Are Tortilla Chips Plant Based?

If you have recently shifted to a plant-based diet, you may wonder what foods you should avoid. Snacks often contain a variety of ingredients from different sources so it is important to check the product before adding them to your plant-based diet. Tortilla chips are one of the best snack options you may want to consider. 

So, are tortilla chips plant based? Yes, tortilla chips can be plant-based depending on what they are made up of. The basic ingredients in tortilla chips are flour, oil and seasoning. However, some brands sell flavored versions of tortilla chips containing animal-derived ingredients or dairy products and are not plant-based.

Below, let us try to learn more about what goes into tortilla chips to understand whether you can incorporate them into your plant-based diet. 

Why Tortilla Chips Are Plant Based?

For the most part, tortilla chips are made up of plant-based ingredients. However, you should be careful while choosing commercially sold chips that contain flavors and colors not suitable for a plant-based diet. They often have cheese, milk derivatives or animal-derived components. 

Tortilla chips are made from a simple mixture of flour, oil, water and seasonings like salt, making them perfectly plant-based. Most high-quality brands use wholesome ingredients to make tortilla chips that easily fit your diet. 

What Are The Main Ingredients in Tortilla Chips?

Traditionally, tortilla chips are made out of corn. However, today, a variety of flours from wheat and rice to maize and others are used to make these delicious snacks. The use of different flours give a varied flavor, adding variety to the finished food. Added to the flour are other few ingredients like vegetable oil, salt and baking agents. 

Some flavored variants of tortilla chips may contain flavorings sprayed on them, often loaded with animal products like milk derivatives, cheese or even meat. It is worth noting that chips from cheaper companies can compromise your plant-based lifestyle with animal-derived ingredients added for flavor and variety. 

Tortilla Chips Nutrition

Made out of plant-based, wholesome ingredients like maize flour, tortilla chips are a great addition to daily diet for nutrition requirements. They provide a good portion of daily protein, fiber and carbs coming from whole grains. However, the nutritional profile of tortilla chips can change depending on the variety and ingredients. 

Here is the nutritional information for one serving of different varieties of tortilla chips.

Variety	White corn	Low fat baked	Nacho flavor	Taco flavor
Calories	138	118	144	136
Fat(g)	6.62	1.62	7.34	6.86
Protein(g)	2.21	3.12	2.27	2.24
Carbs(g)	18.52	22.68	17.19	17.89

The right variety of tortilla chips can not only make a satisfying snack option but also provide the energy and protein your body needs for healthy functioning. Make sure you choose wholesome varieties with minimum sodium content. 

Conclusion

So, are tortilla chips a good fit for a plant based diet? Absolutely, yes! You can snack on these delicacies while following a plant-based diet. However, it is recommended to check the product label to ensure it doesn’t contain animal-derived or dairy ingredients. Moreover, you should pay attention to the portion to limit the fat and calorie intake.