Tortilla chips can be a part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle if enjoyed occasionally and in moderation. We all have a salty snack craving now and then, and tortilla chips can be the perfect way to satisfy your taste buds. Pair your tortilla chips with homemade salsa or guacamole, and you have a nutrient-packed snack that’s both healthy and satisfying.
Choosing the best tortilla chips can be quite a venture, though. There are tens of brands out there, but not all are worth your money. We took a deep dive into Amazon to find the healthiest tortilla chips that are not just tasty but also pack an excellent nutrition profile.
How to Choose Healthy Tortilla Chips?
Before we jump into our picks, you may wonder what the difference is between healthy tortilla chips and not-so-healthy options.
To be clear, even the healthiest tortilla chips are still snack foods that should be eaten in moderation. One serving of tortilla chips is usually around 150 calories and provides 100-150 mg of sodium and 7-9 grams of fat.
The catch is the serving size, which tends to be around 1 oz, depending on the brand of tortilla chips you choose. It’s tough to keep your consumption to just one serving, and that’s how calories, sodium, and fat may build up to a hefty amount. Before you know it, you may have consumed almost 500 calories and nearly 20-30 grams of fat in one meal. Thus, keeping your portion moderate is the key, even if you pick healthy tortilla chips.
When it comes to picking the healthiest tortilla chips, you should look for the following key factors:
- Make sure the chips are made with organic, non-GMO corn
- Opt for tortilla chips without any artificial additives or preservatives
- Prefer regular salted tortilla chips without any flavorings
- Opt for tortilla chips without seed oils (like safflower or canola oil), and instead, choose chips made with avocado oil or beef tallow
And when enjoying your chips, make sure you balance your meal with some healthy fiber and protein sources. For example, make a snack plate with baby carrots, tortilla chips, and cheese or beef jerky.
Since tortilla chips are relatively high in carbs, you want to keep your blood sugar from spiking, so you should always add protein and fiber to your meal. This way, you’ll feel full longer and most likely won’t feel the need to eat the entire bag of tortilla chips in one go.
Top 5 Healthiest Tortilla Chips
#1 MASA Traditional Tortilla Chips
MASA Traditional Tortilla Chips
– No inflammatory additives used
– First tortilla chips made with organic corn and grass-fed tallow
– Gluten-free
– Simple ingredients
MASA tortilla chips are the absolute winner in our roundup and deserve to be called the healthiest tortilla chips for several reasons.
First, MASA tortilla chips are one of the rare options made without any inflammatory seed oils. Instead, the company uses grass-fed beef tallow. These tortilla chips are, in fact, made of only three ingredients: beef tallow, organic non-GMO corn, and sea salt. There are no additives, preservatives, or seed oils, making MASA tortilla chips the healthiest option.
What’s more, MASA tortilla chips are made in small batches, made entirely by hand. You could even call these luxury tortilla chips: you won’t find similar chips just anywhere.
Perhaps the only downside to these tortilla chips is the price tag, but looking at their production quality, ingredients, and Amazon reviews, MASA chips are well worth the splurge.
Find MASA Traditional Tortilla Chips from Amazon.
#2 Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips
– Vegan and gluten-free
– Completely grain-free
– No artificial additives
– Great flavor profile, made with avocado oil
Our second pick is fascinating: Siete tortilla chips aren’t made with corn (or any grain, for that matter). Instead, these tortilla chips are made with cassava flour, which makes them the perfect alternative for people who would like to enjoy tortilla chips but have a corn allergy.
Cassava is often used as a substitute for corn in cooking due to its similar characteristics. Compared to corn, cassava is rich in Vitamin C, manganese, and copper but also higher in carbohydrates.
Siete tortilla chips have a few other nutrition perks you can reap. Like our number one pick, Siete chips lack any seed oils. Instead, these tortilla chips are made with avocado oil, which is known for its health benefits. And believe it or not, Siete chips even include chia seeds!
Find Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips from Amazon.
#3 Real Food From The Ground Up Cauliflower Tortilla Chips
Cauliflower Tortilla Chips
– Grain-gree chips, based on cauliflower
– Non-GMO verified
– Certified gluten free
– Plant-based ingredients
You’re probably feeling a little skeptical about adding these healthy tortilla chips to your shopping cart, but the company, Real Food From The Ground Up, is making cauliflower tortilla chips a thing, and we’re all here for it.
Like the previous pick, these tortilla chips are entirely grain-free, working well for those with a corn allergy.
Though the name would have you believe you’ll be eating pure cauliflower, these tortilla chips are actually based on cassava, so the cauliflower is just a fun plant-based twist. In addition to the cauliflower surprise, these tortilla chips contain a blend of various vegetables, including spinach, broccoli, or even Shitake mushrooms! You definitely won’t see tortilla chips like these every day.
For its nutrition profile, these tortilla chips are relatively regular: you’ll get about 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 19 grams of carbohydrates per serving (about ten chips). One serving also packs about 2% of the daily value of calcium and iron.
Find Real Food From The Ground Up Cauliflower Tortilla Chips from Amazon.
#4 Que Pasa Low Sodium Tortilla Chips
Que Pasa Low Sodium Tortilla Chips
– Gluten-free whole-grain chips
– Organic stone ground corn
– Made the traditional Mexican way – whole organic corn kernels ground between hand-cut volcanic rock
Most chips out there, whether tortilla chips or potato chips are high in sodium. Even the healthiest tortilla chips may have about 150-160 mg of sodium per serving.
This is where Que Pasa tortilla chips outshine others. Que Pasa tortilla chips contain about 60 mg of sodium per serving (12 chips), making it a good alternative for those who want to lower their sodium intake.
Que Pasa tortilla chips are also made of organic corn, ground with volcanic stones from Mexico. While these chips contain sunflower oil, which may not be the best option, Que Pasa tortilla chips don’t include any additives or flavorings.
Find Que Pasa Low Sodium Tortilla Chips from Amazon.
#5 Mi Nina White Corn Tortilla Chips
Mi Nina White Corn Tortilla Chips
– Made from stone ground non-gmo white corn
– Naturally gluten free, Non-GMO verified
– No preservatives or artificial ingredients
Last but not least, Mi Nina tortilla chips are perhaps the most “regular” option on our list. These aren’t made of cauliflower, vegetables, or anything peculiar: Mi Nina tortilla chips are your good old plain salted corn chips. These tortilla chips only have four ingredients: non-GMO white corn, sunflower oil, sea salt, and a trace of lime for a funky taste.
Granted, sunflower oil isn’t the best option, but if you’re looking for healthy tortilla chips on a bit smaller budget and don’t want to splurge on more expensive options, these could be a more budget-friendly alternative that still has all the main nutrition perks (such as being made of organic corn and lacking any artificial additives).
Plus, Mi Nina tortilla chips have received rave reviews on Amazon, with some buyers saying these are the best and only chips they buy.
