An In-Depth Look at Kettle Brand Sea Salt Potato Chips
Snack foods often get a bad reputation for being highly processed and lacking in nutrients. However, some snacks stand out from the crowd by using natural ingredients and healthier cooking methods. One such example is Kettle Brand's line of classic sea salt potato chips.
Kettle Brand chips distinguish themselves in a few key ways. First, they only use three basic ingredients - potatoes, sunflower oil, and sea salt. Second, they utilize an old-fashioned kettle cooking method to produce a hearty, crunchy chip. Finally, they skip artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives that are found in many leading chip brands.
This article will take a closer look at Kettle Brand sea salt potato chips. Are they really a healthier alternative to traditional potato chips? Let's dig in and see what makes these salty snacks stand out.
Kettle-Cooked for a Crunchier Chip
Most mass-produced potato chips are cooked via continuous frying. Potato slices move along a conveyor belt through hot oil until they reach the desired crispiness. This process allows companies to churn out high volumes of chips quickly and cheaply.
Kettle Brand skips the conveyor belt and opts for small-batch kettle cooking instead. Potato slices are manually placed into baskets and submerged into hot oil. The baskets rotate and flip to ensure even cooking on all sides. Once done, the chips are removed, seasoned, and packaged.
Kettle cooking requires more time and attention than continuous frying. However, fans say it's worth it for the crunchier, heartier chips it produces. The flipping and rotating during cooking allows moisture to escape and the potato's starches to set up into a strong, crunchy shell.
Whole Potato Slices, Not a Reconstituted Potato Mash
Many leading chip brands don't actually start with raw potato slices. Instead, they form chips from a potato mash reconstituted into a dough. This dough is flavored and shaped into chip-like forms before frying. The resulting chips tend to be thinner, lighter, and more uniform in size and shape.
Kettle Brand uses only whole, raw potato slices. The varied slice sizes and shapes reflect the natural potato rather than a manufactured potato chip dough. While less uniform in appearance, fans appreciate that the chips retain their potato texture and flavor.
Starting with whole slices does make packaging the chips challenging. Broken and irregular chips are common. To maintain freshness and prevent breakage, Kettle Brand chips are packaged in foil bags rather than plastic bags. The thicker material better protects the chips en route to the customer.
Minimally Processed Ingredients
A glance at the ingredient list for a typical grocery store chip reveals more than just potatoes, oil, and salt. Artificial colors, MSG, preservatives, and other chemical additives often make the list. While they may enhance shelf life and flavor, many consumers prefer to avoid these highly processed ingredients.
Kettle Brand chips stick to simpler ingredients. Their sea salt chips contain only potatoes, sunflower oil, and sea salt - that's it. By avoiding artificial additives, they appeal to shoppers looking for a more natural snack food option.
The choice to skip additional flavorings does mean Kettle Brand chips taste simpler compared to strongly seasoned competitors. Those seeking a strong, complex potato chip flavor may be disappointed. But fans argue the straightforward potato taste is exactly what makes Kettle Brand chips appealing.
Select Oils for Cooking
For most food companies, choosing a cooking oil comes down to cost and performance. Cheaper oils like soybean and canola oil allow companies to maximize profits while still yielding an acceptable finished product.
Kettle Brand takes a different approach and opts for non-GMO expeller-pressed sunflower oil. Expeller pressing uses friction to extract oil rather than potentially harmful chemical solvents. Sunflower oil also has a high smoke point, making it well-suited for frying. While pricier than other vegetable oils, fans say the clean taste is noticeable in the finished chips.
The choice of sunflower oil reflects Kettle Brand's commitment to using recognizable, non-GMO ingredients to appeal to health-conscious consumers. Those sensitive to the flavor of frying oil say the sunflower oil lets the potato's natural flavor shine through.
Sea Salt for A Hint of Flavor
After frying in small batches, Kettle Brand chips are lightly seasoned with sea salt. Sea salt crystals have a slightly coarser texture and more complex mineral taste compared to refined table salt.
Rather than heavily seasoning chips to deliver bold flavors, Kettle Brand takes a subtle approach. The sea salt accentuates the potato's natural flavor without overpowering it. Fans say this allows you to actually taste the potato versus just salt.
