Switching to lower fat crisps and snacks
Fat - The Basics
“Portion sizes in general have increased by 25-50% over the past 30 years”, says Pinal, nutritionist with GetFit Nutrition.
“Crisp packs have increased from 25g (133 calories) to 35g (187 calories) and even larger. Eat one of these bigger bags everyday and the extra calories equal a 2.5kg (5lb) weight gain over a year!”, she warns.
“Crisps are made from slices of potato fried in oil – a bag of standard crisps is around 35% fat (the same percentage as high fat cheeses). Low fat crisps are in the region of 24% fat with a calorie content of 121kcal for a 25g bag (that’s only 12 calories lower than standard fat crisps!)”
“Manufacturers are waking up to this ‘fat fact’ and are producing many different low fat / reduced fat products. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that claims of reduced ‘trans’ or saturated fat means the products are low in total fat – always compare the fat content per 100g of similar products to see which is lowest”.
“Make it a habit to purchase only low fat alternatives, and when you can’t locate them, choose the best product available, by checking the fat/calorie content per 100g”, suggests Pinal.
Note to those who are following GetFit Nutrition’s unique weight loss system the Nutrition Card®:
A 50g bag of ordinary crisps is equal to 2 portion of treats; a 35g bag of crisps is 1½ Portions of treats; lower fat snack options in smaller bags, such as Thai bites, Fusions, etc are equal to 1 portion of treats – if unsure check how many calories the whole pack contains (if it’s 120 calories or lower it’s 1 portion).
Common Fat Myths and Misconceptions
- “Low fat crisps are better than ordinary crisps” – They are lower in fat but there is not a lot of difference in their calorie content of a 35g bag (about 12 calories – equivalent to half a Rich Tea finger biscuit).
- “Snack-a-Jacks are lower in fat than crisps so are better for helping you lose weight” – Snack-a-Jacks are lower in fat than crisps but they still contain calories (~115kcal in a 28g bag). By all means use them as a lower fat alternative, but you still need to exercise portion control if you wish to lose weight.
Fat - Tips and Tricks
- Try not to buy multi bags of crisps – if they are in the house you are likely to eat more than you intend. Treat yourself occasionally (once to twice a week for example) to an individual bag that you buy on the day you plan to eat it. Don’t allow yourself to be seduced by supermarket offers of more for less money e.g. “buy one get one free” or 50%-extra bags.
- If you have been eating crisps on a daily basis, you could try cutting this back to a packet every other day as a good start.
- When possible purchase the smallest bag (25g) of crisps available, to help you with portion control – look for a shop that always stocks the smaller bags.
- There are other salted savoury snacks that are lower in fat than crisps that you could try as an alternative:
- Seasons (Quaker) – 9.1% fat (118 calories for a 28g bag)
- Snack-a-Jacks (Quaker) – 8% fat (115 calories for a 28g bag)
- Minis (Ryvita) – 2.8% fat (101 calories for a 30g bag)
- Fusions (Jacob’s) – 5.9% fat (110 calories for a 30g bag)
- Try to get into a habit of replacing crisp snacks with a portion of fruit (a fruit portion e.g. an apple is about 50-60 calories). Crisps, and the lower calorie alternatives examples above, are all high in salt. Fruit is high in the potassium that can help oppose the effects of sodium (“salt”) on blood pressure.