3: Are Veggie Chips Just Junk Food Wearing a Healthy Disguise?
Taking a stroll down the snack aisle and seeing a bag of attractive, colorful veggie chips, I thought to myself, “Finally, a healthful snack that doesn’t condemn me.” The bag not only had on it the pictures of beets, sweet potatoes, and spinach, but it also had those labels, such as “gluten-free,” “all-natural,” and “made from real vegetables.” I threw it in my cart and felt happy about it – the funny part is that I did not know the whole truth about it.
The idea of veggie chips being a better option in comparison with the regular ones is very much alive, especially when you are trying to resist the latter. Nonetheless, their preparation was more or less the same in that they were full of fat, salted, and highly processed until they no longer exhibited any trace of real vegetables. Even though there could be something like a tiny bit of carrot powder or spinach extract there, unfortunately, the main ingredients were still potato starch and corn flour. Exactly – a number of veggie chips contain mainly potato ingredients, not vegetables.
On the other hand, after I scrutinized the information on the pack, I saw that at least two nutrients, fat, and salt, were present in the chips in the same amount as in an ordinary potato chip. According to a few brands, the fat content even rose due to the oil type they put into them. In addition, the veggies were frequently processed into flavorings in the form of powder, not to be solid parts of the snack. You can’t count on fiber, vitamins, or antioxidants from the powder of mixed vegetables to junk food — you only have a salty crunchy snack that only gives you the illusion of healthy eating.
I felt deceived. I had replaced all my snacks believing I was on the healthy path to some different, improved selections, yet, I was just consuming highly processed, high-calorie food that was still not providing me with the real benefits of nourishment. From that time on, I was carrying roasted chickpeas or baby carrots for myself whenever I was in the mood for something crispy. It gave me the same experience – only this time without a false “health” flag.
Sometimes the most hazardous things are those that are thought to be the safe ones. Seriously, veggie chips are the most notorious snack pretenders I know.
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