A packet of chips is the perfect addition to, well, pretty much everything. Picnic? Chips. Dips? Chips. Beer? Chips. Those crunchy little potato slices are so good that it can be easy to get carried away and munch down more than you should.
While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a tasty packet of chips, it’s worth looking a little closer at what type of chip you choose. No longer is the chip game dominated by potatoes anymore; there are now loads of interesting and healthier options for you to choose from, making it easier to introduce more plant-based foods into your diet.
You can tick both the taste and health boxes with a new generation of crispy snacks and we’ve pulled together with Off the Eaten Path to show you how to keep your crunching habits whilst still keeping on track with a healthy balanced diet.
The Changing Nature of Chips
The humble potato chip is a pretty simple food – potatoes cooked in oil and coated with salt or seasoning. But these days people are looking for more.
This is why there has been such an explosion in potato-alternatives in recent years. From broccoli, to mushrooms, and even hummus, people will make chips out of anything in order to bring a little more variety to their diets and boost their plant-food intake.
From this melee of non-potato possibilities, it’s clear the legume has emerged victorious. Once the simple staple of vegetarians everywhere, legumes are slowly shifting into the minds and onto the plates of your average omnivore – and for good reason.
What are Legumes?
The word legume refers to a family of plants that all produce pods with seeds inside. The legumes themselves are the seeds of those plants. It’s a broad category that includes things like lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans, soybeans, and, weirdly, peanuts.
There is a reason that vegans and vegetarians have sworn by them for decades, getting just as much goodness from them as from animal products. Legumes are packed with protein, fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals. Across the range of plants that make up this group, they offer a huge diversity in terms of flavour, appearance, nutrients and texture.
Why Legumes are a Better Choice
The science of diet and nutrition is a complex one but at a surface level, legumes are simply better able to carry and deliver a wider range of nutrients and a higher level of protein than your typical root vegetable (ie the potato). Everyone knows that the key to a healthy balanced diet is variety and that’s exactly what legumes can bring to the table. If you’re trying to cut back on your meat consumption and boost your plant intake, legumes are a fantastic way to balance out your diet.
