The world of protein snacks has grown significantly over recent years.
Protein bars, cookies and snacks litter the fitness-world shelves.
Interestingly, by 2024 the global healthy snack market is projected to grow by more than 5%.1
So, what could be better for a group of health-conscious snackers than the introduction of protein crisps?
Correct, nothing!
Stay with us and we’ll give you the full lowdown on protein crisps. What to look out for, what to buy and why you should be buying them.
What are protein crisps?
Protein crisps are exactly what you might suspect.
They’re a high-protein snack that cuts out the deep frying and high salt content.
Now let’s not kid ourselves.
Healthy and crisps aren’t two words that ring true when you stick them together.
However, given that Britain consumed around 6 billion packets of crisps a year – if you’re going to snack on something, then it might as well be something slightly healthier than the usual bag of cheese and onion.
Summary
- Protein crisps are what they say on the tin, they’re crisps that are high in protein.
What’s wrong with normal crisps?
The traditional deep-fried spud is obviously a great choice. But they’re not necessarily the healthiest.
In fact, the British Heart Foundation says that while popped or baked crisps are lower in fat, you should definitely look at nutrition and portion sizes to be on the safe side.2
After all, snacks are still to be used as treats rather than relied upon as part of your healthy diet.
Summary
- While traditional potato crisps are great, there’s a lot to be said for the healthier varieties that you can pick up these days.
- ‘Healthy crisps’ is a bit of an oxymoron though, so you should be looking at the fat and calorie content regardless of the snacks you pick. Snacking is snacking after all.
What to look out for when picking protein crisps
The most important thing when choosing your protein crisps is to understand their nutritional content.
Fortunately, these days the hard work is done for you with labelling that appears on packets.
This not only gives you an outline of the ingredients, but it also includes useful information on additional things to look out for – such as salt and sugar.
What to look out for
When picking the right protein crisps, it’s worth looking out for a couple of pitfalls that could see you slip up – so if you’re trying to watch those calories, look out for the following four things:
What to look out for
1
Look at natural ingredients
Processed foods offer empty calories
2
Low saturated fat
The NHS recommends no more than 20g per day
3
Low sugar
The NHS recommends no more than 30g per day
4
Low salt
The NHS recommends no more than 6g per day
What are protein crisps made of?
Protein crisps come in many forms.
They can be made from vegetables or lentils, but in many protein products the main ingredients often include:
- Soy protein concentrate
- Tapioca
- Potato Starch
However, ingredients will vary depending on the product and its brand, so there’s no definitive answer.
Five tips when picking your crisps
1
A wholegrain alternative
2
Consider portion size, some bags are designed for sharing
3
Think about the flavour – some contain a higher salt content than others
4
Look for light or reduced-fat versions to keep the calorie count down
5
Try making your own? Thinly slice some vegetables or potatoes, use a couple of sprays of oil to coat, and get creative with herbs or spices for flavour
You also asked...
Yes, there are specific brands that produce protein crisps. The market is full of many weird and wonderful products these days – all sort of veg, quinoa and lentil styles as well as many other new found flavours.
But yes, across the market there are many specific protein brands to choose from.
There are many crisps in the market which are a low in fat. These days they’re a popular choice for the health-conscious world.
Protein snacks, including protein bars and protein crisps may be suitable for everyone, but it depends on your diet.
Protein crisps may be a good way to add carbs, protein, vitamins and minerals to your diet – but they can’t be relied upon. They’re a snack after all so you should only really be eating them as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Besides protein crisps, if you are looking for a healthy protein snack you can always consider adding things such as nuts, seeds, fruit such as avocados and blueberries which are high in protein, to your diet.
Last updated: 27 October 2021
- https://www.grandecig.com/blog/why-protein-crisps-are-the-perfect-answer-for-sweet-healthy-snacks
- https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/ask-the-expert/lower-fat-crisps
- https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/diabetes-food-myths/crisp
