I think we can all agree that chips (crisps) are a food that’s hard to say no to – and you can never just have one!
For type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, that’s where chips can get you into trouble.
Here’s why…
Chip Nutrition Facts
Macronutrients
28g of regular potato chips contains about:
- Kilojoules/Calories: 631/151
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Protein: 1.8g
- Fat: 9.6g
- Fibre: 0.9g
Potatoes are a high carb starchy food, which means that chips are naturally high in carbohydrates.
28g of potato chips is about 10 to 15 chips, and as listed above a serve contains about 15g of carbs. But… let’s face it, who sits down to eat just 10 chips?
It’s easy to eat crunchy, salty, snacks like chips on “auto-pilot” and consume way more than you intended to.
Science has even shown that chips are not a satiating (filling/ satisfying) food, which makes you more likely to overeat and consume way more carbs than you intended to!
Similar to regular potato chips, other chips like corn chips, rice chips, and sweet potato chips also contain a lot of carbs, so most standard chips are best avoided altogether.
In addition to being high in carbohydrates, potato chips are also low in fibre. They contain less than 1g of fibre per serving, which doesn’t bode well for your blood sugar control.
The last nutrient to consider is the fat in potato chips.
While naturally-occurring fats in coconuts, avocados, dairy, and meats are good for you, the cheap vegetable oils used to deep-fry chips can be inflammatory.
Trans fats, for example, are the worst of the worst, significantly increasing risk of heart disease. Plus, heating oils to the temperatures needed for deep frying often leads to oxidation of oils, which dramatically reduces their healthfulness.
Micronutrients and Chips
Chips made from potatoes still contain small amounts of beneficial micronutients even after they have been heavily processed and fried in oil. For example, a serving of regular potato chips contains 14% of your daily value of Vitamin C and 10% daily value of Vitamin B-6.
But clearly, this does not counteract for the high carbohydrate content and the overall low quality fats that you’ll generally be getting in those chips.
Instead, reach for whole foods like vegetables and clean animal products to get all the vitamins and minerals you need.
Comparing Different Chips
When you compare different chips you’ll see that they all contain similar amounts of carbs per serving, and remember how small a “serving” is – 10-15 chips.
Potato chips: about 15g carbs per serve (10-15 chips)
Corn chips plain: about 14-15g; cheese flavour like Doritos: about 16.5g carbs (about 11 chips)
Sweet potato chips like Pringles: about 15g carbs, or Kettles are 14.1g per serve. Vege Chips Yellow Sweet Potato Deli Crisps are similar at 12.4g carbs.
Veggie chips like Infuzions Veggie Straws; 10g carbs per small 15g serve, or The Natural Chip Co. Veggie Rings: 11.2g carbs per small 18g serve.
Tortilla chips like Tostitos Tortilla Corn Chips: about 16.5g carbs per serve (14 chips)
Research Facts on Chips and Type 2 Diabetes
It’s no secret that processed snack foods like chips don’t have much of a place in a healthy diet, especially not a low carb diabetes diet.
- The consumption of fried foods has been associated with many negative health consequences such as weight gain and obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.
- Diets rich in processed food, including potato chips are associated with higher risk of metabolic syndrome/ prediabetes.
- On the other hand, low carb diets have been shown to improve insulin resistance and blood sugar control.
- Extensive research shows that a low carb diet can positively affect many metabolic parameters for type 2 diabetics – lower HbA1c levels, reduced triglycerides, increased HDL “good” cholesterol, and greater weight loss, (when compared with high carb, low fat diets).
Best Type of Chips to Eat
So what kind of chips can you eat on a low carb diet?
Veggie-based chips like kale chips can be a great alternative for when you’re craving a “crunch” that is still blood sugar friendly!
Kale is full of vitamins, minerals and beneficial compounds. Plus, it’s low in carbs.
While it may sound strange, kale actually bakes up as perfectly crunchy chips – like super crunchy! And you can flavour them with all sorts of delicious combinations.
Switching out chips for nuts is also a great option. Nuts are super healthy and very satisfying to the appetite, so they will easily fill that snack attack.
Recommendation for Chips and Type 2 Diabetes
Skip the traditional chips and opt for a different, healthier snack, like nuts.
In need more crunch? Dip carrot and celery sticks in some creamy hummus, cottage cheese or peanut butter for a high-fibre snack.
Want something sweet? Get yourself a square of stevia-sweetened chocolate or a slice of low carb chocolate cake.
For a protein-rich snack, enjoy a few slices of beef jerky, a hardboiled egg, or a slice of cheese.
There are so many delicious, low carb snack options out there that are worth your bite, so have fun and experiment until you find what you like!
Type 2 Diabetes Foods to Avoid