Is Skinny Pop actually healthy? This Skinny Pop Dietitian Review will help you decide if Skinny Pop is nutritionally sound and live up to its marketing claims. Read on for my review of taste, nutritional properties, and ingredients before adding it to your cart.
About Skinny Pop
Skinny Pop is a pre-popped popcorn snack available in six flavours: original, aged white cheddar, white cheddar (dairy-free), salt & pepper, real butter, and twist of lime. Skinny Pop was founded in 2010 and is now widely available at most grocery stores.
Nutrition Marketing Claims
Skinny Pop is marketed as a healthier snack alternative as it’s made using simple ingredients. According to the Skinny Pop website, it was created to provide people with a snack that “tastes delicious and is good for them.” Their motto is “snacking without compromise” and they claim to use no artificial flavours or ingredients.
Taste & Texture
There’s no doubt that Skinny Pop is tasty! I’ve tried the Original and Cheddar flavours and have never been disappointed in the taste. The original flavour has a salty and buttery flavour that you would expect from popcorn, but the flavour is lighter than other popcorn products on the market.
The texture is crispy and airy, as you would expect from popcorn.
Ingredients
Popcorn: the main ingredient in this product.
Sunflower oil: is added when the kernels are popped. Sunflower oil is considered an unsaturated fat. It is mostly oleic acid (omega-9) and linoleic acid (omega-6).
Salt: an added source of sodium used for flavouring.
Nutrition Facts
Note: the nutrition facts below reflect the Original flavour of Skinny Pop. The range of nutrition information for all flavours is listed in parentheses.
Per 3 3/4 cups (28g)
Calories: 150 (140-150)
Fat: 10g (8-10g), from Sunflower oil
Saturated fat: 1g (1-1.5g)
Carbohydrate: 15g (14-15g), from popcorn
Fibre: 3g (naturally occurring in popcorn)
Sugar: 0g (0-1g)
Protein: 2g (2-3g), naturally occurring in corn
Sodium: 75mg (75-240mg), from added salt
Micronutrients: potassium 40 mg (40-77mg), iron 0.4 mg (0-1mg), calcium & vitamin D 0 mg (0-41mg)
Cost
Skinny Pop can be purchased in Ontario grocery stores for $3.77 – $5.79 per 125g bag. This is similar to other popcorn brands on the market.
Is Skinny Pop Healthy?
Relative to other products in the snack aisle, Skinny Pop is a more nutritious alternative as it is a source of fibre and is made with simple ingredients. Based on the ingredients and processing method, I do consider Skinny Pop less processed than other snack foods, such as potato chips. Popcorn also contains more volume and fibre compared to potato chips and will be more satiating as a snack.
However, like most snack foods, Skinny Pop contains a significant source of fat from sunflower oil. Now to be clear, I have no issue with sunflower oil being used in a food product in general. However, when we consider a healthy dietary pattern and the most healthful fat sources, I don’t recommend getting a significant amount of your daily fat intake from oils used in packaged processed foods. It is more healthful to get your daily fats from whole foods such as nuts, seeds, and avocado, or in your cooking oils used at home. For this reason, I suggest treating Skinny Pop as you would any processed snack food and consuming it on occasion and not as a daily snack that will displace whole foods.
Read more about our Food Nutrition Score here!
Is Skinny Pop healthier than other popcorn products on the market?
Skinny Pop is often a healthier alternative to many other popcorn products on the market. However, it depends on what flavour you’re looking at.
Skinny Pop Sea Salt vs. Other Brands
Compared to other pre-popped popcorn brands with a “sea salt” flavour, Skinny Pop is similar in overall nutrition profile and ingredients (see the chart below for details).
Skinny Pop White Cheddar vs. Other Brands
Compared to other flavoured popcorn brands on the market, such as ‘cheese’ flavoured popcorn, Skinny Pop wins as a healthier option. Compared to other ‘cheese’ flavoured popcorn on the market, Skinny Pop is lower in sodium and fat (see comparison chart for details). In addition, Skinny Pop is free of artificial flavours and colours, which some other flavoured popcorn brands contain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Skinny Pop vegan?
Some flavours of Skinny Pop contain dairy. Always check the food package for up-to-date ingredient information before consuming.
Is Skinny Pop gluten-free?
Yes, Skinny Pop is gluten-free. Always check the nutrition label for up-to-date allergen information before consuming a product.
Is Skinny Pop dairy-free?
Some Skinny Pop flavours contain dairy, while others are dairy-free. Always check the ingredient list for up-to-date allergen information before consuming a product.
Is Skinny Pop good for people with allergies?
Skinny Pop is a good option for people with food allergies as it is free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, and wheat. However, some flavours contain dairy. Always check the food label for up-to-date allergen information before consuming a product.
Is Skinny Pop a healthy snack?
Skinny Pop is a healthier alternative to ultra-processed snack foods, such as potato chips, as it is a source of fibre and is made with simple ingredients.
Does Skinny Pop have carbs?
Yes, skinny pop is a source of carbohydrates. The original flavour contains 15 g of carbohydrates per 3 3/4 cup serving, including 3 g of fibre.
Does Skinny Pop taste good?
There’s no doubt that Skinny Pop is tasty! I sampled the original flavour for the purpose of this review, but I’ve also tried many other favours and have never been disappointed in the taste.
