Snacking throughout the day can help you prevent hunger (and potentially avoid overeating during meals). However, several vending machine snacks are significantly unhealthy. For example, banana chips may appear healthier than potato chips, but are they?
Banana chips are fried banana slices. Sugar, honey, syrup, salt, or spices are additives that make them tastier. However, raw bananas are both delicious and healthy. On the other side, banana chips aren’t relatively healthy. They’re heavily processed and loaded with carbohydrates and fats. Banana chips begin with a healthy base: unripened banana sliced into round-shaped pieces. However, there are rectangular pieces also.
Unfortunately, that’s where the healthiness ends. In frying oil, the pieces get fried until crispy. They then get dipped in sweet liquids. The frying flavours add extra saturated fat and calories to your diet. When appropriately prepared, healthy eating options include homemade banana chips. This crunchy snack contains potassium, a mineral that helps decrease blood pressure. Bananas are also high in fibre, which helps with digestion and prevents constipation.
While banana chips appear healthy on the surface, they can be heavy in calories, saturated fat, and added sugar. Look for dry, non-fried banana chips that are unsweetened. Instead, opt for a fully ripe banana. Keep your portion amount in mind if you decide to eat banana chips.
Nutritional Value of Banana chips
According to USDA, 100g of banana chips contains:
- Water: 4.3 g
- Energy: 519 kCal
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Total lipid (fat): 33.6 g
- Fibre, total dietary: 7.7g
- Sugar: 35.3g
- Calcium, Ca:18 mg
- Iron, Fe: 1.25 mg
- Phosphorus, P: 56 mg
- Potassium, K: 536 mg
- Sodium, Na: 6 mg
- Zinc, Zn: 0.75 mg
- Copper, Cu: 0.205 mg
- Manganese, Mn:1.56 mg
Banana chips have a moderate amount of calories. A 1.5-ounce amount has 218 calories, or roughly 10% of your daily calorie consumption, on a 2,000-calorie diet. Most calories come from carbohydrates and fat (25 and 14 grams, respectively).
Both of these nutrients are high in concentrated energy. That means banana chips can keep your body supplied between meals, but they can trigger weight gain if ingested in large quantities. In addition, banana chips are low in vitamins and minerals.
The HealthifyMe Note
Unripe bananas are incredibly healthy. However, the readily available off-the-shelf banana chips are not healthy. Although this snack contains fibre and a few vitamins and minerals, the fat, calorie, and sugar content rapidly negates these benefits. Furthermore, banana chips are delicious and tempting, which might lead to overeating.
Benefits of Banana Chips
According to the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines, banana chips supply over 8% of your daily potassium and over 11% of your vitamin B6 needs. They include a good quantity of fibre as well.
The nutrients are great, but the few benefits of these chips don’t justify the calorific drawbacks. On the other hand, banana chips can be a healthy snacking alternative, depending on how you prepare them. For example, deep-fried banana chips may not be as healthy or safe as baked banana chips.
Increases Magnesium Intake
If you nibble on banana chips, you’ll get nutritional value for your calorie investment. Also, the chips are high in essential vitamins, particularly magnesium.
Magnesium is necessary for energy production, cell-to-cell communication, DNA synthesis, and cell proliferation. In addition, magnesium and other minerals like calcium and phosphorus help create bone and tooth tissue. Thus consuming magnesium-rich foods can help keep your skeleton healthy, says research.
A serving of banana chips contains 32 milligrammes of magnesium. It equates to 8 to 10% of your daily magnesium requirements, depending on your gender.
Provide Adequate Potassium
Bananas’ high potassium content contributes to their excellent health image. According to studies, there is plenty of potassium in banana chips. It could, however, be less than you expect.
Each dose provides 225 mg of potassium, around 5% of the daily potassium requirement. Potassium has several health benefits, including nerve and muscle support and lowering blood pressure.
May Lower Blood Pressure
Banana chips contain only a trace of sodium. Therefore, this snack is likely lower in salt than crackers or potato chips. According to USDA data, a single serving of banana chips has less than one gramme (0.84mg) of salt.
Provides Energy
Of course, these chips are high in calories—218 calories per 42-gram serving. Every day, we must consume roughly 2000 calories, most of which come from carbohydrates and fat (25 and 14 grams, respectively).
