Potato Chip Diet Tips
Potato Chips, a chip off the old block.....
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
Can potato chips fit into a healthy weight loss plan?
One ounce of potato chips contains about 150 calories and 11 grams of fat.
A good rule of thumb where calories are concerned is to think of each chip as 10 calories.
Almost all chips - corn, cheese and tortilla contain about 10 calories per chip.
Typically, a serving of potato chips equals 15 chips.
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Baked Potato vs Potato Chips
So how do potato chips stand up to the baked potato? One raw potato measuring 2 1/3" X 4 3/4" contains less calories than an ounce of potato chips with fat content weighing in at 0.16 grams.
Obviously, the calories are in the fat which is in the chip. Before we delve further, let's examine the healthy baked potato at greater length. At first glance, it appears drop-dead gorgeous - so large, so low in calories, so low in fat.
And then we think, "Well, as long as I'm standing here at the potato bar, I might as well add a bit of real butter, a smear of full-blown sour cream, a few bacon bits - and oh yes, a nice wad of cheese. Hum, make that two wads as the potato is a very healthy beast."
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Unfortunately, the dieter would be better off grabbing a serving of chips. Ironic how something so good can turn to bad so quickly, isn't it?
Baked Potato Chips, Light Chips & Regular Potato Chips
When purchasing potato chips take time to examine the nutrition label very carefully. Packaging - specifically the marketing wording can create consumer confusion at times.
For example, just because a bag of potato chips is labeled 'light' it doesn't always mean that the chips contain less fat, therefore less calories.
The use of the word 'light' might be referencing sodium (or salt) content as many individuals are ordered by their doctors to watch the salt.
Excess sodium in the daily diet may not create issues for all, but in the individuals in which it does they may experience issues with water retention which in turn can impact blood pressure readings in an unhealthy way - and in turn, create ill-effects on the heart and circulatory system.
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In addition, if the potato chip contains one of the new fat-free 'oils', the body may react in a negative way. Symptoms may include any of the following: diarrhea, upset stomach, abdominal cramps and belly ache, nausea, vomiting - absolute digestive upset.
Opting for baked potato chips can assist in saving a few calories as well as fat grams. Pay particular attention to the saturated fat grams as well as any Trans fats that may be listed on the labels as these are the two top health offenders when it comes to dietary fat content.
Dip or Not to Dip, That is the Weight Loss Question
Most of the time, it's not so much what we eat - but what we add to what we eat. Like with salads which are naturally healthy when prepared with fresh vegetables and lean proteins - and yes, even low fat dairy foods such as skim mozzarella cheese.
But when we add fatty salad dressing, buttery croutons and so forth - the salad calories blow right out of the bowl.
Such as the situation with potato chips. While 150 calories per serving isn't that bad, when we add fatty dips, full-blown sour cream, full-blown cream cheese and so forth to the chips - the calories blow right out of the potato skins along with our hips and thighs.
So if you do get a potato chip craving while dieting - then by all means go for it but do stick to one serving and count those calories in your daily total. Eat each chip very slowly. And no dipping.
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