28 January 2019 11:11 IST

Chips — of all flavours and colours — have been my one vice. In my battle with the bag, I wondered whether there was a healthier, but just as tasty, alternative. The consumer’s belief in ‘less fat equals healthy’ is what companies selling products in the snack space rely on, according to Delhi-based dietician Manjari Chandra. “These companies know that the end consumer is becoming more and more health-conscious, and that if you see the tag, baked, you will register it as a healthy product,” she says.

Unfortunately, there is not much evidence to support the belief that baked chips are any better than chips that are traditionally deep-fried. “Baked chips are also made with oil, excessive salt, and added flavours, stabilisers and emulsifiers. All these chemicals stay the same; it’s only that with advanced technology, they have found a way to bake them, rather than deep-fry them. Most companies don’t even reveal what kind of oils they are using for the snacks,” she says. True especially of the unorganised market.

The comparatively less fat, then, is a marketing gimmick that doesn’t hold actual health benefits. Even labels such as multi-grain are dubious. “According to the FSSAI, for anything to be categorised as multi-grain, around 20% to 25% of the product should be the second ingredient. If you add just a little bit of ragi flour along with the main wheat flour, you can’t call it multi-grain,” she explains.

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The bigger problem, as with any packaged good, is the amount of additives. Yes, excess salt is a risk factor for hypertension and heart problems. However, it is the chemicals used during processing and packaging that build up toxins in the body. The best bet: if you’re craving something crispy, make it at home. You’ll know the oil is healthy even if you deep-fry, you can control the salt and use as little as possible, and you’ll eat it fresh. As for packaged baked chips or fried chips, give both a toss.

In this column, we decode health trends and decide if it’s all just ‘hype’ or actually ‘happening’