The age-old question of why exactly there's so much space in chip bags has become a popular meme and has even prompted lawsuits from customers who feel lied to. However, there's an FDA-approved reason why there's so much space in chip bags, and it might just make your chip-eating experience even better.

The extra space, which is called "slack fill," helps prevent your chips from breaking in the time from packaging to shipping to purchasing and eating. That "air" is actually nitrogen gas, and nitrogen's composition itself can prevent the chips from breaking and lets air out as well, which keeps the chips fresher for longer.

When it came to reducing slack fill, Fritos came out on top, with just 19% of the bag taken up by nitrogen gas, and Pringles followed closely behind with 28% slack fill. The chips to avoid if you're not a fan of slack fill are Stacy's Pita Chips and Ruffles, which were tied at 50% slack fill, and Cheetos, which had a whopping 59% slack fill per package.