12 Healthier Alternatives to Potato Chips

by varsha - February 12, 2021

When you are plain bored and want something to nibble on when those 4 pm hunger pangs strike, crispy potato chips come to the rescue! Come on, it’s really hard to say “no” to an air-filled bag of crunchy goodness! Available in a myriad of flavours, potato chips appeal to every palate and tastebud out there because it’s a “perfect” snacking option while viewing cricket matches, for weekend house and pyjama parties with friends, and even during a movie date night. But as we all know, chips are not healthy at all, neither for weight loss nor for general health. No, not even baked chips because they usually have higher levels of a compound called “acrylamide” that can potentially cause nerve damage, increase the risk of cancer, among other health risks and create inflammation which is a major reason for weight gain. No matter the shape, no matter whether it’s baked or not, potato chips are not good for weight loss at all. They are high in calories, usually have transfat, and it’s hard to stop at just one packet, lights up the reward center of the brain, increasing further cravings. Also, each bag of chips has approximately 200 calories, mostly comprising of unhealthy fats, sodium, artificial flavours, even sugar, and that’s why they can be easily categorized as junk food. It’s also one food item that can lead to belly fat. It also doesn’t help that these chips are easy to stock, they aren’t perishable, and available at cheap price per packet. In this post, we list out healthier alternatives to potato chips, so that you can munch away with glee, stay within the health spectrum, and avoid weight gain as well. To lose weight the healthy way, by eating the right kind of food, check out various diet programs on the Rati Beauty app, that are easy to follow and practice.

You can make all these chips by baking in a microwave until crisp or in an air fryer without using any cooking oil.

1. Beetroot chips: Beetroot are full of antioxidants and detoxify skin. You can easily make chips by making thin slices out of beetroots and satisfy your sweet tooth.
2. Banana/Plantain Chips: These chips are quite famous down South in Kerala. Though high in calories, they are comparatively healthier to banana.
3. Apple chips: Absolutely delicious, you can make thin apple slices and then bake, dehydrate or air fry them to get crunchy chips out of them.
4. Carrot Chips: Rich in beta carotene, you get the benefits of antioxidants too through these chips.
5. Pineapple chips: Rich in vitamin C, vitamin B, potassium, and fiber, pineapple chips will appeal to kids as well.
6. Sweet Potato Chips: If you haven’t tried sweet potato chips yet, you gotta do it right now because they come out crispy, are nutritious, and taste great too.
7. Radish chips: These chips would be low in calories and carbs, and you can flavour them up with salt and pepper as well.
8. Tofu chips: Cut tofu into thin slices and bake them till they turn crispy and brown, and they would taste amazing with homemade sauce.
9. Zucchini chips: You might have heard about zucchini noodles, but chips? Yes, just slice them thin enough before putting them in the oven so that they come nice and crisp.
10. Eggplant/Brinjal chips: Don’t roll your eyes yet please! One can get tasty chips out of a basic vegetable like brinjal by slicing them thin and flavouring up with just black pepper, salt, and olive oil before putting them into the oven.
11. Tomato Chips: Dehydrate tomato slices or bake them with salt and black pepper as added flavours.
12. Mushroom chips: Extremely low in calories, one can bake mushrooms to crispy brown texture and enjoy them as chips to have as a perfect snack when hunger pangs strike.