Both are concentrated energy sources. It means that banana chips can keep your body energised between meals, but they won’t help you lose weight if you eat a lot.
The HealthifyMe Note
The nutritional content of banana chips is highly dependent on the preparation. For example, if they’re deep-fried, the added calories may outweigh the nutritional value of the banana and coconut oil. On the other hand, you can eat banana chips as part of a healthy diet when baked or made in an air fryer with minimum oil.
Possible Side Effects of Banana Chips
Banana chips are not a healthy weight-loss snack. Also, they are sugared or salted bananas that have been deep-fried. As a result, banana chips provide 210 calories and 12.5 grams of fat every half-cup. In addition, banana chips have several drawbacks.
Excessive Sugar Content
Many commercial banana chips are fried and sweetened, making them heavy in fat and sugar. In addition, according to studies, sugar gets added to banana chips, which can lead to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. As a result, you must add banana chips on rare occasions.
One cup (72 grams) of banana chips has 25 grams of sugar, including 10.5 grams of added sugar. It contributes to the chips’ high calorie and sugar content while potentially increasing disease risk.
High in Fats
Although fat isn’t always harmful, you’ll consume roughly 12 grams of saturated fat, which isn’t good for your heart. However, this adds a lot of fat to the inventory of the modest banana. According to research, a single cup of fat has 24 grams (and 21 grams are saturated fats).
Fried bananas are pretty tasty. However, you might consume more chips than you intended, especially if you think they’re just harmless little bananas in another shape. They could seriously harm your efforts if you’re trying to lose weight and consume a low-fat or low-calorie diet.
Other Effects
Bananas are a medium-level glycemic food which can induce a minor jump in blood sugar levels. And so are banana chips. Studies say you should limit your banana consumption. Also, eating foods with a high glycemic index can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Hyperkalemia is a disorder caused by an excess of potassium in the blood. Symptoms include an irregular heartbeat, nausea, and an unequal pulse rhythm, which can lead to a heart attack. Therefore, people who consume excess banana chips should be careful about such contraindications.
Sunflower oil is an omega-6 fatty acid essential for human health, development, and cognitive function. However, in some cases, it harms health. For example, The issue is that the typical American diet is heavy in omega-6 and low in omega-3. As a result, it causes inflammation in the body, increasing the risk of IBS, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Allergies
A banana allergy occurs when the immune system overreacts to something otherwise harmless, as it does with all allergies. Specific allergies have different symptoms from person to person and allergen to allergen. Some people may only have minor skin irritation, while others may develop anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction.
You can divide banana allergy into two types: one with tree pollen allergies, such as birch, and the other with latex allergies. People sensitive to birch pollen may experience symptoms as soon as an hour after eating a fresh banana or a banana-containing dish. Local reactions in the mouth and throat, including irritation and inflammation, are common symptoms (oral allergy syndrome, OAS).
Most banana allergy patients have pollen allergies (hayfever or asthma) and natural rubber latex allergies. However, due to selection factors and pollen or latex exposure, the proportions of other food-pollen or latex-related allergies may vary substantially among different populations.
There have been few cases of coconut allergy or reactions to coconut oil. However, according to research, allergy experts aren’t sure if eating meals made with these oils is safe for those allergic to coconut.
The HealthifyMe Note
Anything in excess might invite various abnormalities on board. Hence, it would help if you control the consumption of banana chips. Since the added sugar signifies a green signal for diseases like diabetes and obesity, keeping the portion size in control is essential. In addition, chips are everyday snack items that can lead to cavities and harm teeth health.
Different Types of Banana Chips
It comes with various seasonings to turn every occasion into a snack party.
Yellow Banana Chips
These delightful delicacies are cooked to perfection and dusted with salt to acquire a good taste. You can’t help but admire its fresh crispiness, packaged with care.
Mari Banana Chips
With these original Mari banana chips, enjoy the mouthwatering flavour of black pepper and wonderfully balanced spices.
Chutney Mary Banana Chips
Make use of your valuable break time by snacking these chutney mary chips. They are cooked to perfection using pickled bananas.
Masala Banana Chips
These masala banana chips will make a delicious snack! It’s created with passion and care from the best ingredients and put through a stringent quality control process. The fresh bananas and a delectable blend of spices can instantly lift your spirits.
Tomato Banana Chips
Savour the savoury crispiness of these tasty chips. These are from the best fresh bananas, tangy tomato zest, and wonderfully balanced spices.
