Scientific Facts

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Chips are typically high in fat and calories, which can raise the risk of weight gain and obesity.

If you regularly include chips as part of your diet, you may not be consuming as many nutrients as you should. Chips are typically low in vitamins and minerals, and they tend to displace things in the diet that are higher in nutrients. Eating healthy snacks can help make up for any nutritional lack at meal times, so if you opt for chips instead of snacks with a high nutrient density, you won't get this benefit.

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The sodium content in chips may negatively impact your cardiovascular health. A high intake of sodium can cause an increase in blood pressure, which can lead to stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease and kidney disease. Potato chips generally have between 120 and 180 milligrams of sodium per ounce, and tortilla chips can have 105 to 160 milligrams of sodium per ounce. A bag of chips typically has more than a single ounce, so many people consume more sodium than they realize when eating chips.

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Frequent chip consumption can give to high cholesterol levels because of the amount and type of fat found in chips. Most chips are deep-fried, a process that creates trans fats, the most dangerous type. In addition, the oils used for frying chips are often saturated fats, which also give to high cholesterol levels. High levels of trans fats in the bloodstream are associated with high levels of LDL cholesterol and an increased risk of coronary heart disease. High levels of trans fat in the diet are correlated to high levels in the blood.

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Corn tortilla chips are also a source of thiamine or vitamin B-1 and vitamin B-6. These vitamins are very essential for our body as they help in food metabolism.

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You can make your tortilla chips even healthier by eating them with low-fat salsa or small quantities of guacamole.​

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