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If you’re looking to limit your calorie intake, you might want to skip the dip with your salty snacks. A recent study conducted at the Penn State Sensory Evaluation Center in the US suggests that adding dip to your chips can significantly increase your caloric consumption.
The study, which will be published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, investigated how eating behavior changes when consumers are served a dip alongside a salty snack. The findings were striking: participants who ate chips with dip had a 77% greater caloric intake and a faster total eating rate compared to those who ate chips alone.
John Hayes, professor of food science and director of the Center, explained, “People didn’t eat fewer chips when dip was available—they ate the same amount of chips, plus the dip.” This indicates that “adding dip to chips can substantially increase overall energy intake without people realizing it.”
The study assessed 46 adult participants who were served 70 grams of ranch-flavored chips, or about 2.5 servings, with or without roughly a third of a cup of ranch dip. The results showed that people consumed the same number of chips regardless of the presence of dip, but their overall energy intake was significantly higher when dip was included.
On average, participants consumed 345 calories per eating session when they had both chips and dip, compared to 195 calories when they had chips alone. This suggests that the addition of dip can nearly double the caloric intake during a snack session.
For those mindful of their calorie consumption, this study highlights the impact of seemingly minor additions to their diet. Next time you’re reaching for a salty snack, consider going without the dip to help keep your calorie intake in check.
