Vegetable Chips: Empty Promises?

Christine Albert studied German linguistics and literature as well as Scandinavian studies at the Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg. She is currently doing a traineeship at Hubert Burda Media and is writing, among other things, for

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They are made from lentils, beans or beetroot and also have a nicer packaging: In terms of calories, vegetable chips have nothing better than potatoes.

They have a healthier image and advertise with statements such as "less fat than potato chips" and "more protein": Vegetable chips are still no healthier than traditional snacks. This is the conclusion of the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer center after a nutritional check of 80 vegetable chip products.

Hardly any lower energy content

For comparison: Potato chips usually contain over 530 kilocalories and 33 grams of fat per 100 grams. On average, vegetable chips made from beetroot, sweet potatoes or parsnips with 500 kilocalories and 32 grams of fat per 100 grams hardly have a lower energy content.

The snack products based on lentils, peas and the like have at least a slightly lower energy content than conventional chips with an average of 16 grams of fat per 100 grams and 440 kilocalories.

The positive effect is canceled

The salt content is also about the same in chips made from potatoes or vegetables. Legume chips contain more protein than the comparable products. But the overall high salt content of an average of 2.3 grams per 100 grams immediately offsets the positive effect.

Therefore: Consumers should always take a look at the nutritional information when buying - and not be blinded by promises on the packaging. (approx / dpa)

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