The Short Answer
The snack aisle is a minefield of inflammatory fats. Over 95% of conventional chips are deep-fried in highly processed seed oils. If you want a clean crunch, you need to seek out brands using avocado oil, coconut oil, or traditional animal fats like beef tallow.
Jackson's, Siete, and MASA are the cleanest seed-oil-free chip brands on the market. You can also find specific avocado oil product lines from conventional brands like Kettle Brand and Boulder Canyon, provided you read the label carefully.
Why This Matters
Chips are inherently high-fat because they act like sponges in the deep fryer. Whatever oil a chip is cooked in becomes a massive part of its overall nutritional profile. Oils In Chips
When potatoes or corn are blasted with high heat in canola, sunflower, or soybean oil, those delicate polyunsaturated fats easily oxidize. This chemical breakdown creates inflammatory byproducts that wreak havoc on your metabolic health. Are Chips Bad
The solution isn't to stop eating chips, but to switch to heat-stable fats. Avocado oil, coconut oil, and beef tallow can withstand commercial frying temperatures without turning toxic.
What's Actually In Seed-Oil-Free Chips
- Avocado Oil — The undisputed king of the clean chip aisle. It boasts a massive 500°F smoke point and neutral flavor, making it ideal for high-heat frying without oxidizing. Is Siete Chips Clean
- Beef Tallow — The traditional fat used before the 1990s low-fat craze ruined snacks. Tallow is heavily saturated, incredibly heat-stable, and gives chips an unmatched savory crunch.
- Coconut Oil — A saturated plant fat that refuses to oxidize under pressure. It lends a very subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with sweet potato chips. Is Jacksons Chips Clean
- Olive Oil — A fantastic fat that occasionally struggles in commercial fryers. While rich in antioxidants, its lower smoke point means olive oil chips can sometimes taste slightly bitter.
What to Look For
Green Flags:
- "100% Avocado Oil" — Brands must state "100%" to guarantee purity. Otherwise, they might be watering down the good oil with cheap canola.
- Tallow or Ghee — Animal fats are nature's most stable frying oils. They deliver traditional flavor without the inflammatory load.
- Three simple ingredients — The absolute cleanest chips contain just potatoes (or corn), a clean oil, and sea salt. Healthiest Chips
Red Flags:
- "High-Oleic" Seed Oils — Don't fall for "high-oleic sunflower oil" marketing. It is still a heavily processed seed oil highly prone to breakdown under fryer heat.
- "Vegetable Oil" — This is a deceptive catch-all term. It almost always means a cheap, highly refined blend of soybean or canola oil.
- Oil Blends — If a bag says "Avocado Oil Blend," put it back. They usually use 5% avocado oil and 95% inflammatory seed oils to save money.
The Best Options
If you want to skip the label-reading, stick to brands that have entirely banned seed oils from their facilities. Tortilla Vs Potato Chips
| Brand | Product | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson's | Sweet Potato Chips | ✅ | Cooked in 100% avocado or coconut oil with simple ingredients. |
| MASA | Tortilla Chips | ✅ | Fried in 100% grass-fed beef tallow for traditional flavor. |
| Siete | Grain-Free Tortilla Chips | ✅ | Uses pure avocado oil and clean, grain-free flours. |
| Boulder Canyon | Avocado Oil Line | ✅ | Classic kettle chip crunch without the canola oil. |
| Kettle Brand | Avocado Oil Line | ⚠️ | Clean oil, but you must double-check the bag—their regular line is full of seed oils. Is Kettle Brand Clean |
| Late July | Organic Tortilla Chips | 🚫 | Uses organic sunflower or safflower oil, which are still unstable seed oils. Is Late July Chips Clean |
The Bottom Line
1. Ditch the canola and sunflower oil. High-heat frying destroys these unstable fats, turning your snack into an inflammatory nightmare.
2. Look for avocado oil, tallow, or coconut oil. These fats are chemically stable and provide a much cleaner nutritional profile.
3. Always read the fine print. Never trust the front of the bag—make sure there are no "oil blends" hiding in the ingredient list.
FAQ
Are chips fried in olive oil healthy?
Yes, but avocado oil is usually better for commercial frying. While olive oil is exceptionally healthy, its lower smoke point makes it trickier to use at high temperatures. Brands like Good Health use olive oil, but the flavor can occasionally be stronger than neutral avocado oil.
Do organic chips use seed oils?
Yes, almost all organic chips still use sunflower or safflower oil. "Organic" just means the seeds were grown without synthetic pesticides. It is still a highly processed, unstable fat that oxidizes in a deep fryer. Are Chips Bad
Why did companies stop using tallow for chips?
In the 1990s, animal fats were falsely blamed for causing heart disease. Fast food chains and snack companies swapped stable, natural tallow for cheap seed oils to appease the low-fat diet trend. Fortunately, science has corrected course and tallow is finally making a major comeback.