It’s no surprise why. Potato chips are the world’s most popular snack food. Recent market research has revealed that global sales of them now exceed 8.9 billion dollars annually.
The U.S. tops the list of potato chip consumption at a whopping 10.1 percent of the global total. Following the U.S. are France at 8.4 percent, Germany at 6.6, Canada at 5, and the Netherlands at 4.9 percent. Potato chips are America’s favorite salty treat, with popcorn coming in second place.
NOTHING IS MORE SATISFYING THAN A CRISPY, SALTY CHIP
Why is this? It’s quite simple. Of all the salty snacks, chips have the perfect balance of crunch and taste. This is because they are cooked in vegetable fat, and fats make foods taste better. It’s how our tongues are wired. Straight salt placed on your tongue tastes extreme, while salt covering a food cooked in fat tastes yummy.
BUT AREN’T POTATO CHIPS UNHEALTHY?
Basically, yes. Potato chips lack any significant nutritional value. For the most part they contain nothing but empty calories. They are high in fat, and low in fiber and protein. So yes, potato chips are basically an unhealthy food, and the main reasons why can be found in their cooking process. Here are a few of them:
- > They’re fried. Frying saturates foods in a way that other cooking methods, like baking or broiling, do not.
- > Their cooking method causes nutrients to degrade. Chips are traditionally washed, blanched, and then fried until crispy. This process causes the potatoes to lose most of their beneficial nutrients, like antioxidants.
- > Their cooking process also can create byproducts that are not good for your health. There is one molecule in particular called acrylamide that is known to be a neurotoxin and carcinogen. Acrylamide can accumulate in the body and increase your chances of getting certain diseases.
IS THERE A HEALTHIER CHIP OUT THERE?
Yes, plantain chips! Plantains are a member of the banana family, but they tend to be thicker-skinned and are quite often bigger than their cousins, the bananas. They also have a lower sugar content than bananas. This makes them a better option for cooking into chips. Plantain chips contain more vitamins A and C than potato chips, and they are high in fiber. They are also a source of Omega-6, the healthy fatty acid.
Like potato chips, plantain chips can be fried in oil, but we at Prime Planet prefer to bake ours. We just think plantains taste better that way. But there’s an added benefit to baking over frying. The frying process can often bring out unhealthy “free radicals.” Baking does not.
We’ve said it before – many times – and we’ll never stop repeating it: Prime Planet brand Tostones are created with only three simple ingredients: plantains, palm oil, and salt. That’s it!
Our crunchy green Tostones chips are a natural and simple option for consumers looking to maintain a healthier lifestyle. They are low in sodium, contain zero grams of trans fat, and they are free of cholesterol with no sugar or preservatives added.
Snack shoppers are also happy to learn that Prime Planet Tostones are handpicked and cooked under the highest standards. If you’re a snack food distributor, retailer, or wholesaler, it’s time to change your thinking. Give your consumers what they’re looking for. Visit our website or contact us to learn more.
ABOUT PRIME PLANET
An innovative international food company based in Miami, Prime Planet is committed to bringing to market a line of crunchy Tostones snack chips that are truly all-natural, gluten-free, non GMO, and even kosher-certified. Tostones not only come in the most delicious flavors (BBQ, lime, sweet chili, habanero, and original), but are an all-around healthier snack option, too.
Knowledge, expertise, and direct access to leading global logistics and distributors of wholesale snacks and bulk-food products allow Prime Planet to find the shortest and most efficient commercial routes for ideal product shipment and product placement.
BECOME A GREEN PLANTAIN SNACK DISTRIBUTOR
For more information, or to become a distributor, visit www.primeplanet.net; or contact Business Development Manager Marie Gonzalez at 305-592-2044; or via email at bdm@primefreshproducts.com.
