Vegetable chip chips may be prepared with sliced vegetables that are fried, deep-fried, baked, dehydrated, or simply dried. Vegetable chips may be produced from a variety of root vegetables and leaf vegetables, such as carrot, turnip, parsnip, beet, radish, taro root, sweet potato, garlic, zucchini, cassava, kale, spinach, fennel and jicama, among others. Some baked versions utilize vegetables that are sliced, lightly tossed in oil, and then oven-baked until crisp. Vegetable chips prepared using this method have been described as more healthful compared to deep fried chips, particularly when prepared using "heart-healthy" olive oil. Simple versions are prepared by slicing vegetables and
Vegetable countries. The scale of production varies from subsistence farmers supplying the needs of their family for food, to agribusinesses with vast acreages of single-product crops. Depending on the type of vegetable concerned, harvesting the crop is followed by grading, storing, processing, and marketing. Vegetables can be eaten either raw or cooked and play an important role in human nutrition, being mostly low in fat and carbohydrates, but high in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Many nutritionists encourage people to consume plenty of fruit and vegetables, five or more portions a day often being recommended. The word "vegetable" was first recorded