Is Veggie Straws Ultra Processed?
Yes — Ultra-Processed
Veggie straws are ultra-processed (Level 4) despite their health-oriented marketing. The primary ingredients are potato starch, potato flour, and corn starch — not vegetables. Spinach powder and tomato paste contribute color and appear on the label but provide negligible nutritional value.
Key Findings
- •Veggie straws are primarily refined starches (potato starch, corn starch) with trace amounts of vegetable powder for color
- •A serving of veggie straws contains less vegetable content than a single bite of an actual carrot or celery stick
- •The health halo effect — the perception that veggie straws are healthier than chips — is driven by marketing, not ingredients
Why Is Veggie Straws Ultra-Processed?
Veggie straws (such as Sensible Portions Garden Veggie Straws) are manufactured from a starch-based dough: potato starch, potato flour, corn starch, and oil form the base. Small amounts of tomato paste and spinach powder are added for color, creating the appearance of a vegetable product. The mixture is extruded into straw shapes and fried or baked. Nutritionally, veggie straws are comparable to standard potato chips — the vegetable content is minimal. The marketing as a vegetable-based snack is one of the most prominent examples of health-oriented labeling on an ultra-processed product.
Veggie Straws Processing Level Distribution
How 908 veggie straws products break down by processing level:
Average ingredient count: 16.0 · Average nutrition score: 4.8/10
Veggie Straws Brand Comparison
Comparing the least to most processed veggie straws products in our database:
| Product | Brand | Level | Score | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferris, Veggie Chips | Ferris | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.5 | 1 |
| Ferris, Veggie Chips | Ferris | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.5 | 1 |
| Ferris, Veggie Chips | Ferris | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.5 | 1 |
| Veggie Chips | The Real Deal | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 5 |
| Veggie Chips | The Real Deal | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 5 |
| Sea Salt Veggie Straws, Sea Salt | Raley's | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 4.0 | 10 |
| Veggie Chips Snacks, Veggie | Gluck | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 4.0 | 10 |
| Tomato and Spinach Veggie Straws Puffed Potato Snack, Tomato and Spinach | H-e-b | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 4.0 | 7 |
| Sea Salt Veggie Chips, Sea Salt | Simple Truth | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 4.0 | 9 |
| Sea Salt Veggie Chips, Sea Salt | Simple Truth | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 4.0 | 9 |
How to Read Veggie Straws Labels
- 1
Read the first three ingredients: potato starch, potato flour, corn starch — these are refined starches, not vegetables
- 2
Spinach powder and tomato paste are far down the ingredient list, contributing mainly color
- 3
Compare the nutrition label to potato chips — the calorie, fat, and sodium numbers are similar
- 4
The "veggie" in the name refers to trace vegetable powders used for coloring, not vegetable content
Frequently Asked Questions
Are veggie straws actually healthy?
Veggie straws have a similar nutritional profile to regular potato chips — comparable calories, fat, and sodium per serving. The vegetable content (spinach powder, tomato paste) is minimal and provides negligible vitamins or fiber. They are Level 4 ultra-processed.
Do veggie straws contain real vegetables?
Veggie straws contain small amounts of tomato paste and spinach powder, which provide color but almost no nutritional value. The primary ingredients are potato starch, potato flour, and corn starch — refined starches, not vegetables.
Are veggie straws better than chips?
From a processing standpoint, veggie straws (Level 4) are more processed than plain potato chips (potatoes, oil, salt — Level 2). Veggie straws are extruded from refined starches, while basic chips are simply sliced and fried whole potatoes.