CRISPY BAKED PLANTAIN CHIPS [AIP RECIPE]

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Since their advent, potato chips’ fun and convenience have not been overstated. The crunch and saltiness begged for more.

Still, as great as they are, there is a catch that comes with potato chips, which is your figure.

Containing saturated fats, conservatively reheated oils, and salt, these treats are infamous for increasing cholesterol and making people overweight.

Luckily, there is a better, equally crispy option available: Baked Crispy Plantain Chips.

These chips are healthier, rich in vitamins and fibre, and easy to make at home.

This time, let’s focus on the health benefits of plantains, the advantages of baking over frying, and a step-by-step guide to achieving the crispiest plantain chips at home.

Key Takeaway

Beet crisp snacks are a better option in terms of nutrition as they are not as unhealthy as potato chips.
Beet crisp is made in a way that it contains not much trans fats and is also low on calories.
Including beets in the diet is equally beneficial since they provide a host of valuable nutrients including antioxidants and fiber as well as vitamins.
These are beet crisps infused with different spices and herbs and are also suitable for Vegan, paleo, keto, and other diets.

The Health Benefits of Plantains

Plantains do not seem to be a crowd favourite when compared to bananas, but they do have various health advantages.

Bananas are filled with vitamins, fibers and minerals, although are low on fat and calories therefore, they are a good basis for a healthy snack in the form of baked chips

Nutrient Profile of Plantains

Nutrient	Benefit
Fiber	Aids in digestion and helps regulate blood sugar
Vitamin A	Supports eye health and boosts immunity
Vitamin C	Promotes healthy skin and aids in tissue repair
Vitamin B6	Improves brain health and helps in red blood cell production
Potassium	Regulates blood pressure and improves heart health

Why Crispy Baked Plantain Chips Are a Better Snack Choice

The Problem with Traditional Potato Chips

However, before getting involved with the procedure of making these fried plantain chips, let us explore the lesser-known reasons why potato chips should be avoided.

Excess Oil and Calories

Usually, fried foods such as chips are loaded with oil, and in cases where the oil is rendered to be reused, it becomes worse.

This serves to add not just calories but also unhealthy fats that can increase the levels of bad low–density lipoprotein cholesterol in terms of general anatomy.

High Salt Content

Potato chips are usually overly salted. Too much sodium in your daily diet may contribute to high blood pressure, which increases the risks of heart disease and kidney problems.

Lack of Nutrients

A bag of potato chips contains nothing but junk.

They are pure fat and carbohydrates with no vitamins and minerals, giving them very low nutrition values and empty calories.

Benefits of Baked Plantain Chips

Crispy Baked Plantain Chips, on the other hand, offer all the crunch with none of the guilt. Here’s why:

Lower in Fat: Baked instead of fried, plantain chips require less oil, cutting down on unhealthy fats.
Nutrient-Dense: Plantains are loaded with fiber, potassium, and vitamins, making them a far more nutritious snack than regular chips.
Customizable Flavors: You can control the seasoning, ensuring you don’t go overboard with the salt or use artificial additives.

How to Make Crispy Baked Plantain Chips

This simple, step-by-step recipe will show you how to make the perfect batch of crispy baked plantain chips. All you need are a few ingredients and a little patience for the baking process.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Amount
Ripe plantains	2-3 (yellow with black spots)
Coconut oil (or olive oil)	2 tablespoons
Sea salt	1/2 teaspoon
Ground turmeric	1/4 teaspoon (optional, for color)
Garlic powder	1/4 teaspoon (optional, for flavor)
Onion powder	1/4 teaspoon (optional, for depth)

Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). If you don’t have parchment paper, grease the baking sheet lightly with coconut oil.
Prepare the Plantains: Peel the plantain by removing both ends and cutting it along the stripe of the skin. Cut plantains into thin slices of about 1/8 inches thick.
Season the Plantains: Coat the sliced plantain with melted oil. Add sea salt, turmeric, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste.
Bake: Place the slices in a single layer inside the baking sheet. Bake them for about 15-20 minutes, making sure that the slices are turned over halfway through the timeframes in order to get them nice and crisp on both sides. Be attentive to avoid burning.
Cool and Serve: Allow the chips to cool on the baking sheet so that they can harden. Serve them as a snack or as a side dish.

