Flavored potato chips
Lay's Potato Chips
50 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
Why it scores 34
Lay's Potato Chips scores 34 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 9 points Saturated fat 14.5 g / 100 g: Very high in saturated fat. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better potato chips
-
Kettle Style Potato Chips Boulder Canyon · 6.5 oz/184.3 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Avocado Oil Classic Sea Salt Kettle Style Potato Chips Boulder Canyon · 5.25 oz/148.8 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Kettle Brand Krinkle Cut Pink Salt Potato Chips Kirkland Signature · 32 oz (2 lb) 907 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 78 out of 100 , 44 points higher -
Sea salt POTATO CHIPS Kettle · 7.5 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 78 out of 100 , 44 points higher -
Ridge Cut Kettle Cooked Potato Chips with Sea Salt Trader Joe's · 16 oz (1 lb) 454 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 78 out of 100 , 44 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Lay's Potato Chips
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 2.5 points
- Sunflower oil minus 2.5 points
- Corn oil minus 1.5 points
- Canola oil minus 1.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 1.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 14.5 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Salt 2.1 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Energy 539 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
100 − 66.5 = 33.5 → 34
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [12]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 539 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 33.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 14.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53.4 g |
| Sugars | 2.5 g |
| Added sugars | 0.5 g |
| Protein | 6.9 g |
| Salt | 2.1 g |
Serving: 1 serving (20 g)
Ingredients
- potato
- edible vegetable oil (sunflower oil, corn oil, canola oil)
- spices and condiments (onion powder, chilli powder, dry mango powder, coriander powder, ginger powder, garlic powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt, black salt, sugar, tomato powder, citric acid, tartaric acid, natural flavors (e160b))
Label text, as published
potato, edible vegetable oil (sunflower oil, corn oil, and/or canola oil), spices and condiments (onion powder, chilli powder, dry mango powder, coriander powder, ginger powder, garlic powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt, black salt, sugar, tomato powder, citric acid, tartaric acid, natural flavors (e160b)
Allergens and diets
May contain: Milk, Peanuts, Tree nuts, Soy, Gluten
- Vegetarian
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Packaging
Plastic
Context only: no points in v1.
More flavored potato chips on GoodSwap
-
Chipotle BBQ Potato Chips Siete · 5.5 oz Seed-oil free Score 79 out of 100 Good -
Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips Lay's · 7.75 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 18 out of 100 Bad -
Potato Chips Backyard Barbeque Kettle · 7.5 oz Ultra-processedContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 48 out of 100 Okay -
Potato Chips Krinkle Cut Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Kettle · 368 g Contains seed oils Score 73 out of 100 Good -
Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Ruffles Ruffles · 8 oz/226.8 g Ultra-processedHigh in saturated fatContains seed oils Score 50 out of 100 Okay -
Kurkure Naughty Tomato Pepsico Ultra-processedHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 43 out of 100 Okay
More from Lay's
Sources
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Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
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Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
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Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”
doi.org
-
“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org
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21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
“whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
ecfr.gov
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Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
“For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”
who.int
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
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“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org