Potato chips are an $8-billion industry in North America, but now there are plenty of snack chip alternatives on store shelves that may be a healthier option.
Consumer Reports just tested 32 different snack chips including bean chips, pea chips, veggie chips, and kale. While they’re not as good for you as fresh vegetables, most of the products tested were a little lower in fat and calories than classic potato chips.
Several of the new chips qualify as low sodium and some are an excellent source of fibre.
Consumer Reports found several to recommend:
- Top rated: Calbee Snapea Crisps Original Lightly Salted - they’re airy and crispy, have a pleasant pea flavor, and are low in sodium.
- Beanitos White Bean With Sea Salt – 10 chips have six grams of fiber, the same as a large apple!
- Terra Original Real Vegetable Chips Sea Salt - the best tasting of the veggie chips tested. They’re a colourful mix of real fried veggie slices, including sweet potato.
- Food Should Taste Good Falafel Tortilla Chips - tasty and cost less than the others.
The Consumer Reports test kitchen developed a simple recipe for homemade kale chips and in blind taste tests pitted them against commercial kale chips, costing $7. The homemade version won.
Homemade Kale Chips:
-1⁄2 bag (16 oz.) kale greens, washed, trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces, and dried
-2 cloves garlic, smashed
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Place garlic and oil in a small bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes. Discard garlic.
2. Pile kale on two large baking sheets. Toss with olive oil, coating each leaf. Sprinkle with salt and spread evenly on the baking sheets.
3. Bake 5 minutes. Toss kale using tongs to ensure even cooking. Bake until kale turns dark green and is very crisp, about 7 to 9 minutes. Do not overcook. Cool before serving.
