Atkins Chips Review: Are They Keto-Friendly and Healthy?

What is the Keto Diet?

The ketogenic or "keto" diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that forces your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When you severely restrict carbs, your body starts using fat as its main source of energy instead of glucose.

On keto, carb intake is typically reduced to only 50 grams or less per day. This very low carb intake helps the body start burning fat through ketosis.

Benefits of a Keto Diet

There are several proposed benefits of following a ketogenic diet:

• Weight loss - Lowering carb intake can lead to significant weight loss.
• Reduced appetite - Keto diets help control hunger hormones.
• Lower blood sugar - For people with diabetes, keto can improve blood glucose control.
• neurological benefits - Some studies suggest potential benefits for epilepsy, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's.

However, more research is still needed on the long-term effects and safety of keto dieting.

Foods to Avoid on Keto

On the keto diet, there are certain foods you need to restrict or eliminate completely:

• Grains: wheat, rice, oats, corn, pasta
• Starchy vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes
• Legumes: beans, lentils, peas
• Sugars and sweets
• Some fruits: bananas, apples, grapes
• Alcohol: beer, wine, liquor
• Low fat products

Reading nutrition labels is crucial to avoid hidden carbs in sauces, condiments, and packaged foods.

Atkins Chips and the Keto Diet

Many people want to know if they can still enjoy popular snack foods like chips and crackers on the keto diet. Atkins brand snacks advertise themselves as low carb options suitable for keto.

But are Atkins snacks really keto friendly? Let's take a detailed look at Atkins brand chips to see if they can fit into a ketogenic eating plan.

What are Atkins Snacks?

Atkins Nutritionals Inc. produces a range of low net carb snacks like chips, crackers, bars, and shakes. Their products are designed specifically for low carb diets like keto.

Some of their most popular offerings include:

• Atkins Endulge Chocolate Candies
• Atkins Protein-Rich Shake
• Atkins Lemon Crème Metabolic Boost Bar
• Atkins Harvest Trail Bars
• Atkins Endulge Caramel Nut Chew Bars
• Atkins Crisps

They use sugar alcohols and fiber to create sweet snacks that are lower in net carbs than traditional candies and chips.

Are Atkins Chips Keto?

When determining if a food fits into the keto diet, it's important to look beyond just the total carbs. You need to pay attention to net carbs, which is total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols.

Most Atkins chips list having between 2-5g of net carbs per serving. This is within the limits of the standard keto diet recommendations.

For example, here is the nutrition info for Atkins Endulge Sea Salt Caramel Crisps:

• Serving Size: 10 crisps (28g)
• Total Carbs: 15g
• Dietary Fiber: 5g
• Sugar Alcohols: 5g
• Net Carbs: 5g

While the total carb count seems high, the 5g of net carbs falls within keto guidelines. So these particular Atkins chips would be suitable for the keto diet.

Ingredients in Atkins Chips

Aside from net carbs, it's also important to evaluate the specific ingredients used in Atkins snacks.

Here is a look at some of the main ingredients found in popular Atkins chip flavors:

• Natural cheese
• Whey protein
• Vegetable oils
• Salt
• Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, erythritol, and maltitol
• Natural flavors
• Citric acid
• Spices
• Artificial colors in some flavors

Most of these ingredients are fine for keto, especially since net carbs are accounted for. But there are a few potential concerns:

Drawbacks of Atkins Chips

While Atkins chips can technically fit into keto diets, there are some drawbacks to be aware of:

• Highly processed - made from refined oils and protein isolates.
• Artificial flavors and colors - some flavors contain artificial additives.
• Inflammatory oils - use processed vegetable oils like soybean and canola.
• Maltitol - sugar alcohol that can cause digestive issues in some people.
• Lacks nutrients - minimal vitamins, minerals, or antioxidants.

For optimal health, it's best to get nutrients from real, whole foods whenever possible on keto. While low carb, Atkins snacks lack the micronutrients found in foods like avocados, nuts, fish, and leafy greens.

Healthier Keto Snack Options

To get all the benefits of the keto diet, it's ideal to focus your snacks around real, nutrient-dense foods within your daily carb limit.

Here are some healthier keto snack ideas to consider instead of processed snacks like Atkins chips:

1. Celery Sticks With Nut Butter

Celery is very low carb at just 1-2g net carbs per stalk. Pair it with a keto-friendly nut butter like almond or peanut butter for added fat and protein.

2. Kale Chips

Bake your own crunchy, savory kale chips at home with olive oil and sea salt. Kale provides vitamin C, vitamin K, and antioxidants.

3. Avocado With Cottage Cheese

Slice up half an avocado and top with cottage cheese and hemp seeds or sunflower seeds for a nutritious snack.

4. Deviled Eggs

Hard boiled eggs stuffed with keto-friendly mayo and mustard make a high fat, high protein snack. Sprinkle paprika or everything bagel seasoning for extra flavor.

5. Green Smoothie

Blend leafy greens like spinach with unsweetened nut milk or water and healthy fats from avocado or coconut. Stay within carb limits by skipping the fruit.

6. Veggies With Guacamole

Fresh veggies like cucumber, bell pepper, or jicama dipped in creamy, homemade guacamole make a filling snack option.

7. Berries With Whipped Cream

Enjoy a small serving of berries like raspberries or blackberries topped with unsweetened whipped heavy cream.

8. Turkey Roll-Ups

Roll deli turkey around slices of avocado or cheese for quick high protein, low carb snack.

9. Chia Pudding

Chia seeds soaked in unsweetened nut milk create a pudding-like treat. Top with unsweetened shredded coconut.

10. Tuna Salad

Mix canned tuna with mayo, celery, onion, and spices for an easy savory dip or spread. Enjoy with veggies or flaxseed crackers.

Keto Chips to Buy

If you really want the crunch of a chip, there are some keto-friendly packaged chips worth trying.

Here are some recommended keto chips to consider instead of Atkins:

1. Quest Chips

Quest Nutrition makes high protein, low net carb tortilla chips from whey and milk proteins. Flavors like ranch and cheese are under 5g net carbs.

2. Mr. Cheese O's

These crunchy baked cheese snacks are like Cheetos but keto-approved. They contain just 3g net carbs per serving.

3. Pork King Good Frozen Pork Rinds

Pork rinds baked instead of fried makes them fluffy and less greasy. Seasoned or unseasoned, they have 0g carbs.

4. Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly Cereal

This crunchy cereal made with whey protein has just 1g net carb per serving and makes a good chip replacement.

5. HighKey Keto Cookies

These crunchy keto cookies come in chocolate chip and snickerdoodle flavors with 3g net carbs per cookie.

6. Legendary Foods Crunchy Pecan Pie Bars

These keto-friendly bars with nuts and crisp shortbread have only 2g net carbs per bar.

Final Word on Atkins Chips

Atkins brand snacks like chips and crisps can technically fit into keto diets due to their low net carb counts. However, they are highly processed and lack the micronutrients found in whole foods.

For the most health benefits from keto, its best to make your own snacks or choose healthier pre-made options. Focus on real foods like nut butter, avocado, cheese, nuts, seeds, celery, and certain low carb veggies.

Atkins snacks shouldn't be your go-to choice on keto, but can be enjoyed occasionally if they help you stick to the diet. Just be mindful of ingredients and keeping net carbs low.

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.