Are Sun Chips Healthy? We Asked a Dietitian

Sun Chips have been a well-loved snack for over three decades. Introduced as a healthier alternative to traditional potato chips, Sun Chips are celebrated for their whole-grain ingredients and ability to combine delicious flavors with a satisfying crunch. Over the years, they've expanded their offerings to include various flavors and have even started making a new variety of healthy chips made from black beans.

But are Sun Chips healthy? While what sets Sun Chips apart is their commitment to whole grains, does this automatically make them a better choice than regular potato chips? As a dietitian, I reviewed the nutritional profile of Sun Chips to determine if they're healthy. I also included tips for incorporating them into your healthy snack rotation.

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What Are Sun Chips?

Sun Chips have been around for over 30 years. Their unique wavy shape, whole grains, and mouthwatering flavors have made them a popular snack choice for decades.

Several varieties of Sun Chips are available, including Original, French Onion, Harvest Cheddar, Garden Salsa, and Chili Lime. They also have a line made with black beans in Southwestern Queso or Spicy Jalapeño flavor. These varieties have slightly more protein (3 grams versus 2 grams) and fiber (3 grams versus 2 grams) than the original whole-grain varieties.

Unlike regular potato chips, Sun Chips are made with whole grains. This includes whole corn, whole wheat, brown rice flour, and whole oat flour. Other ingredients include sunflower and/or canola oil, sugar, salt, natural flavors, and maltodextrin (made from corn). They contain no artificial flavors or preservatives.

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Nutritional Profile of Sun Chips

These are the nutrition facts for one serving (16 chips or one ounce) of Original Sun Chips.

• Calories: 140
• Fat: 6 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
• Sodium: 110 mg
• Carbs: 19 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g)
• Protein: 2 g

Health Benefits of Sun Chips

Sun Chips contain about 30% less fat than regular potato chips. Plus, of the 6 grams of fat in each one-ounce serving, only 0.5 grams is saturated fat. This makes them a better choice for heart health, as eating too much saturated fat can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol, putting you at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. For reference, the American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 13 grams of saturated fat per day.

The fat content isn't the only notable feature of Sun Chips. They're made from whole grains like whole corn, whole wheat, whole oat flour, and brown rice flour. The USDA recommends that at least half the grains you eat be whole grains, so Sun Chips can help you in this regard. However, despite using whole grains, they only contain 2 grams of fiber (women need 25 grams daily, while men need 38 grams daily) per one-ounce serving. This isn't significantly different from regular potato chips, which contain about 1 gram of fiber per one-ounce serving. Still, every bit of fiber helps, so we count the slightly higher fiber content as a positive feature of Sun Chips.

Finally, Sun Chips are slightly lower in sodium than regular potato chips (110 milligrams versus 150 milligrams). A one-ounce serving of Original Sun Chips contains about 5% of the recommended daily maximum sodium intake of 2,300 milligrams, as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. However, it's important to note that certain Sun Chips flavors, like Chili Lime and Harvest Cheddar, contain more sodium than some potato chip brands. For example, while Ruffles Original Potato Chips contain 150 milligrams of sodium, the Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips contain 170 milligrams of sodium. If you're looking for the lowest sodium option, stick to Original Sun Chips.

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Potential Drawbacks of Sun Chips

One potential drawback of Sun Chips is their relatively low fiber and protein content. Fiber and protein contribute to feelings of fullness, so the more of those nutrients found in a food, the longer you will be satisfied after eating it. Since Sun Chips don't contain large amounts of fiber and protein, you may find yourself reaching for another snack soon after eating them because they didn't hit the spot like higher protein and fiber foods would. Or, you could eat far more than the recommended one-ounce serving size.

Another drawback of Sun Chips is that if you don't buy individual, single-serve bags, it can be easy to eat more than the recommended one-ounce serving size. Chips are designed to be hyper-palatable thanks to their high salt and fat content. Hyper-palatable foods like chips can bypass satiety (fullness) mechanisms, leading to overeating. While Sun Chips are made with whole grains, they are still an ultra-processed, hyper-palatable snack that could lead to weight gain if eaten in excess.

Are Sun Chips Healthy?

Overall, Sun Chips are a healthier alternative to regular potato chips thanks to their lower fat and saturated fat content and slightly higher fiber content. Plus, they contain whole grains, which many people don't get enough of. They're also slightly lower in sodium than regular potato chips, giving them bonus heart health points.

However, despite having some positive features, Sun Chips are still an ultra-processed food that may pose health risks if eaten regularly or in excess. Recent studies have found associations between ultra-processed foods and the risk of heart disease and death. While more research is needed to understand how ultra-processed foods influence heart disease risk, it's important to focus on whole, minimally processed snack foods as part of a healthy diet.

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Final Recommendations

While Sun Chips contain some fiber and protein, they likely won't be that filling on their own. To increase the satisfaction factor, pair them with a source of protein, such as hummus, or a source of fiber, such as chopped veggies. By pairing Sun Chips with a source of protein or fiber, you will likely find it easier to stick to a one-ounce serving because the snack will be more filling. Plus, you also get the added benefit of extra vitamins and minerals.

Overall, Sun Chips can be part of a healthy diet provided you stick to the recommended serving size and pair them with a source of protein or fiber. Since they're made with whole grains, lower in saturated fat and sodium, and higher in fiber, they're a better choice for heart health than regular potato chips. However, they are still an ultra-processed food, and we would recommend only eating them occasionally and instead focusing on whole, minimally processed snacks like fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

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