Unfortunately, those addictive, crunchy chips are not Paleo for a few reasons. First, they’re very high in carbohydrates. White potatoes have a lot of starch without enough fiber to prevent a spike in blood sugar. Because of this, most people living the Paleo lifestyle choose to avoid white potatoes altogether.
The Danger of Polyunsaturated Fats
The second main reason you should kick that crunchy habit is the rancid seed oils normally used to cook chips. Most chips will include something like vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil. These oils are extremely high in a polyunsaturated fat called Omega-6. This type of fat is inflammatory and should only be consumed in moderation. Only in the past century have our bodies been given access to so many Omega-6 fats, which is likely part of the reason behind our recent surge in mental disorders and chronic inflammatory conditions.
PUFAs and Oxidation
Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) are also unstable when cooked at high temperatures. They tend to oxidize in response to heat and that leads to big trouble for us. Oxidized PUFAs give rise to certain metabolites which are involved in signaling pathways in the body, most notably inflammation.
Mark Sisson provided a whole list of reasons to avoid rancid oils on his blog.
Paleo Potato Chips
If you simply can’t do without potato chips you do have an option. Have a look at Jackson’s Honest Chips. They are the only coconut oil fried potato chip that we’re aware of, and offer both white potato and sweet potato chips.
The only problem with Jackson’s Honest is that they’re so good we can’t help but eat an entire bag in one sitting. :)
