NUTRITION
How to Beat Those Potato Chip Cravings Find healthy ways to satisfy your cravings for crunch BY OCEAN ROBBINS Author, speaker, facilitator and father who co-founded the Food Revolution Network, based in Santa Cruz, CA. FOODREVOLUTIONNETWORK
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ood manufacturers and marketers have known about the importance of crunchiness for consumer pleasure—and addictiveness—for decades. In the 1960s, Lay’s potato chips slogan was, “Bet you can’t eat just one.” And they almost always won that bet. So what’s the deal? Why is crunchy food so appealing? And what are some crunchy, healthy alternatives to potato chips, Cheetos, pretzels, and other staples of the crunch-iverse? Through much of our history, our species survived on fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and probably insects. For all these foods, crispness is a reliable signifier of freshness and a better nutritional profile. And a likelihood that the food is free from harmful pathogens like molds and bacteria. So, it makes sense that our brains still rely on crackle and crunch as shorthand for “good for us.”
THE PROBLEM WITH MANY CRUNCHY SNACKS If crunchiness was a reliable signal of healthy food back in the day, in the modern world, it’s pretty much the opposite. 1. They’re highly processed. Not to belabour the point, but these are not whole and fresh plant foods anymore. Most snacks like potato chips are highly processed, with pretty much all fibre removed. They’re loaded with excess sodium, unhealthy fats, flavourings, and sometimes added sugars. 2. They’re addictive. In fact, they’re engineered to be addictive. We have an inherited preference for energy-rich foods since our ancestors, who sought out and pigged out on foods high in sugar and fat, were more likely to survive famines and thus pass their genes (and preferences) on to us. In terms of addiction, puffed snacks like Cheetos may be the perfect storm. Not only are they calorically dense, but because they “melt” so quickly and completely in our mouths, our brains register them as non-caloric and don’t send out any satiety signals.
68 I Fall Fitness & Food Issue 2023 I IMPACT MAGAZINE
3. They’re high in inflammatory oils. Most crunchy snacks are high in corn oil, soybean oil, or canola oil as well. These oils are used because they’re the cheapest; however, they’re often GMO, loaded with inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, and vulnerable to oxidation and the production of free radicals in our bodies. 4. They’re high in refined sugar and flour. Cereals, cookies, and crackers are also high in fructose corn syrup, or sugar made from GMO beets. Add in refined flours, and these snacks hit our brains like a drug, generating powerful dopamine releases that keep us craving and addicted. 5. They’re high in sodium. Excess sodium is another means of getting us addicted to crunchy foods. A little salt adds flavour, but the sodium content in many crunchy snacks is off the charts. A two-ounce bag of Cheetos contains 500 mg of sodium, which is about one-third of the American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit. Too much sodium is implicated in hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and many other conditions. 6. They’re full of additives. Oh, and let’s not forget the additives that render these snacks shelf-stable for geologic timeframes. Preservatives, colourings, and other additives of questionable safety are turning many of our snacks into time capsules—if we can keep our hands off them, that is. Even so-called “natural” additives may never have been tested for safety, and there’s plenty of reason to suspect they may not be great for us. And although many processed crunchy snacks are originally made with plant-based foods (mainly potatoes, corn, and wheat), they lose most of their nutritional value during processing. In general, the further a food product is from its natural form, the less it retains its healthful nutritional properties.