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 our dietitian review of taste, nutritional properties, ingredients, use, cost, and overall versatility before making your decision.
Is Skinny Pop Healthy?
Yes. Skinny Pop is a healthier alternative to traditional snack foods. It contains unsaturated fats, is a source of fibre, and is made without artificial flavours or ingredients.
Read more about our Food Nutrition Score here!
About Skinny Pop
Skinny Pop is a pre-popped popcorn snack available in six traditional flavors: 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 uses 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.
Is Skinny Pop Actually Healthy? Dietitian Review
Ingredients
Popcorn: the main ingredient in this product.
Sunflower oil: is likely added when the skinny popcorn kernels are popped. Sunflower oil is considered an unsaturated fat. It is mostly comprised of oleic acid (omega-9) and linoleic acid (omega-6).
Salt: used to season the popcorn
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), coming from Sunflower oil
Saturated fat: 1g (1-1.5g)
Carbohydrate: 15g (14-15g), coming from popcorn
Fibre: 3g (naturally occurring in popcorn)
Sugar: 0g (0-1g)
Protein: 2g (2-3g), naturally occurring in corn
Sodium: 75mg (75-240mg), coming 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 healthier than other popcorn products on the market?
Skinny Pop is often a healthier alternative to 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
However, 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. And importantly, Skinny Pop tastes delicious! Despite being lower in some of these nutrients, no flavours are lacking in Skinny Pop.
Is Skinny Pop Healthy? Dietitian Review
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?
Yes, Skinny Pop is a healthy snack option that contains a source of unsaturated fats, fibre, and is made with simple ingredients.
Is Skinny pop different than other popcorn brands?
Cheddar Skinny Pop contain less sodium and total fat compared to other cheddar-flavored popcorn products on the market (see above chart for comparison). Skinny pop also does not contain artificial flavours or colours, which some other popcorn brands contain.
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! We 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.
More Healthy Snack Reviews
Harvest Snaps
Harvest Snaps are a more nutritious option than traditional potato chips. Compared to potato chips, Harvest Snaps are baked instead of fried and contain less saturated fat and sodium. However, Harvest Snaps are still considered a processed food and are best consumed in moderation. Read the full review here.
Veggie Straws
Veggie Straws are made from potatoes and are fried just like traditional potato chips. However, compared to traditional potato chips, Veggie Straws are lower in fat. They also use better quality oil than the leading chip brands which typically use corn oil and soybean oil. Read the full review here.
That’s It Bar
That’s it fruit bars are a healthy option for a shelf-stable snack on the go. They contain only dried fruit and are minimally processed, so the fibre and many other nutrients in the fruit are still present. The amount of carbohydrates and sugar in these bars is comparable to 1 medium apple, or 1/4 cup of dried fruit. Read the full review here.
Sources:
Canadian Nutrient File, Sunflower oil
SkinnyPop.com (accessed April 14, 2023)
