Are P-nuff Crunch Snacks Healthy? | Shape - Shape Magazine

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You've probably learned the hard way that the products featured in the "as seen on TV" section at the store aren't always what they're cracked up to be. Maybe that supposedly non-stick, ultra-slippery frying pan turned out to be so smooth nothing ever stays put in the pan, or the gigantic cupcake tin you bought always leaves raw batter in the cake center. But for all those flops, there are a few gems worthy of your investment, including P-nuff Crunch (Buy It, $25, amazon.com).

Pitched on ABC's Shark Tank last October, P-nuff Crunch is a baked and puffed snack made from a blend of ground navy beans, white rice, brown rice protein, and roasted peanuts. Though the puffs resemble the nutritionally devoid Cheetos Puffs you ate as a kid, P-nuff Crunch is packed with plenty of good-for-you ingredients — and won't leave your fingertips sticky with neon orange cheese dust.

Specifically, you'll score 3 grams of fiber (a component of plant foods that keeps you feeling full and normalizes your number twos) and 5 grams of protein (a nutrient that helps your body build and repair cells, tissue, and muscle) in a 28-puff, 130-calorie serving (that's a lot of puffs!). Compared to other puffed-up snacks on supermarket shelves, P-nuff Crunch contains less fat (just 5 grams per serving compared to the 10 grams in Cheetos), the majority of which is monounsaturated. This type of fat not only helps to develop and maintain cells, but it may also help lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (aka LDL or "bad") cholesterol, which, in turn, may help decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. (Love peanuts? You'll want to make a batch of these two-ingredient peanut butter cookies, stat.)

Okay, P-nuff Crunch sounds nutritious, but is the pre-packaged snack too good to be true? Keri Gans, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., a Shape Brain Trust member, suggests that a healthy snack should have at least 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, no more than 6 grams of added sugar and 150 milligrams of sodium, and minimal saturated fat. "You want a snack that will provide enough nutrients that you'll be satisfied and not want to reach for another 30 minutes later," says Gans. Gloss over the P-nuff Crunch Original nutrition label, and you'll find that it checks off all of those boxes, as it contains just 2 grams of added sugar, 135 milligrams of sodium, and just 1 gram of saturated fat — the kind that's associated with higher LDL cholesterol levels. Translation: P-nuff Crunch is healthy because it's a snack that'll fill you up and keep you fueled for hours to come. (Related: The Best Hiking Snacks to Pack No Matter What Distance You're Trekking)

Plus, snackers confirm P-nuff Crunch is a delicious (and effective) way to fulfill a hankering for a crunchy munchie. "The protein helps with a sense of fullness, while the flavor is great and the crunch and sweetness satisfy a snack craving," wrote one five-star Amazon reviewer. "With something delicious like potato chips, one is good and ten are never enough, but with these one is great and eight or ten are strangely satisfying!" Other eaters note that the Original flavor tastes similar to Cap'n Crunch "minus all the sugar" and, unlike other pre-packaged snack bags, which are often filled with more air than food, "these bags are FULL!" 

Given that cereal-like taste, addicting popped texture, and top-notch nutrient profile, it's no wonder the Shark Tank investors were sold on the peanut munchie — and that means there's a strong chance you will be, too. Head to Amazon now to grab a six-pack of P-nuff Crunch in Original, Cinnamon, and Cocoa flavors to soothe your growling stomach and nourish your body in a jiff — or, rather, Jif.

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Are P-nuff Crunch Snacks Healthy? | Shape - Shape Magazine
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