POPCHIPS SNACK FOOD
Available at local Jamba Juice stores or online at www.amazon.com;
Amazon.com price: $30.50 for a case of 36 assorted single-serve bags
The pitch: "What's left out is more than half the fat of fried chips, and all the trans fat, saturated fat except for cheddar, fake colors, flavors and preservatives and greasy fingers that give snacking a bad name."
The skinny: I love potato chips, but I know they're full of fats and oils and the like, so I've grown to avoid them or veer toward baked chips. I think the flavored popchips - which use heat pressure to cook potato slices before seasoning - are among the best-tasting alternatives.
The seasonings selected for some of the chips reminded me of Terra gourmet chip flavors. Parmesan garlic, salt and pepper, and sea salt and vinegar popchips were so flavorful, I was glad I wasn't enjoying them with a meal. The plain chips were the only ones I found lacking.
I must warn you, bold flavor and better nutrition won't convince everyone. The true chip connoisseurs I coaxed into tasting popchips hated them; they compared them to ceiling tiles and worse. "What's the point?" some asked.
When compared to mainstream potato chips, including Terra, popchips are lower in calories and fat, and are free from saturated fat. No oil is used in the popping. And they are seasoned with all natural safflower and/or sunflower oil.
Popchips aren't widely available at local supermarkets, but if you're a chip junkie wanting a healthful alternative, they're worth ordering online.
Mary Shedden
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