Don't go overboard with reduced-fat chips

Q. Are the chips sold in the health-food section of the grocery store better choices than regular chips?

A. Many of these products do offer nutritional advantages over traditional snack chips. Some are lower in sodium, with about half to two-thirds less sodium per serving. Other varieties have cut fat, with savings of 3 to 6 grams of fat per ounce. And, when the total fat is lower, calories are usually lower, too.

However, there are some cautions to be aware of when choosing "healthier" chips. For example, not all are lower in fat and sodium. Some reduced-fat varieties have added salt and organic chips are not necessarily lower in fat or sodium. In addition, some of the products labeled "no trans fat" may contain saturated fat instead.

Regardless of what product you choose remember that portion control is still vital. Check the nutrition facts label to find the serving size because it is not the same on all products. The standard serving size of chips is 1 ounce, which is usually about 12 to 15 potato or tortilla chips (or about 40 of the smaller corn chips).

Also bear in mind that even reduced-fat chips are not "eat-all-you-want" diet foods. Calories from snack foods can add up quickly. Finally, chips in the "health food section" can cost double or triple the price of standard chips. Simply eating the regular version less often or in smaller amounts can also reduce calories, fat and sodium for substantially less money.

Q. Is there any nutritional difference between green and red bell peppers?

A. Green bell peppers (or sweet peppers) are simply the less mature form of red peppers. While the two varieties have identical calorie contents, the extra maturation time allows red peppers to accumulate higher levels of some nutrients.

For example, both types of pepper are excellent sources of vitamin C, but red varieties contain more than twice as much as green - more than a whole day's supply in just half a cup. Similarly, green peppers supply some beta-carotene, but red peppers supply almost eight times as much. Red peppers also supply seven times as much beta-cryptoxanthin, another carotenoid, as well as some lycopene, which research suggests may be linked with lower risk of prostate cancer. On the other hand, green peppers are a much better source of the carotenoid lutein, which may play a role in maintaining healthy vision.

Q. Are Italian ice desserts low-calorie choices?

A. Italian ice has become increasingly common in restaurants and at larger grocery stores. While its light, refreshing flavor is due in part to a lower sugar content than many popular frozen desserts, that doesn't mean it is low-sugar. Each 4-ounce serving, which can have as much as 4 to 6 teaspoons of added sugar, provides roughly 50 to 100 calories.

That's still a lower calorie choice than a similar serving of ice cream (which provides from 140 to 270 calories) or even sorbet (which can contain up to 9 teaspoons of sugar and 125 calories per serving). Note that restaurant portions and prepackaged sizes sold at grocery stores are most often six ounces, which raises the calorie content slightly.

• Karen Collins, registered dietitian, writes this column for the American Institute for Cancer Research. To submit a question, please write to Ask the Nutritionist, c/o the Daily Herald, 1759 R St., N. W., Washington, D.C. 20009. Questions will not be responded to personally.