QUEST NUTRITION “PROTEIN CHIPS” REVIEW: AN HONEST OVERVIEW

If you follow my posts on a regular basis then you already know I’m a huge fan of Quest Protein Bars and consider them as my current top pick in the protein bar category. (You can get my complete review here)

Needless to say, when Quest recently announced the launch of their brand new “Quest Protein Chips”, I was pretty eager to give them a try. This is the first ever “high protein potato chip” on the market and I was very curious to see how they turned out.

Having now had the chance to thoroughly test out the 3 different flavors offered, I’ll be giving my honest, unbiased thoughts below in this Quest Protein Chips review.

I’ll be going over the ingredients, nutritional profile, taste, texture and will then give my final thoughts on what I think of the product as a whole and who I would recommend it to.

(Please note that I am NOT specifically sponsored or affiliated with Quest Nutrition and these are simply my real, unbiased thoughts on the product)

Quest Protein Chips Review

Ingredients And Nutrition Facts

When it comes to the overall ingredients and macronutrient profile, Quest really has done a great job here.

Each bag of chips delivers 21 grams of high quality protein from a combination of milk protein isolate (milk protein is a combination of both casein and whey) and whey protein isolate.

Not only is the protein quality and total gram amount very high for what you’re getting, but the carbohydrate and fat content is also extremely low with just 5 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fat per bag.

If your goal is to increase protein intake with minimal additional carbs and fats, then these chips will definitely fit well into your overall diet.

Taste And Texture

There are currently 3 Quest Protein Chip flavors offered: BBQ, Cheddar & Sour Cream and Sea Salt.

In my opinion (and in the opinion of almost everyone else I’ve seen who has done a review on these) BBQ is far and away the most enjoyable flavor of the three. It has a nice sweet and smoky flavor and the seasoning itself tastes just like any regular barbecue chip you’d eat. Cheddar & Sour Cream would be second on the list for me, followed by Sea Salt.

In terms of the actual seasoning on the chips, I really do think all 3 flavors taste pretty darn good.

(Almost immediately after I wrote this review, Quest also released “Salt & Vinegar” and “Sour Cream & Onion” flavors. I will try these out soon and add my thoughts later on)

The initial crunch on the chips is also quite good, and although it feels a bit different from an actual potato chip (they have a thinner, lighter texture to them), this is another area I was very impressed with.

My two main areas of criticism would be the after-taste and after-texture. I find that the first few bites always start off really nicely, but once you continue to chew them up a bit, the chips themselves do give off a bit of a different after-taste. It’s not necessarily bad, but it doesn’t taste overly similar to a regular potato chip to me. On top of that, the texture seems to turn to a sort of gritty feel that takes some getting used to.

However, it’s important to keep things in perspective here and remember that you’re dealing with a product offering 21 grams of high quality protein with minimal carbs and fat.

Obviously it shouldn’t be expected that they’re going to taste just like regular potato chips, in the same way that you wouldn’t expect a protein bar to taste just like a regular chocolate bar.

You ultimately purchase this type of product with the understanding that you’re getting a high protein alternative, and that some taste will be sacrificed as a result.

In addition, also remember that taste is highly subjective, and this is just my personal opinion when it comes to the after-taste and after-texture. I’ve watched and read many other Quest Protein Chips reviews online, with some being even less forgiving than me, and with others having nothing but good things to say.

Obviously the only real way to know is to give them a try for yourself.

Final Thoughts & Recommendations On Quest Nutrition Protein Chips

Overall, for the intended purpose of creating a potato chip alternative with high protein and minimal carbs and fat, I think Quest did a very good job here.

Would I recommend them to others?

If you’re looking for a high protein snack to take on the go aside from regular protein bars, or if the actual “high protein potato chip” concept appeals to you, then yes, I’d say they’re worth a try.

I do want to point out, however, that if you are craving potato chips as part of your muscle building or fat burning diet, it’s not as if regular baked chips are a bad option in the first place as long as they’re consumed in moderate amounts.

The only difference is that you’ll be swapping out a high protein snack for a high carbohydrate snack, and this may not even be a bad thing depending on how your daily macronutrient numbers are configured.

An equivalent amount of Baked Lays (120g) will provide you with 23g carbs, 2g protein and 2g fat, and you’ll be getting an actual bag of real potato chips.

So in the end, it really just comes down to your individual preferences and needs here.

If you’re already able to hit your daily protein requirements with ease, then a product like this may or may not have any real application for you, since you can simply eat regular baked potato chips instead and just add it to your carbohydrate total for the day.

However, if it’s specifically a high protein snack that you’re after, then I do feel that Quest Protein Chips are worth giving a try as they are a good product for their intended purpose.

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