Nutritional Facts (Per Serving)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	400
Total Fat	20g
Saturated Fat	16g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	380mg
Total Carbohydrates	60g
Dietary Fiber	6g
Sugars	30g
Protein	2g

Breakdown of Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional breakdown of the main ingredients:

Ingredient	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
2-3 ripe plantains	300-450	0g	75-100g	3-5g
2 tbsp coconut oil	240	28g	0g	0g
1/2 tsp sea salt	0	0g	0g	0g
1/4 tsp ground turmeric	2	0g	0.5g	0.1g
1/4 tsp garlic powder	2	0g	0.5g	0g
1/4 tsp onion powder	2	0g	0.5g	0g

Customizing Your Plantain Chips

One of the positive things about preparing plantain chips at home is that you can make them to suit your preferences. Here are some of the variations:

Sweet vs. Savory Plantain Chips

Sweet Chips: In the event that the sweetness of the chips is insufficient for your taste, additional sugar and cinnamon can be added to the plantains before baking the chips.
Savory Chips: Add a bit of smoked paprika or chili powder on the slices of plantains before baking them if you would like to spice up the chips.

Spice It Up

Spicy Chips: To intensify the heat, consider adding a dusting of cayenne pepper.
Herb-Infused Chips: Use rosemary or thyme, which is so refreshing.

Why You Should Add Plantain Chips to Your Diet

If you are afraid that the crunchy and crispy baked plantain chips offer nothing more than crunch, think again because they are filled with nutrients and are nutritious snacks.

Nutrient-Rich: These Plantains comprise vitamins, fiber, and potassium and make these crispy chips a better snack as compared to potato chips.
Heart-Healthy: The recipe uses coconut or Olive oil, which contains healthy fats that are good for your heart.
Customizable: The flavours offered can be modified according to the client’s tastes, such as sweet, salty, hot, and spicy.
Easy to Make: This recipe is straightforward since it requires only a handful of ingredients.
Low in Calories: Baked plantain chips have much lower calorie and fat content than fried chips which are the main staple.

The Health Benefits of Plantains

Plantains are not only used as a carbohydrate to keep the body full. They are also nutritious foods that promote health.

More vitamins, fibre and potassium are contained in plantains than potatoes, so those who adore chips don’t have to feel guilty.

Nutrient Profile of Plantains

Including plantains in the diet is advantageous as they are abundant in nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. These nutrients help avert macular degeneration, enhance immunity, and control blood pressure.

How Plantains Support Heart Health

The high potassium level in plantains can prevent heart disease by managing healthy blood pressure. Plantains with low sodium are also heart-friendly snacks, as opposed to fried chips.

Plantains and Digestive Health

Due to the presence of dietary fibre, plantains make it easy to dissolve food and enhance bowel movement. Therefore, eating plantains would help prevent constipation and carry nutrients more efficiently.

Why Baked is Better than Fried

Baked snacks have more pros than fried ones.

Baking your chips means craving fewer calories, absorbing less Mongolian fat, and gaining greater health because the centre of a plantain requires higher temperature melting due to its firmness and thickness.

Reduced Oil Content in Baked Chips

Since the plantain chips are baked instead of fried, there is less oil which results in lower calories, and also less saturated fat. This improves the quality of the snacks since they are light and healthy, and still crunchy.

The Role of Olive and Coconut Oil in Healthier Snacks

Olive oil and, in some cases, coconut oil are better oils for snacking.

Skin contains high amounts of monounsaturated olive oil skin, which enhances cardiovascular activity, while meat contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which speed up metabolism.

Comparing Frying vs. Baking Methods for Snacks

Usually, frying involves reusing oils that may age and become unhealthy, causing trans fats and hence increasing cholesterol.

Baking uses a little fresh oil, resulting in a clean and healthy snack.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Crispy Baked Plantain Chips

Making your own plantain chips at home is easier than you think.

Follow these simple steps for a delectable crispy plantain chips recipe.

How to Select the Perfect Plantains

For the crunchy chips, go for the in-between stages of soft and green plantains. A yellow plantain with a few black spots will provide just the right sweetness and texture.

Best Slicing Techniques for Crispy Chips

When potatoes, cassava, or plantain slices are evenly cut into uniform slices, they bake evenly and get evenly crisped.

An excellent mandolin slicer may be required to achieve thin and normal slices of vegetables, which will improve the quality of the chips.

Baking Tips for Optimal Crispiness

The plantain slices should be arranged in a single layer on the baking sheet to prevent overstuffing, which can cause inconsistency in baking.

Towards the latter half of the baking process, ensure that the slices are flipped so that they get evenly crisped, but be careful as they get done quite quickly.