories. In return, however, you eat about 12 grams of extra carbohydrates. That means that about 52 calories are added.
This of course has consequences for the total amount of calories the chips contain. More than 10 grams of fat are removed per 100 grams of chips - a difference of about 100 calories. In return, however, you eat about 12 grams of extra carbohydrates. That means that there are also about 52 calories added.

So your total gain is only about 50 calories! When you consider that 100 grams of chips have a total of about 550 calories, it becomes clear that the difference with light chips - 480 calories per 100 grams - is minimal. The 30% fewer calories that you would expect from a light product are nowhere near. Instead, the difference is only about 10%.
So your total gain is only about 50 calories! When you consider that 100 grams of chips have a total of about 550 calories, it becomes clear that the difference with light chips - 480 calories per 100 grams - is minimal. The 30% fewer calories you would expect from a light product, you will not get by far. Instead, the difference is only about 10%.

Such a problem actually applies to all potato chips that claim to contain less fat. A product that has become increasingly popular lately is Lays Oven Baked. These chips are not fried, but baked in the oven. That means that you have to use a lot less oil, and therefore consume fewer calories.

And indeed the Baked chips of all variants are relatively the slimmest. Nevertheless, there must also be some compensation here to guarantee the taste. They still deliver about 440 calories per 100 grams, because they are incredibly rich in carbohydrates.

All in all, chips just don't stay that healthy, whether you choose light or normal. Of course, the occasional hand does not necessarily have to be a problem. However, if you regularly notice that you are inclined to reach for the chips again, it is better to look for an alternative. Making your own is always a good option!
All in all, chips just don't stay that healthy, whether you choose light or normal. Of course, the occasional hand does not necessarily have to be a problem. However, if you regularly notice that you are tempted to reach for the chips again, you better look for an alternative. Making your own is always a good option!

We have previously devoted a blog to Sweet potato chips on Droospieren. With this delicious recipe you can easily make relatively slim and healthy chips from the oven. And of course you can also use regular potato instead of sweet potato!

Do you want to eat less carbohydrates? Then you can also opt for vegetable chips. This not only produces less fats, but also more vegetables. Almost everyone can use an extra portion of that! There is a lot of variation possible here. Well-known are the courgette chips, but you can also use less popular winter vegetables to make chips.

If you don't feel like diving into the kitchen yourself, you can of course also opt for ready-to-eat vegetable chips. However, a small warning is in order. Most vegetable chips from the store are simply fried, not baked in the oven. That means that you still get a hefty portion of fat and calories with it. Keep that in mind when planning the rest of your menu!