A Dip in the Chips: The Hidden Facts

Michelline Nawatises
Monifah Basson

An alternative snack choice for learners nowadays is chips; this is because it is quite affordable, readily available and creatively marketed to bait in potential customers in this case school learners. But have you ever wondered what happens in your body once you have eaten it, considering the amounts of additives and fats?

Surprisingly according to Metro.us “potato chips are as addictive as any other hard drug, scientist say”. This means that the more you consume chips on a daily basis , the more you are at risk of suffering chronic illnesses , like cancer as chips contains a chemical known as acrylamide , which increases chances of cancer .

Eating chips more than twice week can double your risk of dying ‘‘according to INDEPENDENT NEWS. UK. Since bad habits die hard, one can take baby steps. Starting with these tips:

· Other healthy alternatives – like baked potato chips which lower calories compared to fried chips.

· Decreasing your weight gain – chips are extremely high in fat which can increase weight gain and obesity , it will be advisable for one to refrain from potatoes fried in oil which have an extremely high dosage of fats which increase diabetes.

· Decrease chances of high blood pressure- opt for chips that contain less amounts of sodium (sodium can lead to heart failure, kidney disease and stroke).

If you tend to include chips as part of your diet on a daily basis, you may not be able to take in as much nutrients as the body needs, this will be especially fatal to learners who need nutrients to do good in their academics.

Furthermore chips are typically low in vitamins causing depression, low in minerals leading to fatigue and decreased immune system.

So next time you pick up a packet of chips consider going for a healthier option.