Are Veggie Straws Healthy? Let’s reveal the 3 secrets

Are Veggie Straws Healthy? You might be asking this question seeing no Veggies in the packet but some fried stuff. On the surface they sound like a healthier snack option, don’t they? But Are Veggie Straws Healthy? Or “Veggies” in the name is just a deceptive marketing strategy. This article dissects deeper into this popular snack to find out the hidden truth.

Secret No. 1: Veggie straw Ingredients: What actually are Veggie straws?

Advertised as a nutritious snack, Veggie straws are widely consumed. In addition, they are supposedly a healthier option to potato chips and a fun way to eat veggies. But it appears that this assertion is somewhat untrue. To understand this better, let us take a look at their key ingredients of Veggie Straws:

• Potato flour
• Potato starch
• Corn starch
• Tomato paste
• Spinach powder
• Salt
• Sugar
• Beetroot powder
• Turmeric
• Sea salt
• Oil (canola, sunflower, and/or safflower oil)

The ingredients list makes it clear that the majority of the starch in Veggie straws comes from potatoes and corn, and there isn’t any actual “vegetable” material present. The primary ingredients are flour and starch and other ingredients cling to these primary ingredients. As a result, Veggie straws have a base of carbohydrates just as other snacks like nachos and potato chips do. So Are Veggie Straws Healthy? Let’s compare them with other popular snacks.

Secret No. 2: Veggie straw nutritional value: Are veggie straws a healthier option compared to other snacks?

For getting the answer of the question Are Veggie Straws Healthy?, let’s compare them to other well-known packaged snacks. We will compare these snacks with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) smart snack recommendations, which are meant to encourage and guarantee healthy snacking. The table below provides insight.

Criteria	USDA FNS Guide to Smart Snacks	Moderate Servings of Vegetable Straws with Sea Salt	Classic Potato chips from Lay’s	Original Tortilla Chips from Tostitos	Sea Salt and Terra Sweet Potato Chips
Serving size	n/a	1 ounce (38 straws)	1 ounce (15 chips)	1 ounce (28 g)	1 ounce
Calories per serving	200 or less	130	160	140	160
Total fat	35% or less	7 grams (9%)	10 grams (13%)	7 grams (9%)	11 grams (17%)
Saturated fat	less than 10%	1 grams (4%)	1.5 grams (7%)	1 gram (4%)	1 gram (5%)
Trans fats	0 grams	0 grams	0 grams	0 grams	0 grams
Sodium	200 mg or less	220 mg (10%)	170 mg (7%)	115 mg (5%)	10 mg (0%)
Added sugars	35% or less	0 grams	n/a	0 grams	0 grams

 

The aforementioned table illustrates that while Veggie straws have less calories per serving than ordinary potato chips, tortilla chips, and sweet potato chips, their total fat and sugar content is not much different.

They surpass the USDA’s FNS sodium guideline for Smart Snacks and have the highest sodium content of any snack.

The only snack that has less than 1 gram of protein and 0 grams of fiber per serving is Veggie straws.

I  have written a detailed article on Are pita chips healthy? You may read it for knowing better about this specific veggie straw alternative.

Secret No. 3: Do veggie straws provide any health benefits?

Put simply, Veggie straws are not a nutritious snack. As with many non-nutrient-dense snacks, consume them in moderation.

Vegetable straws, despite their name, are primarily made of processed potato and vegetable powders. Do not use them in place of the full vegetables you eat each day.

The high salt content of Veggie straws may be cause for worry if consumed frequently. One of the main risk factors for heart disease is hypertension, which is associated with excess sodium intake.

Vegetable straws can really be considered a type of food that is marketed as healthy but actually has little nutritional value and may be heavy in fat, sugar, or sodium. This is known as deceptively unhealthy food.

Despite the product’s lack of actual health advantages, marketing slogan made on the front of the container, like the word “veggie,” may make consumers feel better about it and be more inclined to buy it.

Despite its widespread appeal, this snack is much the same as other chips that are sometimes criticized for having little nutritious value. For this reason, indulge in exciting Veggie straws mindfully.

Try these seven ways to increase your daily vegetable intake

If you are really serious about increasing your daily vegetable intake, try these seven ways,

1. In case you get hungry in between meals, make some baked vegetable chips at home.
2. Add vegetables to your sandwiches and wraps.
3. To add extra nutrients and fillingness to yogurt, add grated or chopped veggies.
4. Savor salads and pickled veggies with your meals.
5. When blending smoothies, use veggies like cucumbers, spinach, kale, and carrots.
6. To make savory pancakes, mix flour with shredded or mashed veggies.
7. Steam the vegetables and add your preferred spices on top. As a snack, you can eat them with hummus, salsa, or yogurt dip.

Final Verdict: Veggie Straws are not a replacement for vegetables

If you ask are Veggie straws healthy? it means that you are deceived by the smart marketing strategy and its better for you to consider the following:

• Veggie straws are a tasty and fun snack but by no means a way to increase your daily vegetable intake.
• On the surface they sound like a healthier snack option but they aren’t because there isn’t any actual “vegetable” material present as an ingredient in Veggie straws and “Veggies” in the name is just a deceptive marketing strategy.
• Savor Veggie straws as a starchy snack, and pair them with a nutritious dish like guacamole or hummus to add more nutrients and healthy fat.
• Remember to consume the recommended daily intake of vegetables, which ranges from 2 to 3 cups for women 19 years of age and older and from 2 1/2 to 4 cups for males 19 years of age and older, depending on their age.