Is Smartfood Popcorn White Cheddar Cheese Keto?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look past the marketing claims and go straight to the ingredient deck. The formula for Smartfood Popcorn White Cheddar is relatively simple, but it contains two major red flags for anyone following a strict low-carb protocol.

The primary issue is the Popcorn itself. Popcorn is a whole grain corn product. While it is high in fiber, it is still a carbohydrate-dense food. A single cup of air-popped popcorn contains roughly 6 grams of net carbs. When you consume a standard serving size of this snack (which is roughly 2 cups), you are ingesting enough carbohydrates to potentially disrupt your state of ketosis. For a diet that usually limits intake to 20-30 grams of net carbs per day, a single snack can consume nearly half your daily allowance.

The second issue lies in the seasoning blend. The Cheddar Cheese is fine on its own, but it is combined with Whey and Buttermilk. While dairy is generally acceptable on keto, whey and buttermilk powders often contain trace amounts of lactose (milk sugar). More importantly, commercial cheese seasonings often use Maltodextrin as a flow agent or carrier for the flavor. Although not explicitly listed in the provided ingredients, maltodextrin is a common additive in these types of cheese powders that has a high glycemic index, spiking blood sugar faster than table sugar.

Nutritional Value

Looking at the nutritional profile, a standard 1-ounce (28g) serving contains approximately 150 calories. The fat content is moderate at around 8-9 grams, which is acceptable for keto, but the Net Carbs are the deciding factor. With roughly 15 grams of total carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, you are left with 13 grams of net carbs per serving.

For a strict keto dieter, consuming 13 grams of carbs from a single snack is highly inefficient. It leaves very little room for vegetables or other essential foods for the rest of the day. Furthermore, the Sodium content is significant (around 250mg), which is something to watch if you are not managing your electrolytes properly, a common issue on keto. While the product is not high in sugar (less than 1g), the starch from the corn is converted into glucose during digestion, having a similar effect on blood sugar levels.