The Best Low-Carb Chips for People with Type 2 Diabetes (Dietitian Approved!)
It’s all too easy to grab a bag of potato chips when that crunchy craving hits. While these are okay in moderation, they can easily spike your blood sugar if you eat too many. Next time it hits, try one of these low-carb chips to satisfy your craving without sending your blood sugar soaring.
Since low carb doesn’t have its own definition, I’m sharing a list of the best low-carb chips and keto-friendly chips with 10 grams of net carbs or less. Some of these are brands you can find on Amazon or Walmart and some are recipes you can make at home!
This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own.
The Best Low-Carb Chips
Low-carb chips are higher in protein and fat, but low in carbohydrates, making them a great option for anyone following a low-carb or keto diet.
They are typically made with almond flour, coconut flour or other low-carb flours that won’t cause your blood sugar to spike. Some use a combination of nuts, seeds, and spices, which can help to keep you feeling full and can squash a potato chip craving in its tracks.
Quest Tortilla Style Protein Chips
Net carbs: 3 grams
Quest tortilla-style protein chips are the perfect low carb substitute for tortilla chips. They provide all the crunch and satisfying taste of a regular tortilla chip, but with 20g of protein and 3g net carbs per bag so they won’t spike your blood sugar. Buy them here.
Quevos Protein Chips
Net carbs: 5 grams
Normally, I’d be skeptical of a chip made from egg whites, but these are so tasty! Quevos keto chips have 8 grams of protein, but unlike many other protein chips on the market, they also pack 4 grams of fiber into each serving. Buy them here.
Wilde Protein Chips
Net carbs: 5 grams
When you’re in the mood for classic potato chips, but want them to be low carb, these Wilde protein chips are the closest you can get to the real thing.
Made with chicken breast, Wilde chips offer the perfect balance of protein, fat and fiber to keep you fuller longer and have little to no impact on blood sugar levels. Buy them here!
HiLo Life Low Carb Almond Flour Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips
Net carbs: 3 grams
Nothing is more nostalgic than a bag of Doritos, right? Well, these almond flour tortilla-style chips are super crispy with that bold Nacho cheese flavor you’ve been missing.
They also have 7 grams of monounsaturated fat, which the ADA recommends including more of in your diet to help lower cholesterol and manage type 2 diabetes. Buy them here!
BeyondChipz Low Carb Tortilla Chips
Net carbs: 2 grams
A perfect vessel for your favorite salsa or guacamole, BeyondChipz low-carb tortilla chips use a mix of seeds and pea protein to deliver 13g of protein and only 2g net carbs.
If you want a sturdy, low carb chip with a satisfying crunch, these deliver! Just one serving will leave you feeling full and satisfied without spiking your blood sugar. Buy them here!
Dang Lightly Salted Coconut Chips
Net carbs: 5 grams
Dang Coconut Chips are the perfect go-to for an energizing low carb snack with 6 grams of fiber and no added sugar. Even though they’re made with just coconut and a hint of sea salt, they’re higher in calories and saturated fat than most low-carb chips.
But you can still enjoy them straight out of the bag or toss into smoothies, protein shakes, or salads – just be mindful of portions and limit your saturated fat intake throughout the day. Buy them here!
gimMe Organic Roasted Seaweed Sheets
Net carbs: 0 grams
As one of the lowest calorie and carbohydrate options, these roasted seaweed snacks will have little to no impact on blood sugar levels. Perfect for better-for-you option when looking to manage weight while still eating the food you love. Buy them here!
Rhythm Superfoods Kale Chips
Net carbs: 3 grams
People often describe kale as a “superfood” — and for a good reason. It contains multiple compounds that may help decrease blood sugar levels, including fiber and flavonoid antioxidants.
These kale chips use simple ingredients and are always dried, never fried making them one of my favorite healthy alternatives to chips. Buy them here!
Whisps Garlic Herb Cheese & Nut Crisps
Net carbs: 3 grams
Whisps are the perfect diabetic snack, whether you’re low carb, keto, or just love cheese! The Garlic Herb Cheese and Nut Crisps are a blend of Parmesan Whisps, almonds, cashews, pistachios, and pecans to make them more filling than a bag of potato chips.
