Sun Chips are known especially because they are whole grain chips, unlike the normal corn chips. Sun chips are not healthy to eat while on the keto diet or any other low-carb diet. While their whole-grain content is admirable, it is safe to eat them sparingly as the presence of dietary fiber is limited.
Are Sun Chips still under Production?
Sun chips are still in production and are not being discontinued. Perhaps the brand has removed some of the flavors but the production of the chips is still ongoing. According to Statista, 1.5 million Americans consumed around 8 bags of sun chips in 2020. So it is clear that Sun Chips are still raking revenue from consumers. Additionally, The producer of Sun Chips has not come out to state whether they are discontinuing the brand and as such, or until they do, sun chips are still on the market.
Sun Chips are in hot Munchies?
Yes, sun chips are part of the chips found in hot munchies. We are not sure of the flavor of sun chips found in hot munchies, but we do know that there are sun chips in the hot munchies. Perhaps, the chili flavor of sun chips is the one found in hot munchies.
Are Sun Chips Baked or Fried?
Sun chips are fried. A look at the ingredients list on any bag of sun chips shows that canola or sunflower oil has been used in their production. They are also marketed as fried goodies, not baked.
Sun Chips are known for their whole-grain composition. The Brand markets itself as a heart-healthy option of chips compared to the normal corn chips. They have many different flavors and some of them include sun chips the original flavor, the garden salsa flavor, the chili lime flavor, the french onion flavor, and the harvest cheddar flavor.
What are the ingredients in sun chips?
Most of the ingredients in Sun chips are whole grains as indicated on the packaging. In all of the flavors, the basic ingredients include whole wheat, sunflower, and or canola oil, sugar, salt, brown rice flour, natural flavor, and maltodextrin.
Sun Chips are NOT low-carb snacks and from their ingredients, most of them actually are very high in carbohydrates.
Once the basic chip is made, the rest of the ingredients that make the flavoring are introduced. The Original Flavor of sun chips has no extra ingredients and is considered to be the only dairy-free and vegan version of sun chips.
A serving of 28 grams of the Original Sun Chips flavor contains about 6 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of those fats being saturated fats, 110 mg of sodium and 19 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of those being dietary fiber, and 2 grams being sugar. It also contains 2 grams of protein and 10 milligrams of calcium, 70 milligrams of potassium, and 0.6 milligrams of iron. This serving also contains about 140 calories.
The nutrition facts of the original sun chips flavor show that sun chips are very high in carbs. They also have sugar, even though it is only 2 grams of the total amount of carbohydrates. The sugar and carbohydrate content show that Original Sun Chips flavor is not suitable to eat while on the Keto diet or any other low carb diet.
The French Onion Flavor of Sun Chips has additional ingredients such as cheese, for instance, cheddar and mozzarella, whey protein, spices such as paprika, sour cream butter, gum acacia, and green onion powder. A 28-gram or a 15-chip serving of French Onion Flavor sun chips has 140 calories, 6 grams of fats, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 2 of those being fiber and 2 more grams being sugar, and 2 grams of protein. The French Onion flavor has sugar, it is not dairy-free as it does contain butter, skim milk, and cheese.
The Harvest Cheddar Flavor of Sun Chips has additional ingredients such as onion powder, romano, cheddar, parmesan cheese, spices such as paprika, lactic, and citric acid, skim milk and potassium chloride amongst others. A 28-gram or 15-chip serving of this flavor of sun chips has 140 calories, 6 grams of fats, 19 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of proteins.
The Harvest Cheddar Flavor is not to be eaten frequently, just like all other flavors because of the high intake of carbohydrates. While sun chips are a healthier option than the normal potato chips, they are to be eaten sparingly because they contain sugars and maltodextrin. This flavor is actually not suitable for you if you are vegan. Harvest Cheddar Flavor is also not good for keto.
The Chili Lime Flavor of sun chips has extra ingredients such as chili pepper, garlic powder, citric acid, vinegar, lime juice, tomato powder, and yeast extract among others. This flavor of sun chips is spicy and has a sour taste to it. A 28-gram or 14-chip serving of chili lime flavor sun chips has 140 calories, 6 grams of fats, 19 grams of carbohydrates(2 grams being dietary fiber, 2 grams being sugar), and 2 grams of proteins.
The Garden Salsa Flavor of sun chips is filled with tomato and jalapeno goodness. It is spicy and has a tomato flavor. This flavor is not dairy-free. Additional ingredients apart from the normal ones include cheeses such as cheddar and romano cheese, lactic acid, jalapeno pepper, dextrose, paprika, citric acid, and buttermilk. A 28-gram or 15-chip serving of this flavor contains 140 calories, 6 grams of fats, 19 grams of carbohydrates( 2 grams of dietary fiber and 2 grams of sugar), and 2 grams of proteins. The garden salsa chips are so good because they are spicy and have the unique balance between being sweet and being spicy.
Are Sun Chips Healthy?
From the ingredients, we can see that one of their basic ingredients is maltodextrin, which is from corn. Maltodextrin is considered to be a food additive that is linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Although maltodextrin is important in the improvement of texture and taste in the chips, it has its own downfalls.
The benefit, when used with wheat products, is that it makes the product gluten-free. Its downfall is that it is found in many processed foods and too much of it can lead to diseases such as inflammatory bowel syndrome. Maltodextrin also has a high glycemic index, meaning that it raises blood sugar levels. This means that care should be taken so that you do not take many foods that are rich in maltodextrin.
While it is FDA approved, its effects can also be concerning and should not be lightly taken.
The FDA recommends that the normal intake of sodium should be less than 2300 mg of sodium. This is because increased intake of sodium past the recommended levels leads to increased high blood pressure. The sun chips have only 10 mg of sodium, which means that the amount of sodium in sun chips is healthy for the body.
The amount of fiber in the sun chips is actually not that much. Considering that the dietary fiber component in whole grains is the most beneficial to heart health, 2 grams of it is not as good as the brand promises. This means that while sun chips are healthier in terms of dietary fiber intake compared to corn chips, they should not be taken indiscriminately. They should be taken moderately.
Are Sun Chips actually Heart Healthy?
Sun chips are marketed as healthy for the heart. The whole grain composition of sun chips actually makes them healthy for the heart. Whole grains are beneficial in the prevention of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity due to their high content of dietary fiber.
Even though sun chips are high in carbohydrates, most of the carbohydrates are whole grains rich in fibers. The amount of dietary fiber in sun chips is, however, about 2 grams of the total amount of carbohydrates. This then begs the question, how much whole grains are sun chips the brand using in the manufacture of sun chips? This fiber content does not inspire the confidence that sun chips are heart-healthy.
Are Sun Chips Good for Weight Loss?
The dietary fiber content is commendable and actually helps in improving satiety levels, helping you to eat less. In this way, they can be said to be weight loss friendly. They are, however, not keto-friendly or low carb diet-friendly due to the high amount of carbs they have.
Care should be taken to eat them sparingly as they only contain about 2 grams of dietary fiber per bag of chips.
Are Sun Chips Diabetic Friendly?
Sun Chips have a high carbohydrate content and can lead to a spike in blood sugar levels. The presence of maltodextrin and the low dietary fiber intake are all indicators that the ingredients in the sun chips have a high glycemic index and can therefore impact blood sugar levels. This definitely means that you should consult with your doctor on whether sun chips are the best option for you as a snack.
Are Sun Chips Halal?
Most people seem to agree that sun chips are not halal because they were made by a non-muslim manufacturer, they also have non-Halal animal protein as part of their ingredients.
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