Are Potato Chips Paleo: Everything You Need To Know

Whether you’re interested in making a lifestyle change and are interested in trying out the paleo diet, or you’re already on the paleo journey and are simply looking for some ways to add versatility to your daily menu – then you might currently be wondering about whether or not it is ok to eat potato chips.

Besides making sure that you’re sticking to your paleo-approved food sources for all of your daily meals, there’s no denying that everyday life can be busy, to say the least!

So, you’re going to need to make sure that you’re remembering to snack on yummy foods in-between meals and, even though potato chips are delicious, are they suitable for a paleo diet?

If this is the paleo dilemma that you are currently facing, then rest assured that you’ve clicked on the right article!

Below, we’re going to be talking you through everything there is to know about the paleo diet, including whether or not potato chips are suitable for consumption so that you can decide whether or not to give them a green light in your particular diet. Ready? Just read on!

What is the paleo diet?

Seeing as you’ve already clicked on this article, we’re going to assume that you’re already aware of the basics of what the paleo diet is.

Nevertheless, if you’re just getting started and would like to learn a little bit more about this unique lifestyle choice before you jump in the deep end, then this section is going to be talking you through what the paleo diet actually is.

To cut a long story short, the paleo diet is essentially a type of diet that typically consists of the following food sources:  

  1. Lean meats
  2. Fish 
  3. Vegetables
  4. Nuts and seeds

Deemed as being a return to all of the basic necessities, the paleo diet is a diet that draws heavily on the traditional hunter-gatherer diet, which would have mainly consisted of the foods that we have specified to you already above.

For this reason, it means that all kinds of processed foods (including cereal food and dairy products) are not allowed on the paleo diet, and so the only food that meets the paleo requirements are foods that were common when farming initially emerged around 10,000 years ago. 

The main purpose of the paleo diet is to “return” to the most common way of eating that the earliest humans did approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago.

Wondering why this is? Well, the main reason for the paleo way mainly comes down to the widely accepted belief that the human body is genetically incompatible with the heavily processed, sugar-rich diet that most humans eat today in modern life.

Most commonly, people will opt to follow a paleo diet if they want to lose weight, adopt a healthier lifestyle for themselves, or if they simply struggle to stick to a consistent diet and would like the extra discipline and structure to be able to plan their own meals each day. 

Are potatoes paleo-approved?

Potatoes, in all their glorious forms, is one of the biggest food staples around the world and is featured in a variety of popular recipes and delicious cuisines.

However, due to the fact that they are extremely high in carbs and are often served in highly processed forms (such as potato chips) it means that potatoes are generally not considered to be suitable for the paleo diet.

Generally speaking, those who follow a paleo diet tend to avoid dairy, beans, legumes, grains and highly processed foods, so it’s important to make sure that you’re following this while on your paleo diet.

For this reason, unprocessed potatoes are suitable for the paleo diet, although there is much debate in paleo communities as to whether or not they are a good source of carbohydrates, due to the fact that they are extremely starchy and may raise your blood sugar levels.

This means that, while unprocessed potatoes can be eaten while on the paleo diet, many people who feel this way do tend to opt for alternatives that are less starchy and in turn more healthy, such as sweet potato.

This is especially true for people who are doing a keto version of the paleo diet, as potatoes are super high in carbohydrates, and the keto diet follows a low carb plan.

Needless to say, it is worth noting that when unprocessed potatoes are eaten with their skins still on, their nutritional value is extremely similar to that of sweet potatoes, which means that it is totally fine to eat unprocessed potatoes if you are on a paleo diet, so long as they are free of any additives. 

Are potato chips paleo approved?

As you might already be able to tell from the information that we have already shared with you above, due to the fact that potato chips are a processed form of potato – it does unfortunately mean that they are unsuitable for the paleo diet.

For the reason, you will not be able to eat them while you are following a paleo diet, and will instead need to opt for snacks that are more appropriate for the paleo way. 

To give you an idea of what type of filling snacks that you can enjoy while following a paleo diet, check out the following:

  • Roasted almonds
  • Protein bars
  • Fruit
  • Avocado
  • Popcorn (most agree that it is fine in moderation, despite not being primal)
  • Jerky sticks
  • Olives and tomatoes
  • Fruit and nut bowl
  • Paleo-friendly granola