You Ask, I Answer: Pringles

Are Pringles better for you than regular potato chips? They feel a lot less greasier.

-- Brandon Freimner
Chicago, IL

When it comes to items like potato chips, it's rather misleading to think of one particular type of brand as "better for you". "A slightly healthier alternative" is a more accurate way of thinking.

Some foods don't offer much in terms of nutrition, and should be accepted as such. For instance, when I enjoy a bowl of ice cream, I choose the brand that provides the best flavor. I would much rather have just one scoop of decadent ice cream once in a while than an entire pint of fat-free, sugar-free fudge pops chock full of Splenda.

So, if you find yourself in the supermarket aisles looking for the "healthiest potato chip," I think you are doing yourself a diservice.

Anyhow, onto your question -- which I actually really liked, since Pringles are usually considered "less fattening" because, as the commercials used to proudly point out, they leave less greasy residue on your hands than a bunch of Ruffles or Lay's.

I will let the facts speak for themselves.

Here is how one serving of Pringles (14 crisps) compares to a serving of Ruffle's (12 chips):

Calories: 160 calories (both)
Fat: 10 grams (Ruffles) vs. 11 grams (Pringles)
Saturated Fat: 1 gram (Ruffles) vs. 3 grams (Pringles)
Sodium: 160 milligrams (Ruffles) vs. 170 milligrams (Pringles)
Potassium: 340 milligrams (Ruffles) vs. 0 milligrams (Pringles)

In essence, Pringles are potato chips in a tube, by no means a "healthy alternative". And, at least with conventional potato chips (Pringles are dehydrated potato flakes), you get some potassium, which many people do not get enough of.