Lay's Baked Vs Sunchips: Which Is The Healthier Choice

Lay's Baked haven't been fried, which is common among some of the most nutritious chip brands, and utilize olive oil for an advertised metric of "50% less fat." Additionally, Lay's made a major change in 2025 by removing artificial flavors and colors. Meanwhile, Sunchips are known for being made with whole grains sans artificial flavors and colors. Taking into account the serving size of each option and the nutritional values per serving, both brands have their merits and drawbacks. But, Lay's Baked has an advantage as the healthier of the two.

A standard sized bag of Lay's Baked and Sunchips are similar, with Lay's Baked weighing in around 6 ¼ ounces and Sunchips at approximately 7 ounces. While the serving size for Lay's Baked is one pack, or just over 177 grams, for Sunchips, it is about 15 chips, or 28 grams. This difference alone puts Lay's Baked a cut above in the healthier stakes, as it's much easier to understand the caloric content of a single bag than trying to work it out by the number of chips eaten.

Comparing the nutrition facts for each product, the amount of calories, saturated fat, sodium, and total sugars are relatively close between Lay's Baked and Sunchips. However, taking a more granular look at each offering, there's a lot to mull over.

One serving of Lay's Baked Original Potato Crisps contains 110 calories while a serving of Sunchips contains 140 calories. Both contain ½ a gram of saturated fat and no trans fat. A serving of Lay's Baked has ½ a gram of polyunsaturated fat and 3 grams of monounsaturated fat, to Sunchips' 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat and 4 grams of monounsaturated fat.

A serving of Lay's Baked has fewer carbohydrates than Sunchips, with 17 grams to the latter's 19 grams. For sodium, a serving of Lay's Baked contains slightly more than Sunchips, with the former at 120 milligrams to the latter's 115 milligrams. Neither type contains cholesterol; however, a serving of Lay's Baked contains 2 grams of total sugars, which includes 1 gram of added sugars, whereas Sunchips contain 2 grams of total sugars, which includes 2 grams of added sugars. While every Sunchips flavor is different, the balance between sweet and savory may account for some of the brand's popularity, although Lays' Baked is still a generally healthier option.

Looking at the fiber, protein, and vitamin content, Lay's Baked wins out with 1 gram of dietary fiber, 2 grams of protein, 10 milligrams of calcium, and 220 milligrams of potassium. Though a serving of Sunchips contains 2 grams each of dietary fiber and protein, it contains no calcium and only 60 milligrams of potassium. While both products can be part of a healthy diet, there is one particular consideration for those with certain dietary needs, as Sunchips are not safe for gluten-free diets, while some varieties of Lay's Baked are. Essentially, moderation is always key, no matter which chip you choose.