Laurence Dollimore
HEALTH experts in Spain have warned against eating a hugely popular brand of crisps.
It comes after the consumer watchdog OCU analysed 331 brands and their products to discover which were the least healthy.
In general, the OCU said crisps are not the most recommended snack as they are ‘calorie bombs’ filled with saturated fats, added salt and in certain flavours, preservatives and colourings.
They said the majority of bags of crisps in Spain contain 1.2g of salt per 100g, while some reached as high as 4g.
However there are two brands which are deemed the worst offenders due to the presence of the E150d colourant and a list of ‘bad’ ingredients.
They are Ruffles (Jamon flavour), and Wavy (ham flavour).
E150d, or ammonium sulphite caramel, should be avoided as it is feared to be a carcinogen, said the OCU.
The two worst offenders could also pose a risk to your health because they have a smoky flavour.
To achieve this, producers have to add a series of added flavours which could be carcinogenic.
It is why the EU has banned future authorisation of smoky-flavoured produce, although the law is not in effect yet.
Other additives to look out for when buying crisps, the OCU said, are maltodextrins, dairy proteins, yeast extracts (which replace the additive E621 or glutamate) and syrups.
If you don’t want to give up crisps, the watchdog recommends finding a brand which uses the least amount of ingredients as possible – preferably olive oil and salt flavours.
Baked crisps are also a healthier option because they have not been fried, and especially if they do not contain added salt.
