If you're trying to stay away from processed foods, but still crave foods such as potato chips, you may want to try making your own fresh cut potato chips. These chips can still be high in fat and sodium, but at least you have more control over what goes in them. Knowing the nutrition information for fresh cut potato chips can help you make adjustments to your diet to fit in this homemade snack.
Calories
Calories in fresh cut potato chips can vary depending on how they are prepared. You can fry your fresh cut potatoes in oil, or coat them with cooking spray and cook them in the microwave. A 3-ounce portion of potato chips fried in oil contains 197 calories, while the same size serving of chips cooked in the microwave contain 141 calories. You can save more than 50 calories if you microwave your chips instead of deep frying them.
Fat
Fat content in the two types of chips also varies. The fried chip is higher in total fat than the chip cooked in the microwave. A 3-ounce portion of fresh cut potatoes fried in oil contains 9.3 grams of total fat and 2.3 grams of saturated fat, and the fresh cut potatoes cooked in the microwave contain 2 grams of total fat and zero grams of saturated fat. You do need some fat in your diet to help you absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and provide energy. But consuming too much fat increases your risk of obesity and heart disease.
Carbohydrates and Protein
A 3-ounce portion of fresh cut potato chips, whether fried or microwaved, contains 24 to 26 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 2 to 3 grams of protein. Carbohydrates in food are used for energy, and should supply 45 to 65 percent of your daily calorie intake. Protein in food provides your body with the amino acids it needs to repair tissue and make hormones and enzymes. Protein in your diet should supply 10 to 35 percent of your calories.
Sodium
A 3-ounce portion of fresh cut potato chips contains 291 to 302 milligrams of sodium. Daily sodium intake should be limited to 2,300 milligrams a day. One serving of fresh cut chips meets more than 10 percent of your daily sodium needs. High intakes of sodium are one of the risk factors for high blood pressure. You can reduce the amount of sodium on your fresh cut potato chips by omitting the added salt from the recipe.
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