These Sweet-and-Savory Vegan Crisps Might Make You Forget All About Potato Chips

Here’s riddle for you: What snack has all the crunch of kettle-fried potato chips, comes in cacao and spirulina flavors, and fits into both raw and vegan diets?

Meet Nud, a line of snacks made from bananas, sesame seeds, and coconut that clock in at just under 300 calories per package. They’re crunchy and slightly sweet—and happen to be raw, vegan, organic, gluten-free, and Paleo-friendly.

Though these crisps have plenty of crunch, they’re not baked or fried like regular chips. Instead, they’re dehydrated at 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Dehydrating takes longer than baking, but preserves the natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in the ingredients.

Take for instance bananas, which take center stage in all Nud flavors—they’re jam-packed with potassium, manganese, vitamin C, as well as other vitamins and minerals. They’re also a good source of carbohydrates and fiber, so they’re filling enough to keep you satisfied for hours. Studies have even shown that eating a banana after a hard workout refuels your body just as well as a sports drink. And then there’s the sesame seeds and coconut—two stellar sources of healthy fats and fiber.

With just five ingredients or less, every flavor of these crisps makes for an incredibly wholesome snack.

• Cacao Banana: Rich and chocolatey, this flavor tastes more like dessert than a snack—albeit a super healthy one.
• Spirulina Banana: The lovely emerald-green color in comes from spirulina, a type of algae packed with vitamins and antioxidants.
• Goji Chia Banana: Two superfoods—goji berries and chia seeds—combine in this tart flavor. Slightly denser and chewier than the others, these crisps are a great way to get some extra fiber into your diet.

Grab a handful anytime you’re craving something crunchy, or get creative. Nud crisps taste wonderful dipped in almond butter, topped with sliced fresh fruit, or crumbled on top of yogurt.

Photo credit: Alicia Cho