Are you trying to make healthier food choices but can’t decide between plantain chips vs potato chips? As health-conscious cooks, we are all aware of the non-nutritious reputation of potato chips, but could plantain chips actually be a healthier alternative?
The answer to a perfect snack isn’t as clear-cut as you may think. Both options have their nutritional pros and cons depending on ingredients used and how they are prepared.
These two popular snacks have different nutritional benefits so it’s important to understand which one is better for your health.
Which Snack is Healthier?
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the differences between plantain chips and potato chips, their flavor, nutritional advantages, health benefits, and more! Read on to find out the clear winner in our battle of Plantain Chips vs Potato Chips: Which are Healthier?
When it comes to snacking, one of the most difficult choices can be determining what’s healthier: plantain chips or potato chips?
What Are Plantain Chips?
Plantain chips are a snack food like a potato chip. Thin plantain slices of the fruit are fried in hot oil such as vegetable oil, coconut oil, olive oil, or some other healthy oil. Sometimes referred to as banana chips.
Baked plantain chips are chips made from green plantains. They are a more starchy and savory members of the banana family. However, unlike bananas, they aren’t sweet and are lower in sugar. As the plantain fruits ripen, they will turn yellower in color and become sweeter than the banana we are used to seeing in the grocery stores.
Plantain Chips vs Potato Chips: Which are Healthier?
Both the plantain fruit and potato are sliced thin and fried in hot oil. A variety of flavors like salt, sea salt, garlic, lime, and other seasonings can be added to enhance flavors.
Surprisingly, their taste is quite similar. However, plantain chips have a slightly crunchier texture with a hint of sweetness. If you like the crunch factor, the green plantain chips are the winner.
Potato chips are a popular snack and well known throughout the United States. Whereas, plantain chips are lesser known in the US and part of the traditional cuisine in Latin America and places like Ecuador, Thailand, and Northern Peru.
Nutritional Values
When comparing nutritional values using the standard serving of plantain chips and classic potato chips, it is important to use the same serving size on a commercial bag of each chip. It is important to note that some of the nutritional information can vary by manufacturer.
The plantain has slightly fewer calories with 10 less calories. However, the total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, carbohydrates, sugar, and fiber are nearly identical with just a few slight number variations.
Therefore, there is very little difference nutritionally between plantain chips vs potato chips.
Are Their Benefits of Eating One Over the Other?
Let’s have a closer look at some of the areas where one snack stands out more than the other. Are there areas where one snack stands out over the other? Let’s explore a bit more.
Plantain Chip Benefits
The two areas where plantain chips do have a couple of legitimate advantages over their potato counterpart are slightly more fiber and slightly less sodium.
If you’re looking to boost your high-fiber foods recommended daily intake of fiber, the wiser option would be plantain chips vs potato chips. Per 28 gram serving, plantain chips have 3 grams of fiber, whereas potato chips only have 1 gram.
Additionally, potato chips do have five times as much sodium over the plantain chips. However, depending on the chip brands you are considering, the sodium level can vary by manufacturer.
Potato Chip Benefits
Regular potato chips have a few areas where it outshines its starchy plantain counterpart nutritionally.
They contain less carbohydrates, more protein and potassium.
If you are trying to eat less carbs, you should probably refrain from eating either snack choice. However, per serving, potato chips contain 25% less carbohydrates than plantain chips do.
Potato chips contain 2 grams of protein compared to zero grams for the plantain chips. Therefore, if adding more protein to your diet is a priority, then potato chips would be the better choice.
Both the plantain and potato chips contain high amounts of potassium, the potato contains the most, roughly 30% more per serving. So, if you are looking to maximize your potassium intake, go with the potato chips.
Make your own potato chips with this easy recipe.
Do potato chips expire? Find this answer out and more. Can You Eat Expired Chips?
Does Banana Chips Help You Gain Weight?
No. In fact, banana chips are a good additive to your diet with their high-fiber fruit content. It is worth noting that eating foods higher in fiber help give you that feeling of being fuller and therefore, may help in weight loss.
Are Plantains a Healthy Snack?
Overall, their nutritional value is close to potato chips. However, if you can find plantain chips that are oven-baked rather than deep fried, they can be a great healthy snack.
Conclusion
The nutritional values make these snack choices very close alternatives. One really isn’t healthier over the other. It comes down to your personal dietary needs and differences.
At the end of the day, they are both processed, deep fried snack foods, which should be enjoyed in moderation.
How To Store Fruits and Vegetables
Properly storing your fruits or vegetables can affect how long they last before going bad and how they taste.
Storing Potatoes. Potatoes are best stored in a dark, cool place away from heat. Never store them in the refrigerator. Keep them in a vented container between 40°F and 60°F. A humid basement or root cellar is the best area.
Storing Plantains. Store in a cool place out of the sun and away from any heat source. Unripe or ripe plantain can be stored in a cool, dry place between 45-50°F. Turn the fruit every day. If the fruit has already ripened, place it in the refrigerator up to five days.
How to Speed up the Ripening Process of Potatoes and Bananas
If you’re looking to speed up the ripening process, store in a brown paper bag.
How To Store Potatoes and Plantains
Kitchen Essentials
Materials
- Potatoes
- Plantains
Instructions
Storing Potatoes.
- Potatoes are best stored in a dark, cool place away from heat. Never store them in the refrigerator. Keep them in a vented container between 40°F and 60°F. A humid basement or root cellar is the best area.
Storing Plantains.
- Store in a cool place out of the sun and away from any heat source. Unripe or ripe plantain can be stored in a cool, dry place between 45-50°F. Turn the fruit every day. If the fruit has already ripened, place it in the refrigerator up to five days.
