Pop-tarts contain about 180 to 230 calories per piece.
Pop-tarts are usually sold as breakfast pastries. But these have ingredients that may have undesirable results in the long run. As such, it is always difficult to see it as a healthy food.
It goes with frosting and jam that obviously contains more sugar than necessary. Because of this, Pop-tarts seem more like a dessert than a breakfast.
Manufacturers wanted to provide a certain level of balance. Because of that, they ensure that Pop-tarts contain vitamins and minerals. These are usually in the flour that they use, however minimal.
A serving of Pop-tart is composed of two of these pastries. Because of this, each serving is made up of about 460 calories max.
Composition – Calories and Fats
It is stated that one brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tart has about 219 calories. It also comes with about 9.2 grams of fat.
A single packet, however, contains two Pop-Tarts. This makes one packet, or one serving, about 438 calories. Most would not eat just one pastry in a packet of two. This is always a sure intake of 438 calories.
This also means that each packet contains about 18.4 grams of fat. What worries experts is the amount of sugar. This is because each packet contains about 25.4 grams of sugar.
The flour has vitamins and minerals. Despite this, it is still not enough to compensate for a balanced meal. All these sugars, calories, and fats all make Pop-Tarts a fattening food.
Composition – Protein
Each pop Tart brings with it 2.7 grams of protein. In a packet, this would amount to about 5.4 grams of protein.
Packing in protein is a great way to start a day. It may seem like Pop-Tarts are great vessels that can bring with them loads of protein that one needs for the day.
It should be noted, however, that there are a lot more options. Nutritionists recommend that protein intake can be through other types of food. One can always get the protein needed without the risks brought about by Pop-Tarts.
List of Contents
Are Pop-Tarts bad for weight loss?
Pop-Tarts have loads of sugar. Aside from sugar, each Pop-Tart also has tons of refined carbs. Both will hamper the goals of losing weight.
As one already knows, two of these frosted Pop-Tarts bring with them about 400 or so calories. Aside from that, there are 76 grams of carbohydrates. And while the sugar content is high, its fiber content is low.
Pop-Tarts are on their way to even fall in the category of junk foods. This is not a good way to start one’s day.
If one is trying to lose weight, one should take note of carbohydrate intake. Aside from the meals, one also has an influx of carbs intake when it comes to snacking.
Pop-Tarts have all the ingredients to spike one’s blood sugar. These are, in no way, a good way to lose weight.
For one to lose weight, one needs a healthy dose of the right foods. These foods should have a balance of carbohydrates, the source of which can be grains and fruits. Fiber is also of great essence, the main source of which are vegetables.
While carbohydrates always seem to make one gain weight, there is no reason to fear them. Aside from vegetables, carbs are also good sources of fiber. Plus, aside from that, carbs also supply one’s body with the energy to fuel exercises.
When one bans carbs from the diet, one sets up oneself for failure. While it is always possible to cut out the carbs from the diet, eventually, it will take its toll. In the long run, the body craves carbs. And once one gives in to the cravings, the portions can be for overdone sizes.
What is the healthiest Pop-Tart flavor?
A frosted Strawberry Pop-Tart has about 16 grams of sugar. Its unfrosted counterpart only has 12 grams of sugar. This makes the unfrosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts the healthiest flavor in the market.
This, however, does not mean one can have this flavor at all times. While the healthiest flavor in the market, its advantage is by a small margin in its sugar content.
One should understand the repercussions of consuming a lot of Pop-Tarts. As each one is loaded with sugar and a lot more, there is little to no health benefit a Pop-Tart brings.
Despite this, one can always wonder. Is there a flavor that can at least become the middle ground? One wonders if there is a Pop-Tart that could actually bring a semblance of good health. This is while one enjoys the comfort of sugar and artificial jams.
None of the Pop-Tart flavors in the market is healthy. Not one flavor provides enough nutritional value or whatsoever. To identify the above question, one should narrow it down to the least unhealthy flavor. The focus should be on the flavor with the least amount of sugar.
Topping the list is the S’Mores flavor with 19 grams of sugar. Its close cousin, the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, is an obvious second with 17.5 grams. The Brown Sugar Cinnamon is 1 gram lesser than the Strawberry with 15 and 16 grams, respectively. This is quite a small difference.
At this point, none of the flavors that were presented were good choices. The more dessert-ish the flavor is, the worse it is when it comes to its sugar content.
When it comes to its fat content, the fruity flavors are also winning versus the dessert flavors. One should recognize that at no point shall fat content in all tart flavors be healthy. But at this point, the fruity flavors are the lesser evil.
The fruity flavors also seem to contain dried fruits. The strawberry flavor contains dried strawberries. This is the same with the pear and apple flavors.
One should think that these flavors should have enough Vit C. This should be enough to sustain the body. One look, however, indicates that there is 0 percent of Vitamin C.
With this in mind, one can only think that the number of dried fruits can be tiny. Or its content can only be some kind of fruit flavoring, which is not so good after all.
