We set out to find a delicious salty snack that you could joyfully ravage while consuming fewer calories and, hopefully, some extra nutrition. This journey led to bag after bag of Styrofoam-textured veggie puffs, cardboard-ish flax seed cakes and some surprisingly fattening kale chips. But it also yielded a handful of snacks that had us reaching for more, and more.

YOGI CHIPS

The Goods: Yucca (aka cassava) root is mashed into a paste, then deep fried in sunflower oil. Tasting Notes: Very crunchy, with a melt-away consistency somewhat reminiscent of Pringles. The Skinny: 1 ounce (24 chips) = 127 calories; one serving contains 2 grams of fiber
wailana.com

POPGHUM

The Goods: Air-popped sorghum grain is coated with a little oil and salt. Tasting Notes: More substantial than popcorn, with a nutty flavor and no hulls to get stuck in the teeth. The Skinny: 1 ounce (1¼ cup) = 140 calories
popghum.com

SNIKIDDY BAKED FRIES

The Goods: A cornmeal and potato dough is baked and seasoned. Tasting Notes: Combines the crunchy pleasure of cheese puffs with french-fried-potato taste. The Skinny: 1 ounce (about a cup) = 130 calories
alice.com

POPCHIPS

The Goods: Potato flakes and potato starch are “popped” under high pressure. Tasting Notes: Crunchy, salty potato with just the right hit of grease. Bulkier than typical chips, so just a few are quite satisfying. The Skinny: 1 ounce (about 23 chips) = 120 calories
popchips.com

SEA’S GIFT ROASTED SEAWEED SNACK

The Goods: Roasted and salted seaweed. Tasting Notes: A far cry from Lay’s. But keep eating and the light, flavorful wafers become mysteriously snackable. The Skinny: 1 ounce (nearly 6 packages) = 168 calories; very high in vitamins C and A
amazon.com

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page D6