Snacking is the bane of all diets. We are so hungry all the time and snacks require no preparation. Besides this, you can easily eat a little and close the bag back up to save for later. But this is what makes snacks dangerous- they’re so good we can’t stop eating.
What makes snacking so bad is the snack itself. Eating healthy snacks can get boring quickly. That’s because everyone knows all the good snacks are unhealthy. Fret no more, however! There are two new snacks that you need to stop and give some consideration to.
These snacks are lotus and water lily pops.
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What’s the Hype?
With the rise of the wellness movement, people are turning to healthier alternatives for pretty much everything in their lives. However, it is hard to find truly healthy snacks that actually taste good. Enter lotus seeds and water lily seeds. These nutritious seeds are popped into a puff looking snack and come in a variety of interesting flavors. Pops are being seen as the new popcorn and some feel it is a good alternative to chips. These pops are only getting more popular so give them a try.
Where Did They Come From?
You might be asking yourself, “why lotus and water lily seeds?” It does seem random but the story behind them is great. Aditya and Aarti Kochhar Kaji were born in India and came to for their studies. While the couple was studying at Harvard’s Business School, they needed a healthy snack to fuel them through long study sessions. Aarti remembered in India they grew up eating popped water lily seeds. She soon realized the popped lily seeds she was making could be sold as a healthy snacking alternative to things like chips and popcorn, which she loved. Now she runs Taali Foods which sells water lily pops in many unique flavors including: tangy turmeric, tikka masala, sriracha spice, white cheddar, and himalayan pink salt.
Two other companies that have joined the water lily movement are Bohana and Ashapops. Both companies have Indian roots so their products are also offered with Indian flavors. However, Ashapops does offer a chocolate pop and both offer vegan cheese pops.
Lotus Pops on the other hand are their own company that specializes in lotus pops. As you may have guessed, lotus pops also have Indian roots. Their story is similar to Taali Foods and like them they offer a variety of flavors including: himalayan pink salt, paprika garlic, salt pepper & turmeric, salted caramel, creamy coconut, and classic chocolate.
Health Benefits
There are numerous health benefits that these seeds provide. When comparing the two they are quite similar. Here are the benefits of Lotus Pops:
- Rich in anti-oxidants
- Anti-aging and anti-inflammatory
- Has a low glycemic index
- Gluten-free and vegan friendly
Now let’s take a look at the health benefits of water lily seeds:
- Anti-aging and anti-inflammatory
- Has a low glycemic index
- Gluten-free and vegan friendly
- More fiber than Lotus Pops
- Good amount of potassium
As you can see both provide huge health benefits. Water lily seeds do have a little more fiber and potassium than Lotus Pops but the two are very similar.
These seeds are used in a traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India because of their alkaline and anti-inflammatory properties. Although there needs to be more research on the health benefits of the two, it was found that their anti-oxidants help fight cancer. Everyone can benefit from adding these snacks to their diet.
What to Get?
Both types of pops are nutritious, so it depends on flavor and price. They all offer similar flavors, but each has one or two that is different. If they appeal to you, go for it. Otherwise, variety packs are available for all of the brands. Reviews are positive for almost all the flavors except for turmeric and soulful spice.
As for price, they are all similar. You can get a four-pack of Lotus Pops for $12-$14 which comes out to $3.00 – $3.50 per 1oz bag. Bohana offers a six-pack of its products for $24.99, which comes out to $4.17 per 2oz bag. Ashapops offer a four-bag multipack for $21.99 coming out to $5.50 per 1.5oz bag. Taali Foods sells their products as 4 large bag packs or 10 small bag packs. For a 4 pack of the large bags it costs $18.99, which comes out to $4.75 per 2.3oz bag.
Of the three, it seems clear Ashapops are more expensive than the rest while only boasting 1.5oz bags. What’s more, Ashapops make you put in your credit card before it tells you how much shipping is so it most likely isn’t free. If you try to but Ashapops on Amazon the product packaging is different but they offer three 2oz bags for $17.99.
The same is true for Lotus Pops so it might be wise to just buy them from Amazon as they are being sold for the same price with Amazon Prime. Bohana’s website says they provide free shipping, so buying from Amazon or their website is the same. Their website however, offers more flavors and variety than Amazon. Taali foods links their website products to Amazon anyway so this is the only place you can buy them. They do offer free shipping so this might be something to take into consideration.
Conclusion
Lotus seed pops and water lily seed pops are the hot, new food trend. They are extremely nutritious and beneficial to your health so before you think about popcorn and chips, give these pops a try. There are several brands so there are many different unique flavors you can choose from. The only downside of these snacks is that they are a bit more expensive than traditional snacks. However, I feel the health benefits heavily outweigh that extra dollar or two. Try these pops today!
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