Easy Way to Make Banana Chips at Home
While watching the rain, these fried banana chips in coconut oil are an excellent South Indian snack. It would help if you stored them in an airtight container for up to a week. It’s a gluten-free and vegan recipe. Baking or dehydrating the chips is an excellent way to keep the fat content low.
To make the chips, use a food dehydrator or your oven. You might also choose a brand that flavours its products with herbs and spices rather than syrups or sugar.
Ingredients
- Green (unripe) plantains, peeled and sliced into thin rounds: 4
- Coconut oil: 2 tbsp
- Water: 3 quarts
- Turmeric: 1 tbsp
- Chilli powder: 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
Method of Preparation
- Soak the banana slices in water, salt, and turmeric solution for 5 minutes.
- Mix well and strain into a colander to drain completely.
- Heat the oil in a medium kadhai over high heat.
- Add the slices in tiny batches as soon as it begins to smoke.
- Fry till golden and drain on paper towels.
- Continue with the remaining pieces.
- Salt and pepper to taste, then set aside to cool.
- Keep for up to a week in an airtight container.
Conclusion
Banana chips appear healthy and are high in unnecessary ingredients and excess calories, fats, and sugar. That’s fine if you don’t feel like you can obtain that crunchy sweetness anywhere else. Look for items that use natural, unsweetened flavours and are not fried if you want a healthier option.
Alternatively, you may eat a banana. However, banana chips are preferable to conventional potato chips, which contain more salt. Regardless of their type or composition, you must be cautious and practise control when eating chips.
Of course, there is a way to eat healthful banana chips. Make them yourself! You’ll know what went into them, what oil you used, and what you added. Not to mention that they’ll be fresh and ready to add to salads or enjoy on their own!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Are banana chips good for you?
A. They are not totally unhealthy. Also, banana chips have high calories, sugar content, and saturated fats. They are okay for a mid-time snack, but one needs to consider the over and excessive consumption. Therefore, regardless of their type or composition, you must be cautious and practise control when eating chips.
Q. Which banana is used to make banana chips?
A. The ideal banana variety for manufacturing chips is Nendran, which grows in several places in South India. Raw Nendran bananas are traditionally skinned, sliced thinly, and deep-fried in coconut oil.
Q. Are banana chips healthier than potato chips?
A. Banana chips will never be a suitable alternative for a whole banana. Fruit will always be the healthier option. However, they are preferable to conventional potato chips, which contain more salt.
Q. Are banana chips made from plantain?
A. Banana chips (also known as banana crisps) are deep-fried or dried banana slices that are generally crispy. They’re commonly from firmer, starchier banana cultivars like Saba and Nendran, called cooking bananas or plantains.
Q. Do bananas cause belly fat?
A. When eaten in moderation, bananas do not cause or increase belly fat. When consumed in moderation, bananas do not increase belly fat. Bananas are a versatile fruit that can be ingested in small amounts to aid weight loss or maintenance.
Q. Do banana chips make you gain weight?
A. While the coconut oil and little spice are used to make them a nutritious snack. However, these chips are high in sugar and saturated fat, leading to obesity, high cholesterol, and other health issues. Fried banana chips have a much higher calorie, fat, and sugar content than potato or vegetable chips. So keep track of how many chips you are eating.
Q. Why are banana chips so sweet?
A. Some banana chips are coated in syrup or honey, which raises sugar content significantly. For example, one cup (72 grams) of banana chips contains 25 grams of sugar, including 10.5 grams of added sugar. In contrast, a medium (118-gram) banana provides 14.5 grams of natural sugar ( 1, 5 ).
Q. Is banana good for weight loss?
A. Bananas are a nutritious addition to a balanced diet since they are high in fibre and include several key elements. Although bananas do not stimulate weight loss directly, they have properties that can help with bloating, appetite management, and the replacement of processed sugars.
Q. Which oil is used for banana chips?
A. Banana chips traditionally get cooked in coconut oil in south India. Still, if you don’t have any on hand or don’t like the flavour, you may use standard cooking oil.
Q. Why should we not eat a banana at night?
A. According to Ayurveda, bananas may trigger mucus formation and choking if ingested late. Bananas take a long time to digest, so our metabolism slows at night. Late-night banana consumption may induce digestive issues.
