Don't get me wrong, I do love a good crunchy potato chip! But every once in a while, I take a look at the "exotic chips" section to see if something catches my eye. Last week, Turbana Plantain Chips fit the bill. For those who don't know, plantains are a starchy staple in the tropics that are sometimes mistaken for bananas. Unlike bananas, you typically need to cook or process plantains before consuming them - typically by boiling/steaming and then frying. I tried the "Natural" version of the Turbana Plantain Chips (they also come in other flavors including Chili, Lime, Sweet, Garlic, and Chili Lime). The chips are cut extremely thin, and look somewhat like a banana chip. However, they taste nothing like banana chips, as they are crispy, lightly salted, and don't have the sweetness of a banana. If you are used to trying other types of "root" or "veggie" ships, you might pick up a faint background taste similar to a yucca chip. I think these are best eaten out of hand, as they are so thin that they would probably not be good for dips (unlike Terra Chips, which are much thicker). These chips have no trans fat and no cholesterol. The ingredients are simply "selected fresh plantain, vegetable oil and salt" and they claim to have 30% less fat than potato chips. A 1 oz. serving has 130 calories, with 45 calories from fat and 125 mg of sodium. They are a product of Colombia, but the Turbana Corporation (located in Coral Gables FL) claims to be the top importer of Fair Trade bananas and plantains in North America.

PaulaSherwood

Denver, CO