Snacking is a part of almost everyone’s life. How people snack differs widely. Everyone agrees that potato chips are a traditional snack that most people love.
Everyone knows potato chips aren’t healthy. Banana chips must be more nutritious, right? A little, but not really. I’ll get into that a bit later.
In this article, I will tell you the differences between these two types of chips, their nutrition information, and more.
Banana Chips
What Are Banana Chips Ingredients?
Keep this list in mind to compare with what we’ll see later when we look at potato chips. You will notice a bit of a difference.
On average, banana chips contain just a handful of ingredients. Plain, baked banana chips contain bananas. Fried banana chips contain bananas and some vegetable oil.
More ingredients are only added for sweetened banana chips or flavored banana chips. Even then, the ingredient list is at most five main ingredients.
Where Can I Buy Banana Chips?
Banana chips are easy to buy these days. Walmart, Target, and other grocery stores all stock them. Some offer more options than others, but it’s rare to find a grocery store that doesn’t sell them either in the snack aisle or with the baking ingredients.
Of course, the fastest option with the most choices is online shopping.
Online, you can find unsweetened banana chips in big bulk bags or in smaller snack packs that are great if you want to use them or a lunch box, for hiking, or as an office snack.
If you like flavored, even fruitier banana chips, this variety pack is a tasty option. It includes three banana chips flavors on the sweet and fruity sides.
As bananas are only suitable for flavors enhanced with sweetness, BBQ banana chips are another option, but on the more savory side.
What Are Banana Chips Nutrition Facts?
Of course, the nutrition facts of banana chips differ from brand to brand, especially when sweeteners and spices are involved.
But a serving (30g) of plain banana chips usually has:
- 150 calories
- 5g of fat
- 17g of carbs (of which 10g is sugar)
- Small amounts of potassium, iron, copper, magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
Do Banana Chips Taste Like Banana?
While flavored banana chips only have a hint of banana flavor (as the other spices hide the natural flavor a little), you will always taste some banana when you eat a banana chip.
This is more noticeable when you eat plain or sweetened banana chips.
Potato Chips
What Are Potato Chips Ingredients?
Do you remember the short banana chips ingredient list? Good. You might be surprised because lightly salted potato chips aren’t that much worse!
The average ingredient list for lightly salted potato chips looks like this:
Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola, Corn, Soybean, and/or Sunflower Oil), and Salt.
Three ingredients! A good BBQ potato chip will have a few more seasoning ingredients than salt.
Remember, I am trying to make this comparison as fair as possible. Of course, I could have chosen an ingredient list of a highly flavored, colorful potato chip – but if you’re interested in banana chips vs potato chips, it’s unlikely that you are interested in those. And you know that these have far longer ingredient lists.
Where Can I Buy Potato Chips? 
You can find potato chips in every grocery store. You’ll usually find a very good variety of different brands readily available.
The choice gets even better when you do some online shopping.
Lightly salted potato chips are a great option if you are concerned about sodium intake.
BBQ potato chips are more savory than the comparable banana chips option.
If you want to explore the world of potato chip flavors, this variety pack includes a great selection: from spicy Jalapeño over Sea Salt to Farmhouse White Cheddar.
Sweet Chili Potato Chips are incredibly tasty, and you’ll have difficulty sticking to just one serving.
A more unusual flavor is the Turmeric And Wasabi Potato Chips. You’ll either love them or hate them; there’s not really a middle ground. I recommend them; they are tangy and spicy but in a different way.
What Are Potato Chips Nutrition Facts?
To keep the comparison to banana chips fair, I will use the nutrition facts for a serving (30g) of lightly salted potato chips.
One serving of lightly salted potato chips contains:
- 157 calories
- 10g of fat
- 52g of sodium
- 15g of carbs (of which 0.1g is sugar)
And yes, there’s not anything healthy worth mentioning in potato chips.
Comparison
Are Banana Chips Or Potato Chips Healthier? Which Is Better For Me?
Both are highly processed foods and are not good for you if you eat too much. But potato chips are worse than banana chips.
Potato chips contain a lot of sodium – even if you choose a lightly salted version. Sodium intake does change what happens inside your body – and not in a good way (see this study).
While banana chips aren’t healthy, they are a better snack food than potato chips – as long as you consume them in moderation.
Which Is More Affordable?
Potato chips come in a far wider range of flavors than banana chips, so the fairest comparison is between the plain and BBQ flavors. Average prices have been calculated by comparing prices for products from various brands and retailers.
| Banana Chips | Potato Chips | More Affordable | |
| Plain / Lightly Salted | $0.70 per oz | $0.50 per oz | Potato Chips |
| BBQ | $1.50 per oz | $0.60 per oz | Potato Chips |
Potato chips are the more affordable option, no matter what flavor you choose.
Which Has The Better Texture?
Potato chips come in different textures and shapes, but they all have that certain crunch factor that makes you want to eat one after the other. While each brand can be different, you’ll generally know what to expect from a potato chip. And you love it.
Banana chips are quite different. They are usually harder unless they are very thin and not as crunchy. Most people prefer the texture of potato chips. There’s a reason why they are so addictive.
Which Has More Variety?
Potato chips are the clear winner here. They come in dozens of different flavors, as potatoes are great to combine with various herbs and seasonings.
Bananas are sweet, and the banana flavor is always part of them, so the selection is naturally smaller.
Which Is Better For Vegans?
Banana chips are suitable for vegans.
But not all potato chips are. Vegans must read ingredient lists for potato chips carefully (even vegetarians sometimes need to take a closer look). While a lot of potato chip flavors are vegan, many are not.
Some potato chip flavors contain dairy and animal-derived ingredients.
Banana chips are generally a vegan-friendly option.
Related Questions
Can I Give Chips To My Dog?
Do not give store-bought chips to your dog. Neither banana chips nor potato chips are snack foods for your dog.
Some pet food brands sell banana treats for dogs, but they will be labeled as dog treats and only contain pet-safe ingredients. You can also bake your banana chips (do not add anything); these will be safe for your dog.
Can I Eat Chips While On a Diet?
If you want to lose weight and strictly limit your calorie and fat intake, then chips are not a suitable food choice.
If you want to eat chips while on a diet, limit yourself to one serving and go for baked options. Refrain from eating them daily as you’ll never win your fight against fat if you keep eating calorie-dense snack foods.
Conclusion – What Is The Difference When It Comes to Banana Chips vs Potato Chips?
Banana chips generally contain fewer ingredients than potato chips and are a tiny little bit healthier as they contain some good stuff in addition to all the bad stuff. That still doesn’t turn them into healthy food.
Other differences:
- Potato chips come in more varieties, shapes, and flavors.
- Potato chips are more affordable.
- Banana chips are harder and not as crunchy.
Overall, banana chips are great if you are looking for a sweeter chip. Potato chips are better for savory options.
Neither of them is good for your health, so you might as well choose the one you like to eat. When selecting chips, try to find a baked version instead of a fried one, as baked versions will be a little healthier.