Lay's Classic Potato Chips, manufactured by Frito-Lay, contain potatoes, sunflower oil, corn oil and salt. The chips do not contain preservatives or other additives. Although they offer a number of essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, they also contain a significant number of total fat grams and calories.
Calories, Fat and Cholesterol
One serving of Lay's Classic Potato Chips is 1 oz., or about 15 chips. Each serving has 150 calories, with 90 calories coming from fat. It has 10 g of total fat, which includes 1 g of saturated fat, 0 g of trans fat, 4.5 g of polyunsaturated fat and 4.5 g of monounsaturated fat. Lay's Classic Potato Chips do not contain cholesterol. The FDA suggests consuming less than 65 g of total fat, less than 20 g of saturated fat a day and less than 300 mg of cholesterol a day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Consuming more than these amounts may increase your risk for heart disease. Unsaturated fats, such as polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fat, may help lower blood cholesterol levels when used in place of saturated fats, according to the American Heart Association.
Vitamins and Minerals
Several vitamins and minerals are found in Lay's Original chips. Each serving offers 2 percent of the recommended daily value of iron and thiamin, as well as 4 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B6, magnesium and phosphorus. It also provides 6 percent of the daily value of vitamin E and niacin, and 10 percent of the daily value of vitamin C. It does not contain significant amounts of any other vitamin or mineral.
Other Nutrients
Lay's Classic Potato Chips also provide a number of other nutrients. Each serving offers 330 mg of potassium, or approximately 9 percent of the daily value, and 2 g of protein. There are also 15 g of total carbohydrates in every serving, which is about 5 percent of the daily recommended value. This total amount of carbohydrates includes 1 g of dietary fiber and 0 g of sugar. Lay's Original chips contain 180 mg of sodium, which is about 7 percent of the daily value. The American Heart Association recommends that most adults limit their daily consumption of sodium to less than 1,500 mg.
Considerations
As of January 2011, Lay's potato chips come in more than 40 varieties. Not all varieties have the same nutrition values as the Classic variety, so check individual labels. Although occasionally eating Lay's Original potato chips is fine, on a daily basis, it is best to select snacks lower in calories and fat and higher in essential nutrients.
References
- Frito-Lay: Lay's Classic Potato Chips: Nutrition Facts
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Choose a Diet Low in Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Sodium Recommendations
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Calculate the Percent Daily Value for the Appropriate Nutrients
- American Heart Association: Fat
- Frito-Lay: Our Snacks: Lay's
Member Comments