Is Veggie Chips Ultra Processed?
Yes — Ultra-Processed
Most veggie chips are ultra-processed (Level 4). Despite the vegetable branding, the primary ingredients are typically potato starch, corn starch, and vegetable oil, with spinach or beet powder added in small amounts for color rather than nutritional value.
Key Findings
- •Most "veggie chips" are starch-based snacks with vegetable powder for color — Level 4
- •Veggie Straws and similar products have nearly identical nutrition to regular potato chips
- •True vegetable chips (dehydrated beet, sweet potato, or kale) are Level 2 but harder to find commercially
Why Is Veggie Chips Ultra-Processed?
Veggie chips like Veggie Straws and similar products are manufactured by blending processed starches (potato starch, potato flour, corn starch) with vegetable oil, salt, and small quantities of vegetable powders (spinach, tomato, beet) that provide color but minimal nutrition. The chips are formed through extrusion or molding, not by slicing actual vegetables. The actual vegetable content is negligible — often less than 2% by weight. Some brands also add sugar, maltodextrin, and artificial flavors. True vegetable chips made by dehydrating sliced vegetables are simpler but rare commercially.
Veggie Chips Processing Level Distribution
How 1,000 veggie chips products break down by processing level:
Average ingredient count: 14.1 · Average nutrition score: 5.0/10
Veggie Chips Brand Comparison
Comparing the least to most processed veggie chips products in our database:
| Product | Brand | Level | Score | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cassava Sea Salt Real Vegetable Chips, Cassava Sea Salt | Terra | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Grain Free Sweet Potato Root Vegetable Chips, Sweet Potato | Root Valley | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Sweet Potato Real Vegetable Chips, Sweet Potato | Terra | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 2 |
| Central Market, Exotic Vegetable Chips, Sweet Potato and Beets Blend, Sweet Potato and Beets Blend | Central Market | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| All Natural Vegetable Chips, Carrot | Mirabel | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Purple Sweet Potato Root Vegetable Chips, Purple Sweet Potato | Root Valley | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Sweet Potato Real Vegetable Chips, Sweet Potato | Terra | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 2 |
| Blues Sea Salt Real Vegetable Chips, Blues Sea Salt | Terra | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Sweets & Carrots Real Vegetable Chips, Sweets & Carrots | Terra | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 2 |
| Uprooted Real Vegetable Chips, Sweet Potato, Sea Salt | Kettle | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
How to Read Veggie Chips Labels
- 1
Check the first three ingredients — if they are starches and oil, it is not a vegetable product
- 2
Vegetable powders listed near the end of the ingredient list provide color, not nutrition
- 3
Compare the nutrition label to regular potato chips — they are often nearly identical
- 4
True dehydrated vegetable chips should list actual vegetables as the first ingredient
Frequently Asked Questions
Are veggie chips ultra-processed?
Yes. Most commercial veggie chips are Level 4. Products like Veggie Straws are made primarily from potato starch, corn starch, and oil, with less than 2% actual vegetable powder added for color.
Are veggie chips healthier than regular chips?
From both a processing and nutrition standpoint, most veggie chips are nearly identical to regular potato chips. The vegetable powder content is too small to provide meaningful nutritional benefit. Plain potato chips with 3 ingredients (potatoes, oil, salt) are actually less processed.
What are actual healthy chip alternatives?
Dehydrated vegetable chips made from real sliced vegetables, plain potato or tortilla chips with 3 ingredients, kale chips, or roasted seaweed snacks are less processed alternatives to commercial veggie chips.