Plantain chips were promoted as a perfect substitute for sweets. Why eat 300 grams of chocolate, when you can enjoy a healthy banana snack. Plantain chip is healthy after all, right? The thing is, plantain chips are made by deep frying plantain. Just one serving of plantain chips contains about 10 grams of saturated fat, which has an awful impact on our cholesterol levels.
While they may seem like a healthy alternative to potato chips or other greasy snacks, the truth is that they’re high in fat and calories and provide few essential nutrients. On the plus side, however, they do contain fiber and are typically low in sodium. Nonetheless, you’re better off snacking on fresh fruits or vegetables instead of their processed counterparts.
As they are deep-fried, this makes them very high in fat. Also, since they are fried for a long time, they absorb a lot of oil and salt. Fat contains more than double the calories of carbohydrates or protein, which helps explain why both potato chips and plantain chips may contain about 150 calories per ounce. Some versions are somewhat lighter; for example, one brand of plantain chips contains a little less than 120 calories per ounce. However, that’s still far more calories than you’ll find in the same amount of raw plantain. Stay healthy, avoid plantain chips, they’re high on cholesterol.