Chips and dip add up to far more snack calories
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Serving a dip with a salty snack leads us to consume far more calories and eat faster, too, according to a study published in the November 2024 issue of Food Quality and Preference.
The analysis involved 46 adults (average age 39, 74% women) who were served about 2.5 servings of ranch-flavored chips with or without a third of a cup of ranch dip at each of two visits to a research laboratory. Participants were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. Researchers measured their intake, as well as logging their number of bites and eating time.
Eating chips and dip together prompted participants to consume 77% more calories than eating chips alone, as well as to eat faster. On average, participants consumed 345 calories of chips plus dip compared to 195 calories of chips alone. Of note, people didn't eat fewer chips when dip was available — they ate the same amount of chips, plus the dip. Since snacks provide about one-quarter of people's calories, the study authors said, these findings can help us snack smarter: either skip the dip or limit your chips.
Image: © Claudia Totir /Getty Images
About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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