Are you confused between Boom Chicka Pop and Skinny Pop?
If so, you aren’t alone.
Boom Chicka Pop and Skinny Pop have emerged as two leading popcorn brands in the industry.
Both brands are marketed as good-for-you without the use of harmful ingredients.
In addition, both brands offer a range of delicious flavors, such as sea salt, white cheddar, sweet & salty, and more.
However, when it comes to choosing, which one is healthier?
Boom Chicka Pop or Skinny Pop?
Short answer: Skinny Pop is the healthier option than Boom Chicka Pop. Skinny Pop has more consistent protein and fiber and less saturated fat and sodium. It also limits added sugars better than Boom Chicka Pop.
Read on for a detailed comparison of Boom Chicka Pop and Skinny Pop in terms of their ingredients and nutritional value.
Read also: Wheat Thins Vs Triscuits: Which One Is More Healthier?
Boom Chicka pop vs Skinny pop: Ingredients
Ingredients in Boom Chicka pop
Boom Chicka pop comes in various flavors such as:
- Sea salt
- Sweet & Salty
- White cheddar
- Real butter
- Light kettle corn
- Dark chocolate
- Cheddar cheese
- Caramel & cheddar
- Seasonal popcorn
Therefore, the exact ingredients can vary depending on the flavor you choose.
In general, Boom Chick Pop is made from Popcorn (made from whole grain corn), Sunflower oil, Cane sugar, and Sea salt as the main ingredients.
Other ingredients you might find based on flavors include lecithin, palm oil, natural flavor, butter, cheddar cheese, etc.
That’s it.
There is no use of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or any other ingredients you need to be concerned about.
Ingredients in Skinny Pop
Skinny pop comes in various flavors, such as:
- Original
- Aged white cheddar
- White cheddar (dairy-free)
- Sea salt & pepper
- Real butter
- Twist of lime
- Sweet and salty kettle
- Sweet vanilla kettle
Therefore, the exact ingredients can vary depending on the flavor you choose.
In general, Skinny Pop is made from Popcorn, Sunflower oil, and Sea salt/ Salt as the main ingredients.
Other ingredients you might find based on flavors include rice flour, cheddar cheese, sugar, natural flavor, etc.
Like Boom Chicka Pop, Skinny Pop doesn’t use artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Verdict: Which one is better?
When comparing the Boom Chicka Pop and Skinny Pop, you’ll find that the main ingredients are similar in both brands.
Both emphasize whole-grain popcorn, sunflower oil, and basic seasonings like salt.
However, one key difference is that Boom Chicka Pop uses cane sugar in many of its flavors. In contrast, sugar is not found in every Skinny Pop flavor.
Moreover, both brands avoid any questionable ingredients.
So, when it comes to choosing one based on healthy ingredients, you can’t go wrong with either Boom Chicka Pop or Skinny Pop.
Both offer crunchy, flavorful popcorn free from artificial junk!
Boom Chicka pop vs Skinny pop: Nutrition
Note that the nutritional information I’ve used here is taken from pack nutrition tables on the official websites.
Calories
Boom Chicka Pop: 120-170 per serving
Skinny Pop: 140-150 per serving
Boom Chicka Pop and Skinny Pop have both gained popularity as lower-calorie snacking options.
Skinny Pop offers slightly more consistent calorie counts, with most flavors ranging from 140-150 per serving.
In comparison, Boom Chicka Pop has more variance, from lighter 120 calories to 170 calories for some flavors.
If you are looking for a low-calorie option, both are really good.
Sugar
Boom Chicka Pop: 5-13g per serving
Skinny Pop: 1-8g per serving
Boom Chicka Pop contains more added sugar across its flavor portfolio. In contrast, only a few Skinny Pop flavors contain added sugar.
Boom Chicka Pop packs 5-13g of sugar per serving, depending on flavor. Only two flavors—Sea Salt and Real Butter—are entirely sugar-free.
The sugar in Boom Chicka Pop comes from cane sugar.
On the other hand, Skinny Pop contains 7-8g of added sugar per serving, that too only in two flavors—Sweet & Salty Kettle and Sweet Vanilla Kettle.
These two flavors contain regular sugar.
If you limit added sugars (which everyone should), sticking with the unsweetened flavors is the best option.
Protein
Boom Chicka Pop: 1-3g per serving
Skinny Pop: 2-3g per serving
When it comes to protein, Boom Chicka Pop and Skinny Pop are pretty similar.
Boom Chicka Pop packs 1-3g of protein per serving, depending on flavor, while Skinny Pop provides 2-3g.
While popcorn is not a high-protein food, both brands offer more protein than less healthy refined snacks like chips.
It’s worth noting that none of the Skinny Pop flavors have 1g protein, but Boom Chicka Pop flavors do.
Therefore, protein-wise, I would consider Skinny Pop slightly better.
Fiber
Boom Chicka Pop: 1-3g per serving
Skinny Pop: 2-3g per serving
When it comes to fiber, both the popcorn brands are similar.
Boom Chicka Pop offers 1-3g of fiber per serving, depending on flavor.
However, Skinny Pop edges it out slightly, with a consistent 2-3g of fiber across all its different flavors.
Though popcorn isn’t a very good source of fiber, both brands still deliver more fiber than less healthy, crunchy snacks like chips or cookies.
Fat
Boom Chicka Pop: 4-11g per serving
Skinny Pop: 7-10g per serving
Boom Chicka Pop packs 4-11g total fat per serving, while Skinny Pop provides 7-10g fat depending on flavor.
The source of fat in both brands is sunflower oil, which provides a good dose of healthier unsaturated fats.
However, looking at saturated fat content gives us a better picture of which brand has an edge.
Skinny pop contains 0.5 to 1.5 of saturated fat per serving. In contrast, Boom Chicka pop contains 0.5 to 4g of saturated fat per serving.
Therefore, Skinny Pop gets my vote for slightly better fat stats, with lower saturated fat.
Carbohydrates
Boom Chicka Pop: 15-22g per serving
Skinny Pop: 14-18g per serving
Boom Chicka Pop is slightly higher in carb content than Skinny Pop.
The majority of carbs in both brands come from the whole grain corn itself, which is good.
However, Boom Chicka Pop contains cane sugar in it’s many flavors, which is considered a “bad carb.”
In contrast, Skinny Pop limits added sugar to only a couple of flavors.
So, if you look at the quality of carbs, Skinny Pop beats out Boom Chicka Pop as a better choice.
Sodium
Boom Chicka Pop: 90-310mg per serving
Skinny Pop: 20-240mg per serving
When snacking smart, sodium is an essential factor to consider.
When it comes to sodium, Boom Chicka Pop contains higher levels than Skinny Pop.
Although only a couple of flavors are high in sodium in Boom Chick Pop, Skinny Pop is a better low-sodium choice overall.
Final words: Which is healthier overall?
After a thorough face-off comparing ingredients and nutritional value, Skinny Pop ultimately edges out Boom Chicka Pop for the healthiest popcorn prize.
Why Skinny Pop?
Skinny Pop has more consistent amounts of protein and fiber across it’s flavor. It also contains slightly less saturated fat and sodium levels.
Additionally, for those limiting added sugars, Skinny Pop restricts added sugar to just a couple flavors, while Boom Chicka Pop includes cane sugar more widely.
However, this doesn’t mean Boom Chicka Pop is not worth enjoying. It’s one of the most popular and delicious popcorn brands out there.
But if every kernel counts nutrition-wise, Skinny Pop gets my vote as healthier choice.
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