eli5: why is potato chips so high in calories but potatoes are relatively low?
In: Other
u/HappyHuman924 has it spot-on, but there’s a little more consideration. Potatoes are mostly water. About 80%. So when you remove the water, as frying in oil does (the water boils off from the 300°F heat), the caloric density jumps from 0.87cal/gram to 4.35cal/gram. Given baked potato chips sit at about 4.20cal/gram, that helps showcase the impact that water has on caloric density.
Add the oil that stays on the chips, and you’re up to 5.36cal/gram.
This works with most other things. Beef jerky is much more calorically dense than steak. Banana chips more than their fresh counterparts. Water is a filler.
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