Popcorn is a beloved snack for many occasions, whether you’re cheering for your favorite baseball team or settling in for a movie night with family or friends.
However, with so many popcorn brands, it can be hard to choose the one that taste satisfies your taste buds without hurting your health.
One of the popcorn brands that you may probably hear of is Lesser Evil Popcorn.
Lesser Evil is a popular popcorn brand marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional popcorn. It is made from organic ingredients and is completely free of artificial ingredients.
And while it comes in various delicious flavors(around seven), is Lesser Evil popcorn healthy?
Short answer: Lesser Evil popcorn is healthy as it is made up of organic ingredients, contains no or less sugar, and has more fiber than most of the other popcorn brands.
Read on to find more about Lesser Evil popcorn, including its ingredients, protein, fiber, sodium content, and more.
I’ll also explore if it is better than other popcorn.
So let’s start.
Also read: Are Triscuits Healthy? The Truth About These Crackers
What are the ingredients in Lesser Evil popcorn?
The exact ingredients in Lesser Evil popcorn vary depending on the flavor.
In general, Lesser Evil popcorn are made from Organic non-GMO popcorn, Organic coconut oil, and Himalayan salt as the main ingredients.
Other ingredients that you might find include:
- Organic Flavor
- Organic Tapioca Solids
- Organic Butter-Type Flavor
- Organic Raw Cane Sugar
- Organic Red Bell Pepper Powder
- Organic Yeast Extract
- Organic Avocado Oil
- Organic Rice Flour
- Himalayan Crystal Salt
As you can see, the Lesser Evil popcorn has clean and organic ingredients.
There is no use of major red flags such as artificial or highly processed ingredients.
How much sugar is in Lesser Evil popcorn?
Most Lesser Evil popcorn flavors contain no sugar except the Himalayan sweetness and Fiery hot.
Himalayan sweetness has 6g of sugar per serving(28g), while Fiery hot has 1g of sugar. That’s still quite low.
If you want to cut down on sugar or need a snack that will help you crave your snacking without any sugar, Lesser Evil popcorn is a good option.
How much fiber is in Lesser Evil popcorn?
Lesser Evil popcorn contains 4g of fiber per serving(28g). That’s about 16% of the daily value for women and 13% for men.
This may not seem like a significant amount of fiber on its own, but if you follow the 5:1 fiber rule, it comes out it’s a decent amount of fiber.
Fiber is one of the key aspect of Lesser evil popcorn that makes it healthy addition to the diet. If compared, Lesser evil popcorn has more fiber than leading popcorn brands such as Smartfood, Skinnypop and Boom chicka pop.
Having a fiber-packed snack helps keep your digestive system healthy and feeling full for long intervals, reducing the need for further snacking.
The fiber in Lesser Evil popcorn solely comes from popcorn, and there is no other added source.
How much protein is in Lesser Evil popcorn?
Lesser Evil popcorn contains 2g of protein per serving.
I know that’s not too much, but that definitely gives a slight edge over other popcorn or snacks.
How much sodium is in Lesser Evil popcorn?
Lesser Evil popcorn is low to moderate in sodium containing 140 to 230mg per serving(28g), depending on the flavor. Fiery hot is the flavor with the least sodium, while No cheese Cheesiness is the flavor with the highest sodium.
Sodium is an essential part of a diet that most individuals get enough of from the regular diet.
Including high-sodium snacks alongside a regular diet can increase the overall sodium intake, increasing the risk of health issues such as high blood pressure and stroke.
Fortunately, that’s not the case with Lesser Evil popcorn.
Most flavors of the Lesser Evil popcorn contain less than 200mg of sodium which is 13% of the daily ideal new sodium limit set by the American Heart Association.
So even consuming a little bit more than a serving of Lesser evil popcorn isn’t going to impact your sodium levels significantly.
But if you follow a low-sodium diet, it’s better to stick to just one serving daily.
Here is the table showing the sodium content of all Lesser Evil popcorn flavors.
| Lesser Evil popcorn flavor | Sodium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Himalayan pink salt | 190 |
| Himalayan gold | 170 |
| No cheese cheesiness | 230 |
| Fiery hot | 140 |
| Himalayan sweetness | 180 |
| Avocado licious | 200 |
| Oh my ghee | 170 |
If you want lower-sodium popcorn, check out SkinnyPop. It has just 75mg of sodium per serving.
Is Lesser Evil popcorn processed food?
Technically all popcorn are processed as the popcorn kernels are heated to create a fluffy, crunchy snack.
In the case of lesser Evil popcorn, it is minimally processed as it is made using the air-popped technique(without oil) and mostly made of organic ingredients.
In addition, they do not contain artificial sweeteners, flavors, preservatives, or colors that most popcorn brand use.
Furthermore, they use “better-for-you” oils like organic extra virgin coconut oil and avocado oil instead of traditional oils like palm or partially hydrogenated.
Is Lesser Evil popcorn good for weight loss?
Lesser Evil popcorn is good for weight loss as most of it’s flavors are sugar-free and contain minimally processed ingredients.
However, it’s still important to eat it in moderation as it contains some fat and calories, mainly from the oils used.
A serving of Lesser Evil popcorn has 3 to 7g of fat and 110-130 calories, depending on the flavor.
Remember that weight loss depends not only on one food but on your overall diet and lifestyle.
Is Lesser Evil popcorn better than other popcorn?
Let’s compare Lesser Evil popcorn to some of the popular popcorn brands out there.
1. Lesser Evil popcorn vs Smartfood Popcorn
Lesser Evil popcorn is a healthier than Smartfood popcorn as it is free from highly processed ingredients like maltodextrin and artificial colors.
Moreover, Lesser Evil popcorn is vegan-friendly(most flavors) and contains fewer calories, less sugar, and more fiber.
2. Lesser Evil popcorn vs SkinnyPop
Lesser Evil popcorn is comparable to Skinnypop in terms of healthiness.
SkinnyPop popcorn contains more fat and calories and less fiber, but it is low in sodium and contains more protein than Lesser Evil popcorn.
3. Lesser Evil popcorn vs Boom Chicka pop
Lesser Evil popcorn is healthier than Boom chicka pop as it contains more fiber and slightly lower fat and calories.
However, the protein content is the same in both.
Is Lesser Evil popcorn gluten-free?
Lesser Evil popcorn is gluten-free as it is made from corn as the main ingredient, which is naturally gluten-free.
In addition, no other ingredients added to the popcorn contain gluten.
Is Lesser Evil popcorn vegan?
Most Lesser Evil popcorn flavors are vegan-friendly except the “Oh my ghee” flavor.
It contains organic ghee as one of the ingredients made from milk.
Final words
Lesser Evil popcorn is healthy for you as it is made up of organic ingredients, contains no or less sugar, and has more fiber than most of the popcorn brands.
Additionally, it is less processed than many other snacks out there.
If you want a snack that would taste delicious without making you feel guilty, Lesser Evil popcorn can indeed be a great choice.
Found this information helpful? Share it.
Here are a few other posts that might also be helpful for you.
