Who doesn’t love to indulge in a delicious bag of crunchy, salty chips occasionally? We all crave them, yet chips tend to be high in fat, salt, and carbohydrates, making them a food that many people with diabetes feel like they need to avoid as part of a “healthy” diet.
Luckily, there are several types of low carb chips on the market that actually taste delicious and make a great swap for traditional chips! Many of these options have more fiber, protein, and other healthy nutrients while still being lower in carbs.
Continue reading for a list of my favorite low carb chips and snack crackers and some tips for making your own at home.
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Understanding Carbs and Net Carbs
Carbohydrates are not off limits for people with diabetes, but they do turn into sugar in the body. When we eat too many carbs at one time, it can be hard to control blood sugar levels, which can make low-carb alternatives to certain foods appealing.
Net carbs are the number of carbohydrates in a food that are actually absorbed by the body. They are calculated by subtracting the fiber and sugar alcohol from the total carbohydrates.
Calculating net carbs is popular with some low-carb and keto diets. However, when it comes to managing blood sugar levels, we do not recommend utilizing net carbs because some of the fiber and sugar alcohol may still have a small impact on blood sugar. Check out this article about Carb Counting to learn more on this topic.
A typical serving of potato chips has around 15 grams of carbs. For example, Lay’s Potato Chips contain 15 grams of total carbs for one serving, which is 15 chips. This by no means makes potato chips a poor choice, but the problem often is that it is hard to stop at just 15 chips. Potato chips also tend to have a high amount of fat and sodium and very little protein or fiber. A snack like this will generally cause a blood sugar spike and will leave you feeling hungry again shortly after eating it.
Top 13 Low Carb Chips
So what are some alternatives to typical potato chips that are still just as delicious and satisfying, or dare we say more delicious and satisfying? Let’s look at some of the best options!
Low Carb Snack Crackers
- HighKey Almond Flour Crackers
- The HighKey Almond Flour crackers are made from almond and lupin flour. They contain 9 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein per serving, and they come in several flavors, including Sea Salt, Cheddar, and Everything Spice.
- Flackers Flaxseed Crackers
- These plant-based flaxseed crackers have all-natural ingredients and are packed full of fiber and protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and other vitamins and minerals like magnesium and thiamine. They also come in several flavor varieties—savory garlic, onion, basil, and red chile pepper are linked here.
- GG Fiber Crispbreads
- This high-fiber option is made with oat bran, flaxseed, and sunflower seeds, which can help control hunger. These crisps are the perfect vehicle for loading hummus, cheese, or chicken salad on top to create a satisfying snack.
- Wasa Crispbreads
- These crunchy crispbreads are fairly bland on their own, but they contain only two ingredients (whole grain rye flour and salt) and work perfectly as a vehicle for your favorite toppings.
- Crisp Power Protein Pretzels
- Each bag of these pretzels contains an impressive 28 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber with only 190 calories and 16 grams of total carbs!
Low Carb Chips
- Quest Chips
- Quest Protein Chips are incredibly satisfying, with a whopping 19 grams of protein per bag. They come in nostalgic potato chip flavors, such as sour cream and cheddar, sour cream and onion, and BBQ.
- Atkins Protein Chips
- Atkins Protein Chips are a high-protein, low-carb option. They are easy to spot at most supermarkets and widely available online. These chips come in several flavors, including ranch, nacho cheese, and chipotle BBQ.
- Wilde Protein Chips
- These unique chips are actually made from chicken and egg whites! They have a satisfying crunch and come in Sea Salt and Vinegar, BBQ, Himalayan Pink Salt, and our personal favorite, Chicken and Waffles!
- Legendary Foods Popped Protein Chips
- These chips are brand new and somewhat harder to find, but if you can find them, stock up! They have a delicious “popped” texture and contain 20 grams of protein and only 5 grams of total carbs per bag, making them a fantastic post-workout snack or a great addition to a satisfying lunch meal on the go. Flavor options are BBQ, Nacho Cheese, and Ranch, and pizza.
- Hilo tortilla chips
- Low carb tortilla chips in delicious and unique flavors made with almond flour? Sign us up! These delicious chips are full of flavor and can sometimes be found in a family-sized bag at Costco!
- Power Crunch Protein Chips
- These chips are reminiscent of Pringles, however each serving contains 10 grams of protein.
Cheese Chips
- Parm crisps
- Parm Crisps are not exactly a chip, but these oven-baked snacks are made from one single ingredient (aged parmesan cheese) and make the perfect addition to a salad for some extra crunch or eaten alone as a satisfying snack.
- Moon Cheese
- How could something called Moon Cheese not be amazing? These tasty cheese balls are made 100% of cheese and come in several flavor varieties, including cheddar, cheddar bacon, gouda, and pepper jack. They are the perfect on-the-go snack! You may even spot these on the shelves at some Starbucks locations.
Make Your Own Low Carb Chips
In addition to store-bought low-carb chips and crackers, you could also try baking your own kale chips, zucchini chips, pepperoni chips, or cheese crisps.
Low-carb tortilla chips are another easy homemade option. All you have to do is cut up some of your favorite low-carb tortillas, brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with your favorite seasonings, and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes! Serve your homemade chips with this delicious and easy to make Buffalo Chickpea Dip!
All of these homemade options are even more delicious with spices and herbs, so don’t be afraid to get creative and try out some different flavor combinations.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many low-carb chips and crackers to buy or make when you are craving a crunchy, salty snack. Many of these options are low in carbs and high in protein and/or fiber, making them satisfying while still tasting great. An added bonus is that they will not cause large spikes in blood sugar that you may see from typical chips.
Have a favorite low carb chip? Please leave a comment below with your favorite brand, and make sure to join the Mama-Betes community to stay in the loop and receive our monthly newsletter!