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New Caffeinated Potato Chips Offer Boost Of Energy

MIAMI (CBS4) - If you need a jolt of energy, coffee and sodas are not the only answer anymore.

A new kind of potato chip can give you the same buzz you'd get from energy drinks and they look and crunch the like any other chip.

In addition to potato's salt and spices, they have B vitamins, caffeine and taurine, an ingredient commonly found in energy drinks.

"I think they're trying to target the young those who are athletic or wish to be," said Jo Ann Hattner, a nutritionist who is surprised to hear of yet another energy product.

Hattner questions whether coating potato chips with energy supplements really give you much of a boost.

"It's what I call an image food. 70 milligrams of caffeine is really not that much, you might get that in a shot of espresso," said Hattner.

With espresso you'd get fewer calories. The Arma energy chips, for example, come with 70 milligrams of caffeine and 290 calories. Compare that to a can of Red bull which has 80 milligrams for 110 calories. A shot of espresso offers the same boost with only 5 calories. So gram for gram, if you are watching your weight, this product may not be for you.

"We strive for whole foods as much as possible that would give the most energy over a sustained period of time," said personal trainer Elizabeth Bachrad.

But just because they're not for the health conscious doesn't mean they are not for people looking for a tasty treat with a bit of a boost.

However, the product is not recommended for pregnant women and children.

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