Weight Loss: Are Banana Chips A Healthy Snacking Option? Nutritionist Tells

Banana chips can offer potassium and fibre

Banana chips are surely delightful. They are made by deep frying ripe banana slices in coconut oil or mustard oil. You can season them with salt, red chilli powder and even some sugar to get the desired taste. Homemade banana chips, when cooked in a healthy way, can make for a healthy snacking option. This crispy snack can provide you with potassium, a mineral which is great for blood pressure control. Banana is also rich in fibre, a nutrient that can help you have a healthy digestive system and prevent constipation.

Weight loss: Are banana chips healthy?

Healthy snacking can help you lose weight effectively. What you eat in-between meals affects your main meals, hunger, calorie intake and how quickly you can achieve your weight loss goals. Eating a nourishing snack which is rich in protein, fibre or healthy carbs can help you stay energetic throughout the day and with time, reduce your appetite.

Also read: Is It Healthy To Eat Bananas With Milk? Here's The Answer From Our Expert

A lot of healthy and nourishing snacks can be prepared at home and stored for a long period of time. Ghee-roasted makhana, roasted black chana, roasted nuts, nuts and seeds trail mix, seasoned puffed rice and seasoned flattened rice are a few healthy snacking options that you can have.

Ghee roasted makhana make for a healthy snacking option
Photo Credit: iStock

Speaking of banana chips, they too can be a healthy snacking option, however, the same is widely dependent on how you cook them. We speak to nutritionist Nmami Agarwal if banana chips are really a healthy snacking option.

Also read: Holiday Weight: Practice Portion Control, Snack Healthy And Other Tips That Can Help

"The nutritive value of banana chips depends a lot on the method of cooking. If they are deep-fried, it may put an extra load of calories that may surpass the nutritional value of both banana and coconut oil. However, if banana chips are baked or prepared using an air-fryer, with minimal oil- they can be enjoyed sometimes as a part of a healthy diet," she tells DoctorNDTV.

She goes on to add that banana chips can also be baked with some herbs and spices. It can further enhance the flavour and the nutritive value of this delicious sack. "The best way to enjoy your banana chips is to prepare them at home so that you can keep a check on ingredients. Packaged banana chips may have the addition of sugar or usage of sub-standard cooking oil," she informs.

Also read: 6 Fibre-Rich Snacks That Can Help You With Weight Loss And Better Digestion

It is also important to note that banana chips are going to have significantly lesser potassium than a whole banana fruit, and more saturated fat. "So make sure to add whole banana fruit in your diet and not just in the form of chips," Agarwal adds.

(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.