Not to mention they have half the sodium and saturated fat compared to other low carb chips and crisps. Buy them here!
ParmCrisps Cheese Crisps
Net carbs: 0 grams
As one of the lowest carb chips, these cheese crisps are a diabetes-friendly and keto-friendly chip option that’s crispy, salty, and super delicious. ParmCrisps are high in protein, light, crispy and delicious all while having very little impact on blood sugar levels.
Even though cheese crisps make a great low carb chip alternative, I recommend eating them sparingly because of the saturated fat found in them.
While saturated fat in moderation is ok– too much can raise your cholesterol and increase insulin resistance. You can buy these pre-made versions or try the recipe below. Buy them here!
How to choose a low-carb chip
Although there are many tasty low-carb and keto chips out there, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to managing your type 2 diabetes.
Serving size. Just because it’s low carb, doesn’t mean it’s low calorie. Low-carb chips are often higher in fat which bumps up the calories. Be mindful of serving sizes and account for the extra calories and carbohydrates if you eat more than one serving.
Saturated fat. Even low-carb chips can impact blood sugar. Research has found a link between diets high in saturated fat and insulin resistance. Depending on how they’re made, chips can be high in saturated fat. Look for low-carb chips that are baked or dried instead of fried. Keep in mind, chips made with coconut flour or coconut oil will also be higher in saturated fat so always check the label and watch your total daily intake of saturated fat.
Sodium. Regular potato chips really aren’t that high in sodium to begin with, an average bag has about 170 mg per serving, but low-sodium chips can often have double that amount! Although sodium does not need to be avoided, consuming 2300mg of sodium per day or less is best for blood pressure management. If you choose a higher sodium chip, be sure to balance out your sodium intake throughout the rest of the day.
Taste! Not all low-carb chips deliver in terms of taste. Some are healthier than others, some are more flavorful than others, so you should try out different options, and see which ones are your favorites.
Budget. Low carb chips can help you achieve better blood sugar control and improve overall health, but they can be pricey! Instead of buying every chip on this list at once, pick one or two to start. Once you’ve found your favorite low carb chips, purchase them in bulk from Amazon or Walmart. Not only will you save money, but now you’ll have a pantry stocked for snacking.
And if buying low carb chips isn’t in your budget, here are some great homemade options:
How to make low-carb chips
Make your own cheese crisps
Depending on the type of cheese used, store-bought cheese crisps can be high in saturated fat and a little pricey. Making your own is a great way to control the ingredients and cut down on costs.
Try these simple homemade low-carb chip recipes below:
The Easiest Keto Cheese Crisps Recipe
Print Pin Rate Shop IngredientsEquipment
- 1 large baking sheet
- 1 Parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup parmesan, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine the cheeses in a bowl and mix. Scoop out a tablespoon of shredded cheese and place them on the baking sheet about 1-2 inches apart.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
The Easiest Low Carb Zucchini Chip Recipe!
Equipment
- 1 Mandolin
- paper towels
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- air-tight container
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini using a mandolin. Lay the zucchini slices on paper towels in a single layer. Cover with more paper towels and set a baking sheet on top of the zucchini slices and press to squeeze out excess moisture.
- Preheat the oven to 235 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the parchment paper lightly with olive oil.
- Lay the zucchini slices in a single layer on parchment paper. Fit as many on each baking sheet as possible. Then lightly brush the top of the zucchini with olive oil. Sprinkle the zucchini slices with seasoning.
- Bake for 1 1/2 – 2 hours until crisp and golden. If some zucchini chips are still a little flimsy or damp, remove the crisp chips and place the damp chips back in the oven for a few more minutes. Allow the zucchini chips to cool on the paper towels to absorb any extra oil. Store in an air-tight container.
Notes
Nutrition
The bottom line:
If you’re looking for low-carb chips to help manage your diabetes, these are some great options.
There’s no need to give up chips, and no need to spend a fortune on low-carb chips either.
You can find delicious low-carb chips at a reasonable price point to fit your budget or make them at home!