to think that having a packet of crisps a day is not healthy

[Badgerwife]

or am I being precious?

I was having this discussion after watching Britain's Favourite Supermarket Foods on tv with some friends yesterday, who all thought that having a packet a crisp a day was totally fine and clearly thought I was weird to think that it was totally unhealthy. I'll admit I was appalled surprised but this may be because I was brought up in France where you don't really eat crisps unless you're having a picnic, in fact, I'm not even sure you can buy individual packets. So it was a bit of a culture shock when I first moved to England when I realised it's a staple snack/lunch item.

Even now, I never have crisps in the house - unless I'm pregnant like now and I crave the salt content like crazy and they are moreish and delicious plus it's cheaper than my other craving which is McDonalds and way more shameful to admit to but then I worry about my cholesterol going up and clogged arteries with all the fat.

So AIBU?

I'd always go for twiglets over crisps - less fat and much tastier. Unfortunately DH and every other member of his family hates them with a passion bordering on mania. Both the DDs have inherited my twiglet gene though!

It doesn't matter how much exercise that you do or what your body size is, unhealthy fats will give you heart disease.

The UK had a very high rate of heart disease and deaths from heart attacks.

It was getting better for men, but it is the biggest killer of women and the rate is slowly going back up.

You cannot counter-act the effect of some subtances going into the body, because you don't put on weight, or you can run a marathon.

Crips aren't everyday food, but if you put them into your child's lunchbox, then you are teaching that they an "ok" daily snack.

If part of a balanced diet I think it is healthy.
Having said that, when I go round to my parent's home they get in big packets for me and I sit and eat one after the other but I'm not claiming to be healthy.... :o

Fred, I am talking about the fact these crisps are full of trans fats/rancid fats, additives, preservatives. That they are all fast release type of sugar etc...

It's not just the fact we are talking about potatoes. It's all the chemical process involved in making crisps that is an issue. If you were making these at home, the issue would probably be different to start with.

Fats is an issue too because saying 'fats' doesn't help in any way. There lots of different type of fats some of which are really bad for you. There is also an issue with balance of the different type of fats (You know the omega3, 6 and 9). Having a diet high in vegetable fats for example is actually bad for us as the ratio omega 3/6 isn't the right one.

If you stay at the level of protein, carbohydrate, fats and calories you won't be able to make a sound judgement.
And vitamins and minerals.... in what form are they presents in said food? Have they been added? Are they in a form that the body can actually use (A lot of the minerals added into cereals aren't usable by the body, a lot of the vitamins sold as supplements are in a form that the body can't assimilate either)?

I'm amazed at the way lots of people on this thread seem to equate thin to healthy.

Thin does not mean healthy! Is a malnourished person thin? Are they healthy?

Just because you are a size 8, it does not mean it is healthy to eat crisps every day!

What a load of total bollocks.

people saying they'd 'feel a bit of a pig' or 'feel gross' at eating a packet of crisps ffs!

I fucking LOVE em :)

Disclaimer: I have a BMI of 20

I'll bet every one of you "eew, crisps - how dreadfully common and unhealthy" brigade are eating something else on a daily basis that's just as bad if not worse.

I think I might be a tiny bit in love with HiggsBoson...

Yabu. A small packet a day is no big deal.I eat them if I'm at work as part of my lunch but rarely at home. There are far worse foods, like McDonald's.

Anon leave Higgs alone....she is mine :)

I don't demonise them or view them as treats, but my DCs don't eat them every day. If they are having a snacky lunch then I split a packet between them. They don't generally have them in their lunchbox (sometimes I put some in a little pot so it's still not a whole pack)

OTOH, last year I was diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and was told I wasn't consuming nearly enough salt (I have always tried to avoid it as much as possible due to all the media about links to heart problems etc). Since changing my diet to allow more salt I have noticed a reduction in symptoms.

Crisps are de-lish.

Especially Salt & Vinegar ones.

I've even been known to eat.....dare I even think to mention it on MN.....the GRAB BAG ones.....50g

Shamelessly greedy, but very yummy indeed :)

I don't understand how you alm seem to be saying if you eat a generally healthy diet then they are fine to eat everyday. Surely you can eat double your five a day, then eat three spoons of salt and sugar. That won't be counteracted by the blueberries on your porridge!

(I know that's not particularly relevant to anyone else, but it did show me that bad/good foods aren't quite so simple as I thought)

I know that's not particularly relevant to anyone else, but it did show me that bad/good foods aren't quite so simple as I thought

yy, there is nothing simple about diet.

And a lot of scaremongering ideas told by the media that have nothing to do with a real balance diet.

I love Twiglets but I worry that I have to scrub my fingers with a nail brush after eating.

Eating well would probably be a lot easier if the media didn't push a new scientific study that shows that so and so is bad or good for you all the time. You used to be taught quite simply that everything is fine to eat and drink in moderation. Then somebody came up and said 'Be careful, caffeine is evil, have more than a couple of cups of coffee a day and you are sending yourself to an early grave!'. Then wait a couple of years, and hey! New study, telling you that you should have a bit of caffeine every day to live younger, but the good kind that's in tea, not the evil red bull.

Which is all good advice in theory, but so badly explained and argued that you end up scrutinising every single thing you ingest, measuring everything and getting more stressed over food than necessary. I think I need to go back to 'having a bit of everything is best for you and having lots of one thing is not good'. And continue to cook with butter on occasions.

Yes Badger I thought it was sugar/aspartame/margerine/fizzy pop that was going to finish is off.

I'll bet every one of you "eew, crisps - how dreadfully common and unhealthy" brigade are eating something else on a daily basis that's just as bad if not worse like what Higs

I eat healthily. Today, porridge with skimmed milk and half a teaspoon of honey for breakfast. Lunch was (a weighed) portion of roast chicken, a slice of rye bread and a bowl of homemade vegetable soup. Had a banana afterwards. Supper is going to be quinoa, tuna steak and roasted asparagus. Won't eat any crisps, chocolate or biscuits or the like. Nor booze. And that's a typical days food for me. Plus 2 litres of fizzy water and 2 cups of coffee this morning. If I get an afternoon slump, I eat fruit.

Not suggesting I am superior to others - merely responding to the above comment.

Ps. I don't think crisps are common.

You weigh your lunch?

i love crisps, so does my dog

Yup. And breakfast, dinner etc... I want to maintain portion control / calorie & fat intake and its the easiest way for me.