Are Veggie Straws Healthy? What a Dietitian Wants You To Know

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Veggie Straws have become a popular go-to snack for people looking for a healthier alternative to traditional potato chips. Marketed as a nutritious option, these colorful, crunchy straws made from potato starch and various vegetable powders seem like the perfect solution for healthy snacking. However, are Veggie Straws truly as healthy as they seem?

While they may seem like a step up from regular potato chips, they may not be all they're cracked up to be. Despite their veggie-derived colors and appealing marketing, Veggie Straws are highly processed, with added salt and oil that may negate some perceived health benefits. Read on to learn about the pros and cons of Veggie Straws, plus recommendations for healthier chips to enjoy.

Veggie Straws are a snack made from a blend of potato starch and flour, vegetable oil, vegetable powders (like spinach powder, beetroot powder, and tomato paste), and seasonings. They're shaped like straws or sticks, with the colors corresponding to the different vegetables used in their production.

There are several different varieties of Veggie Straws, including:

The first three ingredients in Veggie Straws are potato starch, potato flour, and vegetable oil. This is similar to the ingredients of traditional potato chips, which list potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt as the only three ingredients. Veggie Straws contain additional ingredients like spinach powder, tomato paste, and cane sugar.

Veggie Straws are often marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional potato chips, as they tend to be lower in calories and fat per serving. However, many varieties contain more sodium per serving than Lay's Classic Potato Chips, and they also contain less fiber than traditional potato chips.

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One of the main advantages of Veggie Straws is that they are gluten-free, making them a suitable snack choice for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. This allows more people to enjoy a crunchy, savory snack without worrying about negative reactions related to eating gluten.

Veggie Straws contain about 30% less fat than traditional potato chips, which can benefit people who want to reduce their fat intake. Plus, of the 7 grams of fat in each one-ounce serving, only 1 gram is saturated fat. This makes them a better heart health choice, as saturated fat can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increase your risk of developing heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends getting no more than 13 grams of saturated fat daily.

Veggie Straws are free from artificial flavors and preservatives, making them a good choice for people wanting to avoid these additives.

In many cases, Veggie Straws contain more sodium than traditional potato chips. For example, a one-ounce serving of Sea Salt Veggie Straws contains 220 milligrams of sodium, while Sour Cream & Onion Veggie Straws contain 370 milligrams of sodium per one-ounce serving. Compare that to Lay's Classic Potato Chips, which contain 210 milligrams of sodium per one-ounce serving. Keep in mind that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily. In the case of Sour Cream & Onion Veggie Straws, they contain 16% of the daily recommended limit.

What's the big deal with getting too much sodium? Sodium attracts water. When you eat a lot of sodium, it pulls water into the bloodstream, which can raise your blood pressure. This is known as hypertension, and it causes your heart to work too hard. The force of the blood can damage arteries and organs and, over time, can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

Veggie Straws contain no fiber, while traditional potato chips contain about 2 grams of fiber per one-ounce serving. While 2 grams of fiber isn't much, any fiber you eat contributes to satiety. Since traditional potato chips contain more fiber than Veggie Straws, traditional potato chips may keep you satisfied for longer than an equivalent serving of Veggie Straws.

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Veggie Straws are also low in protein. Protein is another nutrient that promotes satiety. If you eat a serving of veggie straws on their own, they're unlikely to keep you satisfied for long because they contain very little protein.

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Like traditional potato chips, Veggie Straws have a high salt and fat content that makes them hyper-palatable. These types of foods can bypass your fullness mechanisms, leading to overeating. Given that they're hyper-palatable and low in satiating nutrients like fiber and protein, they're a snack that is easy to over-eat, which may lead to weight gain over time.

Overall, while Veggie Straws can be a tempting choice for people looking for healthier snacks, their drawbacks outweigh their potential benefits, and they're virtually identical to traditional potato chips from a nutrition perspective. They're high in sodium and low in protein and fiber, making them hyper-palatable and easy to overeat.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

For a more balanced and satisfying snack, consider pairing Veggie Straws with a nutrient-rich dip like hummus, which adds protein and fiber to keep you fuller for longer. However, we wouldn't recommend Veggie Straws as a regular snack, as they don't provide many nutrients. Instead, choose whole-grain crackers, raw veggies, air-popped popcorn, or healthier chips, such as protein chips or lentil chips.

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