Little Bites are small, bite-sized snacks (like muffins) made from water, sugar, and bleached wheat flour.
These snacks are popular among children and adults and are often eaten to satisfy sweet cravings.
They come in various flavors, including chocolate chip, blueberry, banana muffins, and many more.
And while all Little Bites flavors taste sweet and delicious(when fresh), are they healthy for you?
Short answer: Little Bites are not healthy as they are extremely high in sugar, low in protein and fiber, and contain many highly processed ingredients. Some Little Bites flavors also contain artificial colors like red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, and blue 1, which are harmful for your health.
Let’s dive deeper into Little Bites, including their ingredients, sugar, protein, fiber, sodium content, and more.
Also read: Are Fiber One Brownies Healthy? Here Is The Answer
What are Little Bites made up of?
The exact ingredients in Little Bites vary depending on the flavor.
In general, Little Bites have long list of ingredients such as water, sugar, bleached wheat flour, soybean oil, eggs, etc.
Here are the most common ingredients you will find across most Little Bites flavors.
- Water
- Sugar
- Bleached wheat flour
- Soybean oil
- Palm oil
- Eggs
- Food starch-modified(corn)
- Whey protein concentrate
- Natural & artificial flavor
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- Leavening
- Salt
- Soy Lecithin
- Sorbitan Monostearate
- Polysorbate 60
- Potassium Sorbate (Preservative)
- Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
- Xanthan Gum
- Cellulose Gum
Are Little Bites high in sugar?
Little Bites are extremely high in sugar containing 13 to 23g of sugar per serving(1 pouch), depending on the flavor. Fudge brownies is the flavor with the highest amount of sugar(23g per serving).
Most of the sugar in Little Bites is added sugar in various forms such as sugar, dextrose, fructose, or corn syrup.
According to American Heart Association, the daily sugar limit for men is 36g, and for women is 24g.
Consuming even a single serving of the lowest sugar containing flavor(party cake cookies) can cross about 36% of the daily sugar limit for men and 56% for women.
Moreover, if you choose Little Bites as your regular snack, it can lead to various health issues such as weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease.
Here is a table showing the sugar content of all Little Bites flavors.
| Little Bites flavor | Added sugar(g) | Total sugar(g) |
|---|---|---|
| Banana muffins | 14 | 17 |
| Blueberry muffins | 14 | 15 |
| Chocolate chip muffins | 17 | 17 |
| Chocolate party cake muffins | 16 | 17 |
| Crumb cakes | 17 | 17 |
| Fudge brownies | 22 | 23 |
| Party cake muffins | 16 | 17 |
| Chocolate chip cookies | 14 | 14 |
| Party cake cookies | 13 | 13 |
| Strawberry yogurt muffins | 16 | 17 |
How much protein is in Little Bites?
Little Bites are low in protein, with most flavors containing just 2g per serving.
Although the source of protein in Little Bites is whey protein concentrate, which is a complete protein, it is present in small amounts.
In addition to protein, Little Bites are also low in fiber containing only 1g or less per serving.
Protein and fiber are essential parts of food as they promote satiety, prevent overeating, and reduce cravings.
However, because Little Bites are low in both, it’s possible that you may not feel satisfied after eating just one serving of Little Bites and end up consuming more, resulting in increased sugar intake.
Moreover, if you rely on Little Bites to curb your hunger, they may not be very effective.
Here is a table showing the protein and fiber content of all Little Bites flavors.
| Little Bites flavor | Protein(g) | Fiber(g) |
|---|---|---|
| Banana muffins | 1 | 1 |
| Blueberry muffins | 2 | 0 |
| Chocolate chip muffins | 2 | <1 |
| Chocolate party cake muffins | 2 | <1 |
| Crumb cakes | 2 | <1 |
| Fudge brownies | 2 | 1 |
| Party cake muffins | 2 | 0 |
| Chocolate chip cookies | 2 | 1 |
| Party cake cookies | 1 | 0 |
| Strawberry yogurt muffins | 2 | <1 |
How much sodium is in Little Bites?
Little Bites contain 90 to 200mg of sodium per serving, which is not much.
The American Heart Association recommends ideally limiting sodium to 1500mg a day.
Consuming even the highest sodium containing flavor (Blueberry muffins) of Little Bites will provide just 13% of the recommended ideal limit, which is good.
So, if you are following a low-sodium diet, snacking on Little Bites will not be an issue.
Here is the table showing the sodium content of all Little Bites flavors.
| Little Bites flavor | Sodium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Banana muffins | 160 |
| Blueberry muffins | 200 |
| Chocolate chip muffins | 150 |
| Chocolate party cake muffins | 140 |
| Crumb cakes | 120 |
| Fudge brownies | 150 |
| Party cake muffins | 170 |
| Chocolate chip cookies | 90 |
| Party cake cookies | 115 |
| Strawberry yogurt muffins | 170 |
Are Little Bites highly processed food?
Little Bites are highly processed as they contain various processed ingredients such as sugar, vegetable oil, bleached wheat flour, modified corn starch, dextrose, soy lecithin, and artificial flavors.
Some flavors also contain, invert sugar, corn syrup and artificial colors, making them highly processed.
According to Harvard University, processed foods are one of the main contributors to obesity and the rising of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes[6].
Are Little Bites good for weight loss?
Little Bites are not good for weight loss as they are high in sugar and contain moderate calories.
A single serving of Little Bites contains 180 to 260 calories per serving, depending on the flavor.
While this might not be a lot of calories for some people, it’s worth noting that most of these calories come from sugar and processed ingredients like vegetable oils, modified cornstarch, dextrose, and fructose.
These processed ingredients contain little to no nutritional value and provide empty calories.
Moreover, Little Bites are addictive(obviously due to so many ingredients), which makes them hard to resist, and you may end up consuming more than one serving, which can derail weight loss efforts.
Remember that weight loss depends not on only one food but on overall diet and lifestyle.
Are Little Bites gluten-free?
Little Bites are not gluten-free as they are made from wheat flour or bleached wheat flour as one of the ingredients.
If you have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, avoid Little Bites.
Are Little Bites dairy-free?
Little Bites are not dairy-free as they contain whey (a watery portion of milk).
Some flavors are also unsuitable if you are allergic to soy, eggs, and coconut.
It’s important to read the ingredients label if you have specific food allergies.
Final words
Little Bites may be a convenient option for satisfying your sweet cravings, but they are extremely bad for you. In fact, I did not find a single reason to eat them.
From being extremely high in sugar to low in protein and fiber, and packed with many highly processed ingredients, they are not healthy for you.
Furthermore, some Little Bites flavors also contain artificial colors like red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, and blue 1, making them really bad for your health.
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