National Potato Chip Day: Tips to make healthy potato chips at home

Potato chips can be highly addictive and being high on calories and low in nutrients can make one obese upon regular consumption. Considering they are deeply fried and cooked in an unhealthy oil usually, they can in long term increase risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, blood pressure among others. Worst thing about the store-bought potato chips is that you can't stop eating them until the last one is polished off. However, if you are a potato chip lover and looking for a healthier version of this sinful food this National Potato Chip Day (March 14), you can make it at home by using minimal oil, less salt, and herbs and spices for seasoning. Have it in moderation as they still do not have enough fibre and other nutrients essential for weight loss and good health. (Also read: Crisp chemistry: What it takes to make the perfect potato chip)

"Being a nutritionist, I am on a constant look out for healthier options for me and my family. One thing I hate are the packaged items. Everyone in my house knows that if something is in a packet - I won't eat it. My son loves chips, but the ones available in the market are super-unhealthy as they have loads of sodium, preservatives and trans fats. Therefore, I found out this recipe - once I tried it, we never looked back to the bags. And the cherry on top is - these taste even better than the packed ones. Made with love, care and no added preservatives- one can’t miss trying this recipe," says Nutritionist Sakshi Lalwani in an interview with HT Digital.

Recipe for healthy potato chips:

1. Wash and peel off the skin of the potatoes well and pat them dry with a paper or cloth towel.

2. Thinly slice the potatoes to the size you want. I generally slice it to 1/16th of an inch since the thinner it is the crispier it will get.

3. Toss them with a little olive oil, just enough to have a shiny effect on each one, no need to use a large amount as baking will in any case soak it all up.

4. Layer the slices on the baking sheet. When layering the potatoes, be sure they have space between them, so the heat has plenty of room to get all around each chip.

5. Pre-heat the oven for 3 minutes on grill at 200-220 degree. Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven, and using tongs, flip each one and bake for 7–8 minutes more. Be sure to keep an eye on them as towards the end they will cook fast.

6. You can season them with simple salt and pepper or add some chilli powder or oregano and can eat them with any dip.

7. Baked potato chips are best eaten right away but can be stored in a covered container for 1–2 weeks (just be sure to let them cool completely before storing).

"When trying to make potato chips healthy, you must check the quality of oil used to fry and addition of salt. To be completely honest, there is no healthy alternative to potato chips. This is mainly because the texture and taste of potato chips is designed to be addictive and no healthy variant would do that," says Khushboo Jain Tibrewala, Founder of The Health Pantry, Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator.

Tibrewala suggests some easy ways of cooking potato chips to make them healthier:

1. Soak potato slices in mildly salted water for some time. Drain them and dry with a kitchen towel. Place in a tray, brush some oil on the slices and cook in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, till golden. Sprinkle salt and pepper. To reduce salt, add some dried herbs.

2. The same method can be used to bake or air fry them.

3. Use raw banana, sweet potato beetroot carrots in place of potato. This makes for a really good-looking colourful bowl of chips at a party.

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