On the other hand, there existed “Simply Tarts” that are healthier alternatives. It provided the market with a sliver of hope. However, a look at the ingredients points to one thing. Simply Tarts has more saturated fats with a little bit less sugar content.
To conclude, the best option should be the unfrosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts. It is down by 4 grams when it comes to its sugar content. While still at an unhealthy level, this is, by far, the healthiest the market can offer.
A Healthier Alternative
If there is another alternative to Pop-Tarts, a homemade toast should suffice.
But these are not your usual kind of toast.
Sprouted grain toast with butter of the real deal is a much healthier alternative. One can use almond or macadamia nut butter.
This alternative has the same flavorful punch with loads of nutrition. This is especially true in the healthy fats section.
One can also whip up almond breakfast squares on the weekend and have them eaten on a Monday.
These give one the feel of a granola bar and coffee cake. These contain whole-wheat flour and Greek yogurt. Plus, the berries that one puts are real, ensuring one gets enough Vitamin C instead of sugar.
Why do bodybuilders eat Pop-Tarts?
Pop-Tarts are getting more popular within the bodybuilding community. This is because of Pop-Tarts being their carb of choice. Pop-Tarts provide bodybuilders with carbs that they need plus the flavors.
Bodybuilding is always associated with increasing body mass and gaining muscle. This is what prompts bodybuilders to take in different types of foods, depending on the time.
One of these types of foods is Pop-Tarts. Aside from it being a breakfast staple to many, it is also used by bodybuilders.
These are not staples for bodybuilders. But a lot are seen to consume them on certain levels during training. The reason is because of its affordability. Plus, it contains enough calories and carbs that bodybuilders need.
Aside from that, Pop-Tarts provide that advantage when it comes to its packaging.
There is another reason why bodybuilders prefer pastries. This is because pastries help them before competitions. Pastries like Pop-Tarts help bodybuilders in maximizing vascularity. These pastries also make sure that the right muscles pop during competition.
The Benefits of Pop-Tarts for Bodybuilders
Pop-Tarts are popular within the bodybuilding community. They are more affordable than other pastries. Aside from this, Pop-Tarts also contain more sugar.
Sugar stays longer in the stomach. As such, it provides bodybuilders with more energy. This enables them to work out for longer periods.
Pop-Tarts also contain 2 grams of protein each. Plus, the fact that one does not need to cook them makes Pop-Tarts attractive to bodybuilders.
While bodybuilders eat Pop-Tarts with less of the guilt, they do not consume these every day. Pop-Tarts are for bodybuilders, methods of increasing insulin before rest periods. These are snacks and are not consumed every day.
Pop-Tarts and Muscle Gains
During training, glycogen levels are depleted. In simple terms, Glycogen is broken down carbs within the liver, muscles, and tissues.
One should ensure there is no shortage of Glycogen. As such, there should be enough intake of carbohydrates. Aside from this, carbs are also important in the whole workout process.
Also, during training, the body lets out a huge amount of cortisol. This release is a form of an external stressor.
But in order to maintain the volume of cortisol in one’s body, there should be an increase in insulin. Both cortisol and insulin bond into a useful partnership. When there is enough insulin in the body, the cortisol levels drop. This makes for a great training cycle.
For the body to have as much insulin as needed, there should also be a spike in carb intake. Supplements that are available in the market provide these needed carbs. Another option is to take in fast-digesting sources of sugar.
This is where the Pop-Tarts comes into play. It provides enough carbs for the workout. Plus, Pop-Tarts are also quicker to digest. Take not that the faster the digestion of the carbs, the quicker the spike in insulin levels.
Pop-Tarts are mostly sugar. In fact, Pop-Tarts contain different forms of it. There are dextrose, sucrose, and fructose. Aside from these, Pop-Tarts also have fructose corn syrup.
Pop-Tarts contain enough carbs to replace glycogen levels within the muscle. Aside from that, Pop-Tarts are also low in fat content as compared to other options. This makes Pop-Tarts ideal snacks, whether pre or post-workout, for bodybuilders.
In general, Pop-Tarts are great options for bodybuilders. This is because they tick all the criteria in providing carbs for workouts. They bring with them the desired results.
Aside from that, Pop-Tarts are also delicious. They are easy to carry. They are packaged well. Plus, they come in different sizes and flavors. All these make Pop-Tarts an ideal snack for bodybuilders.
Conclusion:
In general, Pop-Tarts are delicious.
But while delicious, Pop-Tarts do not provide the needed nutritional value. This does not make it an ideal staple for breakfast. Also, Pop-Tarts have tons of sugar. They also have loads of carbohydrates. Plus, it has fats that can bring with it undesirable results.
Pop-Tarts are good as a one-in-a-while type of breakfast. But to consume all these calories in a meal every day can have unwanted results. For a start, it can contribute to obesity. Plus, it can also be a cause for diabetes or other related diseases.
Pop-Tarts are delicious. But they are in no way supposed to be consumed regularly. Even bodybuilders that use up all these sugars don’t do that. Nor should you.