This Seemingly Healthy Snack Is Actually Pretty Bad for You, According to a Nutritionist

In our minds, there are three types of snacks: Unhealthy snacks, healthy snacks and unhealthy snacks masquerading as healthy snacks.

We're onto something, according to nutritionist Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, LD/N, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition, who recently told us about a sneakily not-so-great-for-you pantry item: Veggie chips. 

But they're better than regular chips, we naively insist. They might be, but that doesn't mean veggie chips are healthy. “Even if they’re made with avocado oil, they tend to be outrageously expensive and either have preservatives or a casual little packet of poisonous silica slipped inside to prevent spoilage,” Auslander Moreno told us.

Before you resign yourself to a life devoid of delicious veggie chips, Auslander Moreno suggests whipping up a batch of your own. The nutritionist is a fan of using kale, beets, carrots and zucchini. Yum.

For the record, store-bought potato chips are as bad as you thought. Have you ever noticed how you can’t really stop after just one handful? That’s by design. According to Auslander Moreno, “Potato chips are coated with unhealthy oils to create a ‘melt in your mouth’ sensation. The brain doesn't interpret the airiness as satiating, so they're essentially addictive.” On top of that, they’re also pretty much devoid of nutritional value (like fiber or protein). If you absolutely must satiate a potato chip craving, Auslander Moreno also recommends making them at home. Simply slice organic potatoes, coat them in avocado oil, salt and paprika and bake them.