Nachos
Nachos / corn tortilla chips are typically high in sodium and fat (especially when fried). Fried corn-oil chips can deliver beneficial unsaturated fats, but typical retail products are calorically dense, low in fiber, high in sodium, and frequently contain saturated fat.
What it is
Composite snack: corn tortilla chips topped with cheese and other ingredients. As ingredient label term, often refers to fried/baked corn tortilla chips.
Snack food / composite product.
Why it's flagged
- high sodium
- high fat / calorically dense
- low fiber and nutrients
- may contain trans fats from low-quality oils (now banned PHO use specifically)
What regulators actually say
"The high fat content, especially saturated fats in these deep-fried snacks, poses significant health risks such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes."
"FDA Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals (Edition 2): tortilla chips and similar snacks are among categories targeted for sodium reduction."
Regulatory status
United States — FDA
Composite/processed food; subject to FDA nutrition labeling requirements; PHO use prohibited (compliance dates 2018-2021)
European Union — EFSA
Composite food; subject to EU labeling rules
Scan it before you buy it
Get Ube on iOS or Android — point at any barcode, see what's actually in there.
Get the app