The perpetual struggle between eating things that are tasty and eating things that are healthy for you is ongoing. Potato chips have long been a favorite snack because of their flavor and their texture. They are also easy to find in any grocery or convenience store. Many brands of potato chips continue to dominate store shelves. Currently, though, the hunt is on for healthy chips as an alternative to potato chips.
Healthy chips, by definition, should be able to replace potato chips as snacks while also proving to be a much healthier option by comparison. The development of these chips has happened in a variety of ways.
Since regular potato chips usually involve deep fat frying, other methods have been explored to act as a proper alternative. This also is not limited to potato chips but can include banana chips, quinoa chips, and other veggie chips that can satisfy one’s snack cravings.
The rise of obesity has often cited the unhealthy food that people have easy access to as one of the main culprits. Researchers have shown that consuming too much fat is a contributor to obesity and other related chronic diseases. Excess lipid consumption, especially of saturated fats, increases the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer
Is there a demand for healthy chips?
In 2005, potato chips generated revenues of $16.4 billion and accounted for 35.5% of the total savory snacks market. Sixty-one percent of customers viewed “low-fat” as an important attribute of snack foods, and this opinion increased by 14% from 2007 to 2009.
Based on a survey conducted by the Snack Food Association in 2009, 88% of customers think that “good value” is the key driver of snack selection. Meanwhile, 79% of consumers are trying “to eat healthier.” The survey also showed that “healthier” snack sales grew 3.9% (2007 vs. 2008) The demand for low-fat or fat-free snack chips provides an important opportunity for developing new snack items with a healthier profile.
What healthy chips are available?
A lot of banana chips also go through deep fat frying as standard potato chips do. However, there have been attempts to decrease oil absorption in them. This in turn makes healthier chips by comparison. That was the case in 2009 when the hydrocolloid pectin was used for low fat banana chip production.
In 2018, a study was conducted on the quality of fried sweet potato chips during microwave-assisted vacuum frying. The effects of ultrasound treatments on these were observed. The result was a bit surprising. A proper ultrasound power level and time have to be selected to produce fried sweet potato chips with less oil uptake, crisper texture, and better appearance.
In 2021 alone, another study was conducted to examine vegetable chips as an alternative. Two hundred ten respondents answered a survey regarding several issues to determine if it affects their purchase intention towards vegetable chips. These included environmental concern, health consciousness, hedonic shopping value, and price consciousness.
Key takeaways
It is becoming more and more clear that, given the chance to eat healthily, people would do so. Potato chips that have been produced through deep fat frying and use of preservatives still dominate store shelves. These days though, the desire for healthy chips as an alternative to potato chips is ongoing.
The production of healthy chips is still mostly something that companies in the United States and elsewhere are willing to gamble on. They have been finding some success in the production of banana chips, sweet potato chips, and veggie chips.
Still, they are largely outnumbered by the giant potato chip producers. Until these healthy alternatives become more mainstream, they might be relegated to specialty stores.
Do you have favorite healthy chip alternatives? Share them with us in the comments!
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