Please note that this post may contain affiliate links, if you click on any of these links and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
Starting Autoimmune Protocol?
Meet your new best friend – Plantain chips.
In the absence of white potatoes, you will soon find yourself fighting the crunchy craving that they once filled. The void of which will only be satisfied by that of a crispy plantain chip while on AIP.
Plantains are a wonder as one of the mildest flavors that I have ever encountered. Still though they are not completely devoid of the banana taste- which is enhanced when cooked in the sweetness of Coconut oil.
Though plantain chips are in a category of their own, they are still worthy rivals of your average potato chip, as this list will contend to compare.
This is not a sponsored post, this is simply a list consists of my favorite brands, as I find them the only ones worthy to mention.
All of which are prepared using AIP approved coconut oil and salts, with each unique in its’ presentation.
As I detail my review of the brand I will note a number of factors:
1) Packaging
2) Thickness
3) Crunchiness
4) Greasiness
5) Crispiness
One thought that may occur to you is “Are not crunchiness and cripiness the same thing?”
In my book- No.
Crunchiness by my definition refers to the bite of the chip itself, while the crispiness will refer to the overall texture of the chip as you eat it.
These categories will be evaluated on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the strongest indicator.
Each of these items can be purchased on Amazon, Whole Foods, or both. For such reason they will each contain affiliate links connected to Funnily AIP that I will receive a commission on at no additional cost to you.
To review these chips in real time to correspond with this post I did actually purchase these items from the store. These are displayed in the use of my personal photos taken on the day that I ate from them in order to do this review, there will be a mix of those images with the stock ones that you will also find on the Amazon website. If you would like to try them for yourself and purchase them through the available affiliate links please feel free to do so.
Let’s begin!
Review
Brand: BARNANA
Packaging : 8
Thickness : 10
Crunchiness : 7
Greasiness : 7
Crispiness : 6
The packaging certainly stands off from the shelves, each flavor has a bright color indicator on the bag, which is quite thick and sturdy. You will not open this bag by accident, it is deliberately sealed tight.
This will be among the thickest level of chips on the list, which is a given since it is the only chip with wavy ridges which require an amount of thickness in order to hold it’s shape.
While thick, it still has a slight crunch as you bit into it, making the paired wavy texture a fun caress onto your palate.
Due to the thickness once again this chip retains a hefty amount of coconut oil, which contributes to the substantial amount of greasiness as you eat and touch. This can actually be a plus as coconut oil needs a lot of heat before it melts, meaning that this snack will stay cool under the pressure of a hot summer day.
The all important factor that makes a “chip” a “chip” or as the British say, a “crisp” is indeed the crispiness. There is a transitioning crispiness on this wavy chip that is best at the edges but lessens as it works its’ way in. Overall crispy enough to be a chip, but not the crispiest there is, as this list will soon shed light on.
Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/2DPUzPY
Brand: INKA
Packaging : 7
Thickness : 5
Crunchiness : 9
Greasiness : 7
Crispiness : 9
Recently Inka Chips decided to rebrand and changed their design from the older one. The difference is night and day, as the former design was this bright cheesy looking yellow, which I was adamantly trying to spot when I searched for it in the store. When I later found it to be this bright white packaging I was pleasantly surprised.
The quality of the bag is not much different compared to others, but the design change o a cleaner and contemporary look helps you to keep in mind this snack is healthier than it looks.
Overall the thickness of the plantain chip is similar to that of the kind that I make at home, except significantly less greasier, as I tend to fry with Avocado Oil rather than Coconut Oil. For this product it is called “Palm Oil” instead of Coconut Oil, as stated on most of these other snacks in this list, which as previously stated makes for an even sweeter chip.
Despite the initial greasy feeling of the chip the crunch is quite substantial, which also lends to a high amount of cripiness as you consume the chip.
This brand only comes in the “naturally sweet” selection at my local market but I do believe that there are other varieties offered such as “Sea Salt” and the other being “Chile Picante” which contains nightshade ingredients, so try at your own risk on your own volition.
Overall if you are looking for a chip that is reminiscent of being homeade this is the go to brand in my book, with a distinct higher quality to separate it from the idea of it being made by someone such as yourself.
Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/2KDfozg
Brand: ARTISAN TROPIC
Packaging : 8
Thickness : 4
Crunchiness : 8
Greasiness : 1
Crispiness : 7
Coined as “strips” rather than “chips” the length is indeed longer than a typical chip. The bag design is perfectly minimalistic and show an identical depiction of the product.
As with other brands there are varieties with “Sea Salt” and as depicted “Naturally Sweet” from the picture, both of which fall in line with Autoimmune Protocol.
The strip has the thickness of a coin, pretty thin but also a little thick at the same time. Texture wise this will be the most airy quality that you can imagine. Greasiness is nearly absent in this product, I wonder how on earth they got it cooked!
Uniqueness is a definite stand out for this brand of plantain snack, as it is not typical in any fashion. Meanwhile it will certainly satisfy your inclination for a crispy sensation of the tongue as it so often does with mine.
Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/2RiU98z
*BONUS*
Brand: SUN TROPICS
Packaging : 10
Thickness : 1
Crunchiness : 9
Greasiness : 3
Crispiness : 10
While shopping for this post I saw these on the shelf and I just had to grab them, even though the banana flavor is stronger than I would like compared to that of a
As noted above, the crispy quality of this chip is as close to an actual chip that one can get. Though the size is not close to that of an actual chip like a plantain would be, the thin dexterity of the texture makes it the funnest to eat.
Color wise it is also closer to the golden hue of a potato chip, with the exception of the banana flavor, it could rival any popular chip brand.
Packaging is also the biggest win for me, as it contains a zip lock on the top to discourage you from eating the entire bag in one sitting, while maintaining ultimate crispiness. Though it would be nice to see this with other brands, I would not as for so much, as it would only add to the cost of these already higher priced chips.
Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/2DNj3sW
Concluding Thoughts
Overall I personally adore all of these brands of chips/strips, with no notable favorite despite my grade assignments.
It all really depends on what I am in the mood for.
My honest and fair review was provided regarding all of these products, with no other contributing factor enticing me towards a more positive review.
Whether you would like to try these products or not is up to you, personally I enjoy them, and after this post I will finish the bags that I opened for this project.
If I am ever in a tight fix, as I often am when my life gets busy on Autoimmune Protocol, these products are often my savior from succumbing into a visit to the nearest fast food drive through.
Being prepared is one of the upmost factors on AIP, which motivates me to be more proactive in planning frequent snacks even if I may not eat them right away. I always find some level of comfort knowing I have a quick treat nearby, one without a lot of mess or preperation.
Think smarter and not harder on Autoimmune Protocol, that is how you will be able to make it a healthy habit and commit to it everyday.
Have you tried any of these products?
Tell me about is by leaving me a comment below!
