Fancy Another Pringle? Maybe Not!

Are you fond of snacking potato crisps? Many people would say they’re addicted to them and true enough, potato crisps and other stackable crisps, like the very popular Pringles, are made to be addictive. You might argue that it’s okay to get hooked to eating potato crisps because they are made from potatoes. The problem, however, is that these supposed potato crisps may not be made from real potatoes at all!

So, if Pringles aren’t from real potatoes, what are they made of then?

It’s not just Pringles, but also other “potato crisps” are made with sultry rice, potato flakes and corn that are moulded into shape, cut into thin sheets of crisps and flavoured. Surely, just like anyone else, you may enjoy the tastes of potato crisps, or chips. But, one thing you need to know is that these are one of the most noxious processed foods to eat. Even the ones made from real potato shavings aren’t good to eat.

What Make Potato Crisps Toxic

What make potato crisps toxic is not the additives or the ingredients added to it, but a by-product of the processing.

During the manufacturing of your favorite potato crisps, the moulds are moved through boiling oil before the crisps are sprayed with flavouring and stacked or bagged. In the process of passing through boiling oil, a neurotoxic chemical called acrylamide is created. Acrylamide develops when carbohydrate-rich foods are put in high temperatures, regardless of the manner of cooking. Now, this chemical causes cancer.

Aside from cancer, eating crisps, even just a packet a day, increases the risk of obesity and developing heart diseases. Worst, it can also affect foetal development and further cause hyperactivity in children. Eating a pack of crisps equates to drinking 5 litres of cooking oil per annum. Now, add in the effects of other substances in your crisps like fat, salt and sugar that cause other health issues.

UK’s Obesity Death Rate

Obesity is a growing concern in United Kingdom. In a survey published on Forbes in 2009, UK already ranked 28^th across the globe, being the fattest countries. Experts predicted that one third of the population will become obese by 2020. Currently, there are about 24% of Britons, who are obese. What’s more alarming though is that 1 in 11 deaths in the country is caused by obesity. It is in this light that experts warn the public of the fatalities of this disorder, which soon may exceed deaths caused by smoking. There are many contributing factors to adult obesity, but one of the major factors is eating junk foods, including crisps.

Obesity in children is a growing concern as well. The last thing a parent wants is for their children to get sick. However with less parental guidance, children tend to eat unhealthily unless they grow up with someone that feeds them healthy foods and educate them about the danger of eating junk foods like potato crisps. Currently, one third of the children’s population in UK eat potato crisps every day. The remaining two thirds eat these foods quite a few times a week.

Are Baked Crisps Better?

So, if the regular crisps we buy at the grocery store are fried, should we consider buying baked ones now? Unfortunately, baked crisps may contain three times more acrylamide than the crisps in can or bag. Remember that this toxic chemical is created with extreme heat whether the carb-rich food is fried, roasted or baked.

Crisps usually come in attractive bags or cans with nice packaging and labelling for added attraction. It may also bear a slogan or a text that says, “Healthy snack” to entice health-conscious individuals to eat junk foods. To answer the question, no, baked crisps are no better than fried ones.

Eliminating Crisps In The Diet

For people who are used to munching on crisps, it will not be an easy journey eradicating them in the entire diet. Do it little by little. Snacks are important in-between foods, but should be counted as part of the 3,500 caloric limitations per day. A bag of crisps usually contains more calories because of the oil and other additives. And since it cannot make you full and they taste so good, you get tempted to eat more than a packet. However, the problem lies with the fact that crisps are dangerous to our health because of the toxic substances that are created during the cooking process.

How do you start eliminating crisps in your diet?

1. It is important to accept the reality that it is difficult to make a sudden change in your diet, so do it slowly. Perhaps, if you are eating crisps every day, cut it into 2 days per week and then once a week, until you can totally eliminate it in your diet. Maybe eating crisps once a month is not too bad.
2. Snack on organic, raw food. Raw foods are always healthier. You can eat carrot, tomatoes, celery, apple, grapes, or any fruits or vegetables that you like eating. When your taste buds are trained to eat raw fruits and vegetables, your cravings for other foods will diminish.
3. Snack on nuts, organic almonds will fill you up and much healthier.

As a general rule, avoid snacking and eating all day long as it puts too much strain on the digestive system.