Chips can be a great low carb snack option for people limiting their carb intake. Whether traditional potato chips, vegetable-based chips, or protein chips, there are many chip varieties that fit into low carb, keto, and other reduced carb diets. Let’s take a look at the carb counts for popular chip options.
Potato Chips
Traditional potato chips are made by deep frying thinly sliced potatoes. A 1 ounce (28 gram) serving of regular salted potato chips contains about 15-20 grams of net carbs, coming mostly from the potato. This makes them too high in carbs to be considered low carb.
However, some companies make low carb potato chips by using innovative preparation methods to remove more starch. Low carb potato chips may have around 5-8 grams of net carbs per serving. While not as low as some other chip alternatives, this puts them in the moderate carb range.
Kettle Cooked Chips
Kettle cooked potato chips are thicker than regular chips and tend to have a lower carb count. The thicker slices retain less starch after cooking. A 1 ounce serving of kettle cooked chips may provide around 10-15 grams of net carbs.
Vegetable Chips
Chips made from vegetables other than potatoes are naturally lower in carbs. Options like carrot chips, beet chips, jicama chips, and parsnip chips contain about 5-10 grams of net carbs per ounce.
Other vegetable-based chips include:
- Cabbage chips
- Green bean chips
- Sweet potato chips
- Broccoli chips
- Kale chips
- Zucchini or courgette chips
The exact carb count varies based on the vegetable used. But most veggie chip varieties provide between 5-15 grams of net carbs per serving.
Tortilla and Pita Chips
Tortilla and pita chips can also be relatively low in carbs if you pay attention to portion sizes. Look for brands made with just corn, wheat flour, and oil rather than added sugars.
A 6-8 chip serving contains about 7-15 grams of net carbs. Measure portions carefully, as the carbs can add up quickly if you overindulge.
Protein Chips
There are now several brands of high protein, low carb chips on the market. These include:
- Chips made from dried egg whites
- Chips made from cheese
- Chips made from meat snacks like pork rinds or jerky
- Chips with added protein from whey, collagen, or plant sources
The protein sources used affect the carb content. But most protein chip brands provide between just 1-5 grams of net carbs per serving. This makes them excellent low carb options.
Nut and Seed Chips
Chips made from nuts and seeds tend to be lower in digestible carbs than potato and grain-based chips. However, they are higher in fat. Options include:
- Almond chips
- Cashew chips
- Pecan chips
- Sunflower seed chips
- Flax chips
- Chia chips
A 1 ounce serving of nut or seed chips contains about 5-8 grams of net carbs. The high fat and fiber content helps slow digestion, preventing blood sugar spikes.
Seaweed Chips
Seaweed chips have become very popular. These crispy snacks are low in carbs, calories, and fat. Due to their high fiber and mineral content, they have a low glycemic impact.
A serving of seaweed chips – around 1 ounce or 30 grams – provides just 1-5 grams of net carbs.
Popcorn Chips
Popcorn makes a great crunchy, low carb snack when prepared with minimal added fat or sugars. Pair plain air-popped popcorn with seasoning mixes to create flavorful low carb popcorn chips.
Three cups of air-popped popcorn has about 15 grams of net carbs. Sticking to single portion sizes prevents overdoing it.
Kale Chips
Kale chips have surged in popularity in recent years. They provide an easy way to increase your vegetable intake on a low carb diet.
A 1 ounce (28 gram) serving of kale chips has around 5 grams of net carbs. They can be purchased pre-made or baked at home with oil and seasoning.
Conclusion
There are plenty of tasty low carb chip options to satisfy cravings and prevent yourself from feeling deprived. Protein chips, nut chips, and vegetable chips tend to be the lowest carb varieties.
When choosing chips, aim for single serving sizes to keep portions and carbs in check. Pair your chips with protein foods like meat, fish, eggs or cheese to help manage appetite and blood sugar response.