Article at a Glance

• If you’re taking steps to eat better, you may be avoiding chips, which are typically deep-fried in inflammatory seed oils.

• Evaluating the healthfulness of chips goes beyond just the fat content, as the use of seed oils during the frying process may pose health concerns. 

• While baked, air-fried, or popped chips may seem like healthier options than their deep-fried counterparts, they often still contain seed oils, which are high in inflammatory omega-6 fats.

• Today, you have plenty of better-for-you options including potato chips, tortilla chips, grain-free chips, and chip alternatives that taste as good or better than the chips you likely grew up with.

• Making your chips at home has never been easier with air-fryers, shallow-fry options, and baked chip recipes.

Introduction

Grocery store shelves are lined with thousands of options these days, especially when it comes to snack foods. As companies strive to make “healthier” alternatives to cult favorites, it begs the question: what makes a food healthy?

Today, we’re talking about one of the most satisfying snacks on the planet – chips. Those crunchy, salty, deliciously fatty snacks with a crunch that keep you coming back for more.

So, what makes chips so unhealthy? Are low-fat, air-fried, or air popped chips better options? Or is it the types of fat that make a chip unhealthy?

It turns out that chips fried in seed oils such as soybean, sunflower, or corn oil may not be the best choices due to their high omega-6 linoleic acid fatty acid content. Excessive consumption of these fats can lead to inflammation, which is linked to many chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers  [*,*,*,*,*,*,*,*,*]. So, all of those low-fat, air-popped chip varieties that compromise taste and texture and still use seed oils? Well, they’re definitely not worth your time or money. 

The good news is, a lot of brands have started to offer seed oil-free versions of your favorite crunchy, salty snacks, and they’re just as satisfying as the conventional versions. And we did the research for you, so you can shop the best chips brands with ease.

Here are some best brands of potato chips, tortilla chips, grain-free chips, and chip alternatives that can help keep your linoleic acid levels low.

Potato Chips

• Good Health Olive Oil Potato Chips

• Boulder Canyon Olive Oil Kettle Cooked Potato Chips

• Boulder Canyon Avocado Oil Potato Chips

• Kettle Brand Avocado Oil Himalayan Salt Potato Chips

• Good Health Avocado Oil Kettle Style Chips with Sea Salt

• Thrive Market Non-GMO Avocado Oil Potato Chips, Himalayan Salt

• Boulder Canyon Potato Chips Coconut Oil Sea Salt

Tortilla Chips

• Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips with Avocado Oil

• Jackson's Honest Tortilla Chips, Yellow Corn, Sea Salt, Organic

• Maiz Totopos Corn Tortilla Chips

Grain-Free Chips

• Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips with Avocado Oil

• Lesser Evil Paleo Puffs with Himalayan Pink Salt & Avocado Oil

• Jackson’s’ Honest Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips with Avocado Oil

Chip Alternatives 

• Jackson’s’ Honest Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips with Avocado Oil

• Rhythm Superfoods Original Kale Chips 

• Hippie Snacks Avocado Crisps with Sea Salt

• Conscious Kitchen Real Coconut Sea Salt & Flax Crackers

• Coco Goods Organic Toasted Coconut Chips

• Lesser Evil Paleo Puffs, Himalayan Pink Salt

Best Chip Recipes 

Want to make sure your chips are guilt-free? Trying making them at home with Zero Acre oil! Zero Acre oil is a neutral oil with an ultra-high smoke point, so you’ll truly taste the potato or the tortilla – not the oil.

Homemade Potato Chips

This classic potato chip recipe calls for a deep fryer, but you can try a shallow fry with a few inches of Zero Acre oil. The secret lies in the potato ice bath, which preps the potatoes for an even crispier fry.

Baked Potato Chips

Don’t have a fryer handy? Try this quick and easy recipe for baked potato chips. Just swap the olive oil for high-heat friendly Zero Acre oil and try different combinations of spices to taste.

Air-Fryer Potato Crisps

For all of our air-fryer lovers, this recipe has all the tips you’ll need to make the crispiest chips possible with just a small amount of Zero Acre oil, some fresh herbs and salt. Pro-tip: top with some shredded parmesan for even more flavor.

Easy Tortilla Chips (Fried or Baked)

Skip the store-bought and try homemade with this easy, versatile recipe from Inspired Taste. Just use Zero Acre oil in place of seed oils and try the shallow-fry, deep fry, or oven-baked options. 

FAQ About Chips Without Seed Oils

Does it Matter if Chips are Fried or Baked?

Ounce for ounce, baked or air-fried versions of chips might contain less fat than fried chips. But, if you’re concerned about seed oils, chips that are prepared without a fryer often still contain the types of oils you want to avoid. 

There is a big difference between marketing claims and actual ingredients, so be sure to flip the bag and read through ingredients before you decide whether a chip brand aligns with your health goals. 

Read next: Why Are Fried Foods Bad for You? (The Real Reason)

Why are Chips Made with Avocado Oil or Olive Oil Considered “Healthier?”

Consumers reach for chips made with avocado oil and olive oil for a few reasons:

• Avocado oil and olive oil are lower in omega-6 fatty acids than other seed oils. Compared to most seed oils, avocado oil and olive oil are lower in omega-6 fatty acids. If you’re eating a standard Western diet, you’re probably getting too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3 to balance it. 

• More heart-healthy and heat-stable monounsaturated fats. While seed oils generally contain low levels of monounsaturated fat, live oils and avocado oils contain between 55-83% monounsaturated fat.

• Antioxidant content. Avocado oil and olive oil contain naturally-occurring antioxidants, which are an attractive option when your other options are chips fried in oxidized seed oils. 

What Are The Healthiest Chips?

The definition of “healthy” is different depending on who you’re talking to. Someone with diabetes might have different ingredient preferences from someone with a heart condition or someone who wants to shed a few pounds. 

It’s a good idea for everyone to start paying attention to seed oils on ingredient labels. Seed oils are high in linoleic acid, which appears to be problematic for our health when consumed in excess. These days, you have plenty of snack options without seed oils no matter what your health concerns or ingredient preferences are. 

The Takeaway

When you decide to eat healthier, you may consider avoiding chips due to their high fat content from deep-frying. However, it may not be the fat content itself that is the issue, but rather the type of fat in seed oils, which can contribute to inflammation in the body and may lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers [*,*,*,*,*,*,*,*,*].

Baked, air-fried, and popped corn versions of chips are marketed as a healthier option but may also contain seed oils, so you have to read labels to be sure. 

Fortunately, many brands have started offering seed oil-free chips, including potato chips, tortilla chips, grain-free chips, and chip alternatives. Choosing higher-quality options with better ingredients can satisfy cravings while also supporting a seed oil-free lifestyle.