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While Whole Foods market certainly has more healthy and organic food options than arguably any other U.S. grocery chain, it doesn’t mean that you can walk in the store and buy *anything*. Health experts warn that there is one food in particular that you should avoid at Whole Foods because of the nutritional information.
“Whole Foods is known for its wide variety of health foods, but it is important to note that not every item on their shelves is healthy,” Lisa Richards, a nutritionist and author of The Candida Diet tells us. “This is especially true for some of the processed convenience foods like chips.”
365 EveryDay Value Veggie Chips
Just because they have “veggie” in the name, doesn’t mean that health experts don’t strongly urge you avoid them. In fact, they are packed with sodium and fat, which is not a very heart-healthy combination.
"These are an ultra processed product that offers little in terms of nutrition and wreaks havoc in the gut," Richards explains. "These chips are utilized quickly by the body and helps to feed the bad bacteria in the gut by essentially turning into sugar."
These may not be obvious when you glance at the label, but Richards advises to look closer. "When you realize the serving size is just 40 (small) chips it is a bit more alarming," she warns.
"Despite the name, veggie chips should not be classified as a “health food” rather just a glorified potato chip," Mckenzie Hathaway, NLC of Mindbody agrees.
In fact, the food with the good rap and the food with the very bad one are actually not so different from one another, nutritionally.
"The only difference in veggie chips vs normal potato chips is the vegetable itself, as these bags of vegetables are made from beets, parsnips and sweet potatoes," Hathaway explains. "Both veggie chips and potatoes chips contain ingredients of salt, oil, sugar, and food coloring."
She explains that potato chips and veggie chips may even be almost *identical* when it comes to calories, fiber, carbs and saturated fats, depending on the brand.
"I try to never to label foods as 'good' or 'bad." We can have most things in moderation. But veggie chips I would not consider a health stable to have for your mid-day snack."
So, what should you eat instead? "Swap them out for some fresh cut cucumber and tomatoes paired with organic hummus," Hathaway advises. "This snack will fill your salt and crunch cravings while not spiking your blood sugar." Yum!