However, those accustomed to strongly flavored chips may find the sea salt chips a bit boring and one-note. Some consumers want potato chips to deliver a big crunch and salty punch rather than highlight the humble potato's flavor. It all comes down to personal taste preferences.
No Trans Fats or Cholesterol
In addition to avoiding artificial additives, Kettle Brand chips are free of trans fats and cholesterol. Trans fats are created by hydrogenating vegetable oils to extend shelf life. However, health authorities now recommend minimizing intake of these unhealthy fats as they may increase bad LDL cholesterol.
By skipping partial hydrogenation, Kettle Brand is able to eliminate trans fats in their chips. And since plants contain no cholesterol, the sunflower oil and potato chips register zero cholesterol. While no potato chip is healthy overall given the high fat and sodium content, these attributes make Kettle Brand chips a better choice compared to other leading brands.
How Do Kettle Brand Chips Stack Up Nutritionally?
Based on the wholesome ingredients and cooking methods, it would be easy to assume Kettle Brand chips are a healthy snack option. However, taking a look at their nutritional profile tells a different story. One 28 gram (1 oz) serving of original sea salt chips contains:
- 170 calories
- 10g fat
- 1.5g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 0mg cholesterol
- 190mg sodium
- 2g protein
With 10 grams of fat and nearly 200 mg of sodium per serving, the chips still pack in plenty of fat and salt. The calories quickly add up when munching on more than a single serving size.
Compared to other popular chip brands, Kettle Brand has similar nutrition stats. An equivalent serving of Lay's classic potato chips contains 160 calories, 10g fat, 170mg sodium. So while Kettle Brand focuses on using quality ingredients, the end nutritional value isn't vastly different from the market leaders.
This isn't surprising given that potato chips start with simple base ingredients. Changing the type of oil or salt seasoning can only do so much to impact calories, fat, and sodium. At the end of the day, potato chips are still a high calorie, high fat snack no matter what brand you choose.
The Bottom Line on Kettle Brand Potato Chips
Kettle Brand chips stand out from typical mass produced potato chips by emphasizing quality ingredients and old-fashioned cooking techniques. By focusing simply on whole potatoes, sunflower oil, and sea salt, they appeal to shoppers looking for a natural snack food option.
However, minimal processing can only go so far to make potato chips healthy. With 10 grams of fat and nearly 200 grams of sodium per serving, Kettle Brand chips are still a high calorie, high sodium food. While they may be slightly better nutritionally than average potato chips, no chip can escape the underlying nutrition of its base ingredients.
Fans who prefer light seasoning and a hearty potato crunch love Kettle Brand chips and say the difference in quality is noticeable. But those seeking wildly inventive flavors or a truly healthy snack should look beyond potato chips altogether. Moderation remains key, even for potato chips touting wholesome ingredients.
At the end of the day, sometimes a crunchy, salty potato chip just hits the spot. Kettle Brand offers chip lovers a way to indulge while sticking to simple, recognizable foods. Just keep portions in check and enjoy them as an occasional treat alongside fruits, veggies and other more nutritious fare.
FAQs
What makes Kettle Brand chips different than regular potato chips?
Kettle Brand chips use simpler, more natural ingredients like whole potato slices, sunflower oil, and sea salt. They also cook chips in small batches in kettle fryers rather than using continuous frying processes.
Are Kettle Brand potato chips healthier than other potato chips?
Not significantly. They are comparable in calories, fat, and sodium to leading potato chip brands. While they avoid artificial additives, potato chips overall are still a high fat, high sodium snack.
Why does Kettle Brand use sunflower oil instead of cheaper oils?
Sunflower oil has a clean, light taste that allows the potato flavor to shine through. Kettle Brand chooses non-GMO expeller-pressed sunflower oil to appeal to health-conscious consumers.
What is the difference between sea salt and regular table salt?
Sea salt has a coarser, crunchier texture and contains more naturally occurring mineral flavors compared to highly refined table salt.
Where are Kettle Brand potato chips made?
Kettle Brand chips are made at their production facilities in Salem, Oregon and Beloit, Wisconsin using regionally grown potatoes whenever possible.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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