Updated: Sat Aug. 16 2008 17:15:09

ctvbc.ca

Four years ago we tested our first baked chip product at the PNE.

The verdict -- they were a little bland. And that may be being kind. But over the years they've improved and become mainstream.

The chip aisle in any grocery store is one of the most crowded and competitive. Ask people if they eat chips and the answer is usually yes -- at least once in a while.

People often buy baked chips not for the taste but for the perceived health benefits. But are they really better for you?

"They often are better nutritionally because they often have less fat because they're not fried, they're baked instead, so they can use less oil and often times they're lower in sodium," explained registered dietitian Heather McColl with Save-On Foods.

We tested two brands: Lays Baked -- one of the originals -- and Kettle Bakes -- a product from Oregon that tastes a lot closer to the deep fried potato chip we grew up eating.

Lays are a "formed" potato product made from dehydrated potato flakes and many other additives. And Kettle Bakes are cut from whole potatoes, like a regular chip. They are made from potatoes, oil and salt -- that's it.

For our test "A" was the Lays product; "B" the Kettle Bakes chips

And when the votes were counted, 52 per cent liked the Lays Baked, while 48 per cent liked the Kettle Bakes.

We also asked people if they would give up taste to buy a chip with lower fat and about half of them said yes. Lays has slightly less fat.

Some testers thought Lays tasted like Pringles.

Pringles was in the news a few weeks ago after the company successfully argued in court that their product is not a chip and therefore shouldn't face the 17 and a half percent sales tax.

A judge agreed: Pringles is not a chip, it's a stackable snack-able made from dough.

According to Proctor and Gamble, which makes Pringles, a potato chip gives a sharply crunchy sensation under the tooth while a Pringles is designed to melt down on the tongue. I guess I've been eating mine the wrong way all these years.