Snacks, tortilla chips, low fat, made with olestra, nacho cheese
Whole food · Snacks
Photo: Wikipedia
These are light, airy corn chips engineered to deliver a powerful nacho cheese punch with a fraction of the fat. The texture is a satisfying, crisp snap, followed by a savory, salty, and distinctly artificial cheese flavor that coats the tongue. Nutritionally, they are a high-carb, low-fat snack option, primarily providing quick energy from corn and added seasonings.
Calorie split: 10% protein · 80% carbs · 10% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love them for the intense, nostalgic nacho cheese flavor that satisfies a savory snack craving without the heavy, greasy feeling of regular chips. They are a go-to for movie nights, parties, and as a crunchy companion to dips, embodying a classic American snack culture.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The primary downside is the potential for digestive discomfort (like loose stools) some experience with olestra, a fat substitute. They are also high in sodium and refined carbs, which can contribute to blood-sugar spikes. To counteract, pair a small serving with a protein-rich dip like black bean salsa or guacamole, and drink plenty of water.
Key benefits
- Significantly lower in fat than traditional tortilla chips
- Provides a quick source of energy from carbohydrates
- Offers some dietary fiber from the corn base
- A convenient, shelf-stable snack for portion-controlled cravings
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Olestra, the fat substitute used in these chips, was originally developed by Procter & Gamble in the 1960s as a fat replacement for baby formula but was never used for that purpose.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 1.7 g |
| Energy | 318 kcal |
| Energy | 1330 kj |
| Protein | 8.4 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 3.5 g |
| Ash | 3.1 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 65.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 6.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.8 g |
| Sucrose | 0.89 g |
| Glucose | 0.28 g |
| Fructose | 0.21 g |
| Lactose | 1.4 g |
| Maltose | 0.00 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 56.0 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 128 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 4.8 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 99.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 245 mg |
| Potassium, K | 396 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 705 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 3.4 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.14 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.57 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 9.4 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 5.5 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.21 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.13 mg |
| Niacin | 1.3 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.21 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.24 mg |
| Folate, total | 16.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 16.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 16.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 20.4 mg |
| Betaine | 0.30 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.27 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 9.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 107 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 179 iu |
| Lycopene | 45.0 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 507 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 3.5 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 192 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 1.1 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.03 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.04 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.12 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.66 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.22 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.16 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.4 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 1.2 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.2 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 1.2 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 2.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Snacks, corn-based, extruded, chips, plain — USDA does not publish this profile for Snacks.
| Tryptophan | 0.05 g |
| Threonine | 0.25 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.23 g |
| Leucine | 0.80 g |
| Lysine | 0.18 g |
| Methionine | 0.14 g |
| Cystine | 0.12 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.32 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.27 g |
| Valine | 0.33 g |
| Arginine | 0.33 g |
| Histidine | 0.20 g |
| Alanine | 0.49 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.46 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.2 g |
| Glycine | 0.27 g |
| Proline | 0.57 g |
| Serine | 0.31 g |
FAQ
What exactly is olestra?
Olestra is a fat substitute made from sucrose and vegetable oils. It passes through the digestive system undigested, providing the taste and texture of fat with zero calories and zero fat grams.
Why are they so low in fat compared to regular chips?
Because the olestra replaces the traditional vegetable oil used in frying or seasoning, drastically cutting the fat content from around 15-20g per 100g in regular chips to just 3.53g here.
Are these chips a good source of protein?
No, at 8.44g per 100g, they provide only a modest amount of protein. They are primarily a carbohydrate-based snack.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.18 kcal/g · 11% calories from protein · 6.4 g fiber · 2.8 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 1.78 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.