Crunch factor: Eight brands of healthy crisps put to the test
LOW salt, lower salt, low fat, lower fat. What do these phrases mean when we see them on labels?
With Deprivation January coming to an end, can we keep some good habits and try to keep ourselves in check by having the occasional guilt-free treat? Can this be done with crisps? Compared to fresh fruit and vegetables, are there really any genuinely low-anything versions of treats? And how diligent do we have to be with labels to try to discover what is and isn’t?
One problem is that when aiming for good health, an ingredient may be taken away, but another undesirable one added. I found quite a few varieties of crisps made from chickpeas and other slow-release carbohydrates, but they were very high in salt. We also found crisps that had no claims to be low fat/low salt but had far less of both than those which claimed to be.
The Food Safety Authority’s salt allowance is 4g, but the body needs as little as 1g per day. In Ireland, adults on average consume 10g daily, mainly in processed foods. Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and stomach cancer are linked to excessive consumption.
Fat content increases when foods are fried. For this survey, we looked at overall fat content, not distinguishing between different types. But no matter how ‘low’ or ‘lower’ they are in salt and fat, we still have to keep crisps as a weekly/monthly treat.
From a wide range of fruit and vegetable crisps, we were intrigued by the interesting blend of French beans, sugar snap peas and black endamame (soybeans). All of them are crunchy, with the French beans light and crisp, the others more solid. All cooked in sustainably sourced palm oil. The texture is not at all greasy. Salt content is one of the lowest we tasted at 0.4% (0.1g per pack). 10.3% fats is fair too. We also liked the crunchy red apple version, €1.59.
8
Just launched, less than 3% fat here deserves its ‘skinny’ label. The fat is reduced as crisps are baked, not fried. Flavouring is dried mature cheddar cheese, sugar, sea salt, dried red onions, dried onions, dried buttermilk. The 1% salt content may include salt from the cheese, so the result is not too salty to taste, and has a good balance of flavours. Tasters approved.
7.75
In a useful, resealable bag, 40% each carrot and parsnip, and beetroot 2% are fried in sunflower oil and sprinkled with 0.7% sea salt which is lower than some low-salt versions. Fats are a high 43.92%. Listed sugars at 18.16% appear high, but these vegetables have high sugar content and there is no form of added sugar. Tasters liked the variety of taste and texture of the vegetables. A little oily, but nice and crisp, and pricey.
7.5
For lightly salted, 1% salt is high enough. Fats come to 28.8%. They don’t taste too salty, but the feel is quite greasy which tasters didn’t like. Good, short list of ingredients.
5
A good, short list of ingredients here with the 1% salt tasting less than that and even with 30% fats, a less oily feel than some other samples. Tasters liked them.
6
A decent low of 0.57% salt justifies the ‘just a pinch’ claim. With fats 26.5%, these feel less greasy than some samples and were high on the favourites lists of young tasters who didn’t like higher salt versions. The favourite of a few adults too. Good, short list of ingredients.
7.5
Just potatoes, sunflower oil and sea salt is an admirably short list here, and consequently gluten free which can never be taken for granted with crisps. Suitable for vegans too. Salt at 0.9% is close to 1%, but the taste was not over salty. With fats high at 30.1%, the feel is a little greasy, but not off-putting to tasters who liked them.
7
A bag of six packs of two, the smoky bacon, cheese and onion, salt and vinegar flavours are stated to have “30% less fats”. On the back of the pack we are told they contain “at least 30% less” than the same brand’s salt and vinegar flavour crisps. The crinkle-cut crisps have 1.30% salt which is high compared to other brands. With 21.3% fats, the salt and vinegar flavour had a high enough 1.85% salt and 21.2% fats is high enough. Not as light as we had hoped.
5
