Panera Bread is a North American restaurant that is known for artisan breads, as well as soups, sandwiches, salads and panini. It does not offer many of the foods found in other American fast food restaurants, such as hamburgers, French fries or onion rings. It does, however, offer prepackaged potato chips as a side option with many of its soups and sandwiches.
Ingredients
Unlike many packaged snack foods, Panera Bread potato chips do not contain artificial preservatives, flavors or coloring agents. These chips are made from only three ingredients -- potatoes, safflower oil and sea salt.
Calories and Fat
A 1-oz.package of Panera Bread potato chips contains 160 calories. The 8 g of fat in these potato chips make up 43 percent of these calories. However, because Panera Bread potato chips are cooked in sunflower oil, rather than hydrogenated oils or palm oil, they contain fewer saturated fats than other commercially-packaged potato chips. A 1-oz.serving contains 1 g of saturated fat, or about 5 percent of the daily recommended intake. These potato chips do not contain cholesterol or trans fats. Saturated fats, cholesterol and trans fats may contribute to coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke.
Carbohydrates, Fiber and Protein
Like all potato chips, Panera Bread potato chips contain carbohydrates, which your body uses as a source of fuel -- a 1-oz. serving of these chips contains about 19 g of carbohydrates, or about 6 percent of the recommended daily intake. This serving also provides about 2 g of dietary fiber, or 8 percent of the daily recommendation. Dietary fiber is necessary for proper digestion and cholesterol management. A 1-oz. bag also provides 2 g of protein, which is another source of fuel for physical energy and mental stamina.
Vitamins and Minerals
Panera Bread potato chips contain small amounts of iron, a mineral necessary for red blood cell production -- a 1-oz. serving provides about 2 percent of the daily requirement of this mineral. It also provides about 20 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, a vitamin that serves as an immune system booster and an antioxidant. A 1-ounce bag contains 130 mg of sodium, or about 5 percent of the recommended daily limit; even though sodium is necessary for fluid balance, exceeding the daily limit may increase your risk for high blood pressure.
References
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Panera Bread Potato Chips
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.; 2010
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