Crispy potato chips make a tasty snack that's been enjoyed for decades. This food is made by frying slivers of potatoes. The oils used during the frying process add fat to the snack, but not all fat is considered equal. Grab a handful of chips and you'll ingest both beneficial, healthy fats and fats that can wreak havoc in your body.
Monounsaturated Fat
An ounce of typical potato chips yields approximately 2.8g of monounsaturated fat, states the U.S. Department of Agriculture's national nutrient database. This fat is actually a healthy, beneficial type of fat, reports Columbia University's health services. The university notes that the fat may help to improve the cholesterol levels in your blood, which in turn may lower your risks of heart disease. The fat helps by raising high density lipoproteins, which is the good kind of cholesterol, and lowering low density lipoprotein, which is the bad kind of cholesterol.
Polyunsaturated Fat
The average 1 oz. serving of potato chips nets you 3.45g of polyunsaturated fat, according to the USDA. The University of Illinois reports that this kind of fat helps to improve your cholesterol levels in the same manner as monounsaturated fats.
Saturated Fat
The USDA reports that a 1 oz. serving of potato chips gets you approximately 3g of saturated fat. The National Institutes of Health, or NIH, warns that saturated fats are the biggest dietary factor in elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. The NIH advises limiting your ingestion of this fat as much as possible.
Trans Fats
Many potato chips contain trans fats, an unhealthy, artificial form of fat that the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, warns can raise your risk of various health problems, such as heart disease. Thus, the University of Pennsylvania's health office lists potato chips as one of the top 10 foods to avoid. The amount of trans fats found in potato chips varies, with some containing none. Unfortunately, it's not a required listing on the nutritional label, according to the UMMC. Instead, the UMMC says you can only identify it if the ingredients list hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
References
- University of Pennsylvania Health Office: Top 10 Foods to Avoid
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Trans Fats
- United States Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database
- Columbia University's Health Services: Avocadoes
- University of Illinois: Your Guide to Diet and Diabetes
- National Institutes of Health: Fat
Member Comments