If you are looking for healthy snacks, banana chips can be a promising option for you! High in essential minerals and vitamins, banana chips come with a huge range of health benefits. These include promoting better heart health as well as stronger bones. What’s better? You can make this healthy snack at home. If you are not fond of deep-fried snacks, you can pop these banana chips in the microwave, air fryer or oven and get the same taste but less chance of falling prey to health issues. Know how to make banana chips at home.

Are banana chips healthy?

If you are someone who loves to snack on chips, banana chips are always a better option to go for than regular potato chips. They come with a lower glycemic index and are high in fibre, which make them a healthier option, says dietitian Garima Goyal. Banana chips are essentially thin and spiced slices of bananas which are either deep fried or baked. They are also a source of healthy calories as well as simple carbs which can give an instant energy boost. However, these chips can be heavy in calories, so one should be mindful about the quantity of consumption if you are on your weight loss journey. Although, they can be an excellent home-made snack for children for adequate weight gain.

Can you make banana chips at home?

Absolutely, and it's a much better option than store-bought chips as you know the quality and quantity of oil used is not the best, says Goyal. The recipe for banana chips is pretty simple, and no elaborate ingredients are required.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized green bananas
• 4 cups of water
• Salt as per taste
• Black pepper or other seasonings as per your taste
• Oil for deep frying

Procedure

• Peel the bananas
• Use a mandolin slicer to make thin slices of the bananas. You can cut them in any shape of your preference after that.
• Soak the cut banana pieces in some water for about 10 minutes. Remove them and dry them with a clean kitchen cloth.
• Heat oil in a pan, add the slices of bananas and fry them at medium heat. Make sure to not add too many slices in one go.
• Make sure to stir regularly so that these don’t stick together.
• Fry these till the oil stops bubbling and the banana is cooked. The slices should change colour.
• Drain these on tissue paper or through a sieve.

Once done, you can season it with salt and any spices of your liking. Instead of deep frying, you can also opt for baking or air frying to make them healthier. After you are done soaking the banana slices, pop them in the microwave or air fryer after brushing them with oil.

What to remember while making healthy banana chips at home?

When you are making banana chips at home, make sure to keep these points in mind:

• Don’t overheat the oil: Please ensure you do not use the oil for a long time beyond their smoke point. You can check for the smoke point in the oil packet.
• Go for a healthy cooking method: You don’t have to always deep fry banana chips. To make the chips healthier, think about baking or air-frying them to use less oil.
• Use healthy and simple seasoning: Use natural spices like cinnamon or a pinch of salt to add flavour without adding sugar. This would ensure that your banana chips are healthier.
• Let it cool down well: To keep the chips crisp, let them cool fully before putting them in an airtight container. They might get soggy if they are not adequately cooled.

Make sure to soak the sliced, unripe, green bananas in water before making banana chips. Image courtesy: Freepik

Health benefits of banana chips

There are many benefits of eating these chips. Banana chips are high in vitamins and minerals. In fact, even after frying these vitamins and minerals remain intact in banana chips. These chips are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 as well as vitamin K. This helps in aiding digestion.

According to the US Food and Drug Association, 100g of banana chips contain the following nutrients:

• Water: 4.3g
• Energy: 519kcal
• Protein: 2.3g
• Fat: 33.6 g
• Carbohydrate: 58.4g
• Fibre: 7.7g
• Calcium: 18mg
• Iron: 1.25mg
• Magnesium: 76mg
• Potassium: 536 mg
• Manganese: 1.56mg

The high manganese and potassium levels make these chips a healthy option. Manganese helps in the growth of bones. A study, published in Plos One, suggests that bone is the primary organ for manganese (Mn) accumulation. Besides this, banana chips also contain a good amount of magnesium. There are many benefits of magnesium. It helps to protect the heart among others. Potassium helps in the metabolism of cells.

These chips are also high in fibre. The benefits of fibre are immense. This is beneficial for diabetes as well as heart disease. It can also help in reducing blood pressure.

How many banana chips should you eat in a day?

As long as it is part of a healthy diet and within your calorie and fat requirements, you can very well consume them without any fear. However, as they are very much palatable, one may tend to binge. So be mindful of your consumption and as a snack, you can consume 1/3rd or ½ cup of banana chips.

Make sure to not have more than half a bowl of banana chips every day. Image courtesy: Freepik

Pair the chips with nuts or seeds to create a more balanced and satisfying snack. Also, avoid eating them directly from a pack or box. Instead, take them in a small bowl or plate and relish it, explains Goyal.

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