How vegetable crisps may not be as healthy as you think

If you've found yourself swapping regular crisps for vegetable crisps in a bid to eat healthier, you may want to think twice about your snack choice. A new study conducted for Wren Kitchen has revealed that some vegetable crisps actually contain more fat than a Mars Bar or Krispy Kreme doughnut, making them significantly less healthy than many people think.

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Registered nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed found that a standard bag of vegetable crisps can contain just two-thirds of vegetables, with the rest largely comprised of oil and salt. For instance a bag of Tyrell's Mixed Root Vegetable Crisps contains 14.3 grams of fat in a 40g serving, while a Mars Bar has 8.6 grams, a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnut has 8.3 grams of fat and a McDonald's cheeseburger has only 6 grams of fat per serving.

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Some vegetable crisps contained more fat than a glazed doughnut

In some cases you may be better opting for a regular variety of crisps such as Walker's French Fries, which contain 6.4 grams of fat in a bag, or Wotsits, which have 7.4 grams of fat per 22.5g bag. "The concern with products that are often seen as 'healthier alternatives', such as vegetable crisps, is they don't always match up to their reputations," Charlotte explained. "Crisps are crisps, and even if they are made with vegetables, they are likely to contain too much in the way of fat, saturated fat and salt. In fact, the vegetable crisps here have higher levels of saturated fat and salt than some well-known regular crisp brands."

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She added: "As a nutritionist, I've seen this first hand in weight loss clinics where clients may eat even as much as double a portion size of a product if it's perceived to be healthy." The best thing you can do is to eat all snacks – including those which are perceived as healthy – in moderation, and focus on eating balanced meals that will satiate your cravings and keep you full for longer.

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