Giving up Olean/olestra...wanted: Chip suggestions

I thought I found a great alternative in the fat free pringles chips. I have eaten them over the past couple months with no "tummy trouble", but since everything too good to be true IS...I decieded to research them and found the other side effects of them are not worth it. I guess just a serving of chips a day can deplete your body of the good things in it...and I work too hard eating good to give that up. I am mad they are even OK to sell. Who is looking out for people's health really?? I guess it is our own responsibility to look out for ourselves...which I know...It is just frusterating to know the people who approve of selling us CRAP don't care. ***SIGH****

That all being the case....who knows of some great healthy chips??

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/ risk/acrylamide-in-food

Sorry to freak you out more, but this is why I only rarely eat chips, fries, or anything fried for that matter.

My advice is just to label read and choose things that are baked, not fried.

I wouldn't say any chip is healthy but I prefer baked lays if I am eating any.  Usually I can stay away.

Ok...I am freaking out a bit, but I would rather know than not...so Thanks! I think I have come a long way in that I don't just want to lose weight...I really want to be healthy. There are just hurdles to overcome along the way...But I did throw out my 2 new cans of pringles....No WAY am I touching it now.

Hey there! :) I heard about a product that had those issues. I'm glad I stumbled upon your post! (I had forgotten the name of it!)

I found one of those Ask Mary Q's about this. She suggested baking Kale in the oven (drizzled with olive oil) saying that it gets crunchy and is as tasty as chips. I haven't tried it yet, but have been curious about it.

I have tried to keep my distance from chips. (I like Orville Redenbachers smrt pop popcorn for when I need something salty/crunchy these days) Though I will admit to having 5 chips the other day. Ugh. We were at someone's house cooking out......at least I was able to stop at 5! Ha!

There are several baked varities, like baked lays, that are pretty tasty. I don't have the nutritional info though. I would guess they are better for you than regular chips. I also know that the Sun Chips are good and they have a varity of grains and supposed to be less fat than most chips. How this regards the calorie content, I'm not sure. Try looking at these when you go to the grocery, check the labels on the back to see which is 'better' for you. (I have tried the Baked Tortilla Chips from Utz, they are OK but bland.....not so bad when you dip them in the salsa though!) But if you are feeling crafty you could just make some yourself! Thin slicing a potato and (dare I say add a sprinkle of salt!) bake them in the oven! Otherwise, as most people say, have regular chips in moderation! Maybe get those school lunch size bags if you like them a little too much! :)

You know...that sounds yummy...the Kale thing. I think I will try that. I don't think I have ever even bought Kale, but it is time to broaden my tastes! I am not too big on chips, really.....but I have to admitt, I did like those pringles...especially for 70 calories for 14 of them. Oh well..... I think I will likely give up chips, since they aren't really adding anything healthy to my diet. I have done without way more tasty things :) Good for you for stopping at 5 chips...you have willpower of steel!! Go momma!

There is a chip by Kettle Bakes....it is actually a chip, not the pulverized crisps like Baked Lays.  They come in several flavors also.

I like the Baked Tostitos. They are very tasty, and as far as I know, they do not contain any Olean or Olestra, although every time I eat them, my boyfriend taunts me with "those chips are gonna make you poop!" :) So far so good, though, haha

Based on my own experience, I'd recommend going cold turkey. Simply NO chips for 3-4 months (or longer). Then when you go back to eating chips, a single 1 oz. serving will seem like a real treat. (Prior to dieting, I never would have been happy with only an ounce). And when you do start eating chips again, be a snob and only eat the ones that you really enjoy; they will give you more bang for your calorie buck. For example, try some of the Kettle Chips flavors, they are fabulous.

I dont even eat chips anymore.  I take carrots instead, I still get the crunchy that I'm craving with my sandwich, but without the fat.

A tiny input, but, I work the fryers at my college cafeteria. Literally everything we make that is "fried" (french fries, corn dogs, crispitos, chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, steak fries, curly fries, chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, popcorn chicken, etc. etc. etc.), according to the box, can be baked in the oven for 6-15 minutes for the same, slightly healthier result.

You probably knew that chips were fried...all of these things are fried in the same oil. Chips only are in the oil for about 20 seconds, so it's not as bad as things like steak fries, that sit in there for 6 minutes, absorbing whatever the heck the oil has got in it.

I'm sure that if you peeled and sliced a potato really thin and put some seasoning on it and baked it you could make your own chips. It would work with almost any vegetable - potatoes, zucchini probably, carrots for sure, squash maybe. Fruits too, apple chips are amazing with some cinnamon I've heard. Or try drying them - dried potatoes would be pretty gross, but dried apples are amazing, as well as dried apricots and prunes. Fruit leather - definitely something I want to learn to make.

Edit: I read that article posted above and it said that both baking and frying can produce that chemical...but microwaving doesn't? So I would stick with drying fruit the old-fashioned way (I read an article once about stringing apple slices with lemon juice on them and hanging them in a window until they were dry. That sounds safe.)

Thanks all for replies and research info.....

heatherket.....at first when I read your list if fried foods, I was getting hungry, then I thought DISGUSTING! All that grease and unhealthy stuff actually turns my stomach!

I think I will take the recommendation from foreverme of carrot sticks for crunch and just re-train my taste buds to what is actually tasty and good....and do REALLY special chips every so often for a treat.

I have to laugh at myself in a way, because what I was looking for is another "gimmick"...like fat free low cal chips that didn't have olean, but maybe made of card board, ya know?? LOL! I think my senses are back in working order....thanks all!

i just recently tried the Baked Kale thing. I don't normally have problems with avoiding chips(more of a chocolate person) but sometimes I just want to munch. And a person can only eat so much air popped popcorn(or carrot sticks).

They don't taste exactly like chips-but a lot closer than you think.  And the calorie difference more than makes up for the taste difference. Just be careful because they go from "done" to "burnt" very very quickly.

Anyway, i think they are definitely worth a try if you love your chips.

zelle303.....thanks for letting us know...I do think I will try it out. Thanks for the endorsement and tips!!

I guess cutting out chips would be best, but if you need a salty, crunchy, carby snack...then I would pick rice cakes or popcorn over chips.  You can buy some different kinds of veggie chips (my mother in law loves them, I personally think they taste funky), but I'm not sure of the nutritional info with thoes.

Ideally, you could make your own baked tortilla chips, thoes are delicious and you can add any spices you want and you'll know exaclty whats in them and can make sure any fats you decide to use are good fats.  I would definitely go with a little good fat over a bunch of scary chemicals that may cause anal leakage and other frightening sife effects....ick.

Try out lots of different snacks, you may find something that can replace potato chips that is entirely different.

Ok....I got some Kale to bake.....I will try that later, and I got baked Kettle Chips...and OMGosh! Are they soooooo good!!!!!!! I will never eat pringles....or fake chips again! For 20 chips, it is 120 calories and 3 grams of fat...and WAY tastier than other light chips I have tried. So, I am very happy...but will only eat them on occasion anyways. (Like lunch time, snacks, dinnner....LOL....JK)

The kettle bakes are good.  I had some yesterday with a turkey sandwich.  Yum!  I portion them out and vacuum seal them to keep them fresh and to keep from eating the whole bag, but then again, with only 4 servings in the bag, if you eat the whole thing it is only 480 cals.  Not too much damage.