They look like peas but taste similar to potato chips – are Harvest Snaps healthier than chips? This dietitian review will help you decide if Harvest Snaps are nutritionally sound and live up to their marketing claims. Read on for my review of taste, nutritional properties, ingredients, use, and cost before you add them to your cart.
About Harvest Snaps
Harvest Snaps are baked snacks made with peas, rice, oil, and seasoning. These crisps are a bit of a mystery as they look like snap peas but have an airy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Calbee (the company that makes Harvest Snaps) doesn’t provide much detail about how they are made, but we can get a general understanding based on the ingredients used.
My assumption of the processing method is that peas are ground into flour, mixed with rice (likely flour), and baked with oil and seasoning before being cut into pods.
Nutrition Marketing Claims
Harvest Snaps are marketed as veggie snacks and as a healthy snack alternative. Their website states they have less fat and sodium (I’m assuming this is in comparison to traditional potato chips) and are allergen-friendly.
Taste & Texture
Harvest Snaps (Original) have an airy, crispy texture and a salty flavour. Overall, Harvest Snaps have an enjoyable flavour, and the combination of crispy texture with salty flavour made them satisfying as a potato chip alternative.
Harvest Snaps Ingredients
Product formulations and ingredients may change. Always check the product package for up-to-date nutrition, ingredient, and allergen information before consuming.
Green peas: the first ingredient in Harvest Snaps, this is the main ingredient in these snacks.
Canola oil: the main fat source in Harvest Snaps. Canola oil is a source of monounsaturated fatty acids. See our full Canola Oil review for details about this ingredient.
Rice: provides a source of carbohydrates and contributes to the textural properties of Harvest Snaps.
Salt: used for flavouring.
Calcium carbonate: added to food products as a leavening agent, thickening/bulking agent, and/or colouring agent.
Rosemary: used to add flavour to Harvest Snaps.
Priority Allergens
Harvest Snaps may contain milk and mustard.
Harvest Snaps Nutrition Facts
Per 1.5 cups (50g)
Calories: 230
Fat: 9g, from canola oil.
Saturated fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrate: 29g, from peas and rice.
Fibre: 7g, from peas.
Sugar: 1g, from peas.
Protein: 9g, from peas
Sodium: 135mg, from added salt.
Other nutrients: potassium 350mg, calcium 75mg, iron 1.75mg.
Cost
Harvest Snaps are available in Ontario from $2.97-$3.79 per 94g bag.
Are Harvest Snaps as Nutritious as Peas?
There are a variety of reasons why vegetables are beneficial to our health. Fibre, antioxidants, and micronutrients, to name a few. But how much of these nutrients are retained after peas are processed into Harvest Snaps? Food processing methods, like heat or drying, can increase enzymatic activity and reduce the antioxidant and micronutrient content of foods. The extent of this reduction depends on the type of fruit or vegetable and the exact processing it goes through.
Though we don’t have information on how much antioxidant and micronutrient content is retained in Harvest Snap Peas specifically, we can likely assume that the process of drying and heating that peas go through to become Harvest Snaps will result in some loss of nutrients.
The nutrition facts table for Harvest Snaps includes only the minimum required number of nutrients for food labelling. You can learn more about reading food labels here. Additional micronutrients found in peas, such as vitamin C, are not listed on the label for Harvest Snaps. This may be for several reasons: first, vitamin C is no longer present in the final product. Second, the company chose not to expand the food label to include additional nutrients. Third, the final product was not tested for these nutrients, and the actual micronutrient content is unknown.
When we compare the nutrient content of Harvest Snaps to fresh peas (see our comparison chart below), Harvest Snaps are higher in fats and carbohydrates due to added oil and rice. Harvest Snaps are also higher in protein compared to the same weight of fresh peas. This is likely because more fresh peas are required to make 50g of Harvest Snaps than 50g of fresh peas, so the protein content is more concentrated. Harvest snaps are also higher in potassium, calcium, and iron, likely for the same reason. The sodium content of Harvest Snaps is higher than actual peas as salt is added during the processing of Harvest Snaps.
Bottomline:
Although Harvest Snaps are marketed as vegetable snacks, they are considered a processed snack and should be consumed only on occasion like other processed snacks.
Are Harvest Snaps Healthier Than Chips?
Based on the overall ingredient and nutrient profile, Harvest Snaps are a healthier alternative to traditional potato chips. Compared to potato chips, Harvest Snaps are baked instead of fried and contain less saturated fat and sodium. Since peas are the main ingredient, rather than potatoes, Harvest Snaps are significantly higher in fibre and protein than traditional chips. See our comparison chart above for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Harvest Snaps count as a vegetable?
No. Though Harvest Snaps are made from peas, they are processed and should be consumed in moderation as a snack food (ie. chip alternative) and not in place of whole peas or other vegetables.
Are Harvest Snaps Pea vegan?
Yes, Harvest Snap Pea Crisps are vegan.
Are Harvest Snaps gluten-free?
Yes, Harvest Snaps are Gluten-free.
Are Harvest Snaps actually peas?
Yes and no. Harvest Snaps contain peas as the main ingredient but they are made using blended peas and rice cut into a shape that resembles pea pods.
Do Harvest Snap Peas have any nutritional value?
Yes, Harvest Snap Peas have a balanced macronutrient profile as they contain unsaturated fats, protein, and fibre, They are also a source of iron, calcium, and potassium. The remaining nutrient value that would otherwise be found in peas, such as vitamin C, is unknown but is likely reduced during processing.
Are Harvest Snaps good for weight loss?
No one food will cause weight loss or gain. However, Harvest Snaps are processed and may not be as satiating as a whole-food snack such as fruit and nuts. I recommend consuming Harvest Snaps in moderation like any other processed food.
Related Posts
- Veggie Straws – Dietitian Review
- Are Goldfish Crackers Healthy? Dietitian Review
- Are Mary’s Gone Crackers Healthy? Dietitian Review
Sources:
- Harvest Snaps Website
- Balunkeswar Nayak, Rui Hai Liu & Juming Tang (2015) Effect of Processing on Phenolic Antioxidants of Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains—A Review, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 55:7, 887-918, DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2011.654142
- Health Canada : List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents, List of Permitted pH Adjusting Agents, Acid-Reacting Materials and Water Correcting Agents, List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Accepted Uses
I like harvest snap I buy a buy a couple times during the month they’re a replacement for potato chips and yes I do put hot sauce on w
They’re a great option instead of potato chips!
Junk food disguised as a vegetable.
Junk food disguised as a vegetable.
I have issues with these types of “answers”. The question was are they better than chips. Yes we know veggies are better, nuts too, etc etc. But when it comes down to it and I am standing in a store staring at a shelf of chips, veggie chips/straws and harvest crisps which is the “healthier” buy. I am going to buy one, I am not going to go get carrots. I am having a huge craving and am giving into it. Which is a better choice? Answering that why might be helpful but that is the quick answer I want.
Thank you for your comment! I agree that the decision usually isn’t carrots vs. potato chips. With this product specifically, I mention the pea comparison because many people feel that the appearance of harvest snaps is misleading. Because they’re in the shape of pea pods, some assume that they are closer to actual peas than they really are. Thus, the vegetable comparison. In writing this post, I would be remiss not to adress this as well.