I hope my post finds you all well and having a wonderful weekend. And speaking of weekends, and the summer, and barbecues, and cookouts, and being out on the boats, etc- let's talk about the new, sneaky little snacks called "Veggie Chips".
Now, I have to tell you, my friend Angela is the person that brought this issue to my attention. You see, when people ask me questions, I know what you all are thinking/wondering, and I can write blogs that are pertinent to you! Who would've guessed it?? (In other words, if you have questions, comments, suggestions, etc- find me on facebook, message me, write a comment on here, tweet at me, text me, whatever your little heart desires so that I can answer them for you!) Thanks, Angela!!
Now onto business. Veggie Chips are tasty. Just like potato chips are. And that's because they basically are potato chips. Lots of the veggie chips' (there are lots of different kinds) first ingredient on the ingredient list is some form of a potato product, and if you're not already aware of this fact- the ingredients listed on the back of the package are listed in order of appearance. In other words, if it's first on the list, its found in the greatest abundance in the product.Furthermore, almost all of these high-fat, high calorie snacks are fried, and we all know that's not a good choice, right?
If these two facts aren't enough to convince you, let me also disclose that lots of the vitamins and minerals found naturally in our veggies are lost in the processing (grinding, mixing with other ingredients, frying, etc) of the chips, thereby defeating the purpose of choosing "veggie" chips over potato chips--after all, potatoes are vegetables too!
Angela isn't the only person that's been fooled by the crafty advertising of the creators of veggie chips. As a matter of fact, there have been lawsuits against certain companies over "false statements" and tricky advertising that lead consumers to believe that these chips are a healthier choice.
Unfortunately, Veggie Chips aren't the only not-so-great "healthy" snack items out there. Grocery stores are loaded with snack items donning health claims that can be highly deceptive. So what are you, the smart, health-conscious consumer, to do about it?? Despite the claims on the front of the package, turn that sucker around and look at the Nutrition Facts Label. First, look at the serving size. Then look at the calories, fat, saturated fat, and sugar. If you're not sure what is acceptable, compare it to something you know is good or not-so-good. For example, compare veggie chips to potato chips. Finally look at the ingredients. If you look at the ingredients pictured, it's pretty clear that these chips are nothing compared to a crudite´ (look it up) or a nice fruit tray!
So don't be fooled! If you need a fast snack, plan ahead (told you I'd say it again) and throw some veggies in a Zip-Loc for your snacking needs. If you'll be outside and can't keep your veggies cold, bring fruit or maybe some fruit and nut trail mix. Problem solved.
Thanks for reading! Now get off the computer or your phone and go play!
See ya Wednesday,
Sarah
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sarahmicheletaylor
Twitter: @NutritionSimply
Email: sarahmicheletaylor@gmail.com
The Sources I Used:
http://www.mediterraneansnackfoods.com/PDFs/MediterraneanSnacks-OriginalLine-VeggieChips.pdf
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/katies-take-abc-news/skinny-veggie-chips-192422437.html
http://meetings.abanet.org/webupload/commupload/AT311570/newsletterpubs/PALUpdateNo.74.pdf
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