Walk down any snack aisle and the front of the bag will say "Veggie," "Natural," or "Made with Real Ingredients." Turn the bag over and the ingredient list often names canola oil, soybean oil, or sunflower oil. Seed oils are in a large share of packaged foods, which makes reading the ingredient panel the only reliable way to find snacks without them.
AshaPops products contain no seed oils. Depending on the flavor, products use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. No canola, sunflower, or other seed oils. The water lily seeds are roasted, never fried.
Which Oils Are Seed Oils
Seed oils are edible oils pressed or extracted from the seeds of crops. The ones that appear most often in packaged snacks are:
- Canola oil (rapeseed)
- Soybean oil, usually listed as "vegetable oil"
- Sunflower oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Safflower oil
- Rice bran oil
Fruit oils are a separate group. Olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil are pressed from the flesh of the fruit rather than from a seed.
Seed Oil Free Snack Options
There are more options than there used to be. For crunch, look at grain-free tortilla chips cooked in avocado oil, plantain chips cooked in coconut oil, and popped snacks such as water lily seeds. For something sweet, look at bars sweetened with honey or maple syrup rather than an oil-and-sugar base, and dark chocolate made with cocoa butter rather than added vegetable oil.
Plenty of options contain no added oil at all: fresh fruit, raw vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, roasted chickpeas, seaweed snacks, plain popcorn, nut butters made from nuts and salt, and pickles.
Homemade works too. A trail mix of seeds, nuts, and dried fruit, or crackers made with olive oil, puts the ingredient list under your own control. Pair any of these with a dip made from olive oil or avocado oil, or read the gluten free snack ideas guide for more by category.
A Label Checklist for Seed Oil Free Snacking
Terms such as "natural," "clean," or "made with real ingredients" have no regulatory definition and say nothing about which oil is in the bag. The ingredient panel does. Three things to check:
- Oil source: Look for coconut, avocado, or olive oil.
- Processing: "Cold-pressed" and "unrefined" describe how the oil was extracted.
- Ingredient order: Ingredients are listed by weight. If an oil is the second ingredient, it makes up a large share of the product.
What AshaPops Uses
AshaPops makes popped water lily seeds, known as makhana. The seeds are dry-roasted at high heat until they pop. They are roasted, never fried.
AshaPops products contain no seed oils. Depending on the flavor, products use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. A 1 oz bag contains 120 calories, and a 0.5 oz lunchbox size bag contains 60 calories. The same panel lists 2 grams of protein, 3.5 to 4.5 grams of total fat, and up to 1 gram of dietary fiber per 1 ounce bag, depending on the flavor, with 0 grams of total sugars and 0 milligrams of cholesterol. The Vegan Cheese flavor lists 3 grams of protein. AshaPops is Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified OU Kosher.
Nutritional data is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, dietary, or health advice. Consult your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.
AshaPops contains no tree nuts, peanuts, gluten, or grain. Individuals with food allergies should consult their healthcare provider before consuming. AshaPops products are made in a shared facility.
Try AshaPops Water Lily Seed Snacks
AshaPops popped water lily seeds come in four flavors:
- Himalayan Pink Salt, a savory crunch
- Vegan Cheese, dairy-free
- Turmeric Garlic, where the turmeric adds warmth and color
- Chili, for a tangy kick
Grab the Variety Pack to try them all, or browse all AshaPops flavors.
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