Chex Mix is a whole bag full of surprises. With Chex Mix, you get to enjoy different textures and flavors. Everyone is thinking of their health these days. Those who want to enjoy Chex Mix must be wondering if this snack can be good for their health? Chex Mix is everything that you would want in a savory snack.
It is crunchy and has variety, so you can feel like you’re having five different snacks when you’re only having one. There are various pieces to the whole Chex Mix bag. You have mini breadsticks, rye chips, square pretzels, circle pretzels, corn Chex, and Wheat Chex.
From the content you know now, Chex Mix is very carb-forward, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be healthy. If you’re thinking about whether or not Chex Mix is healthy, look no further. We have compiled any questions you may have regarding Chex Mix in this article so you don’t feel too apprehensive about eating Chex Mix.
Can Chex Mix be a Healthy Snack for You?
When people eat Chex Mix, they often think about whether or not it’s healthy, and that makes sense. If you want to be consistently snacking on something, you must know the amount of nutrition it can provide you. It is a packaged food that makes people quite apprehensive about its preservatives. It could also have a lot of salt and sugar due to packaging.
However, we’re here to tell you that it is relatively healthy. Chex Mix is made with whole wheat, so it’s not made from the same flour you would find in an Olive Garden breadstick. When a whole grain is used, the entire kernel is applied, which can be a source of nutrients and is a perfectly-known source of fiber.
The corn Chex is made from cornmeal. Cornmeal comes from dried and ground corn. However, corn meal also has other whole-grain flour, which is essential to make the corn Chex. The flour has most of the nutrients before the milling process begins. After the milling process, the nutrients may not be as many.
Chex Mix also has vegetable oil containing low-density lipids. These are healthy fats, so you don’t have to worry about them. There is a fair bit of sugar in each Chex Mix bag. Most people claim that the Chex Mix has 2.4 grams of sugar in one pack, which is not a lot for people who are emptying the full contents of a bag in one sitting. However, if you’re only eating a few each day, this isn’t a cause of concern.
The amount of sugar in each bag is relatively less than the recommended daily sugar intake for any human being. The other parts of the Chex Mix are the rye chips, which are also chock-full of grain and fiber. Rye has a lot of barley in it, making it quite healthy to ingest.
Is Chex Mix Healthier Than Regular Snacks?
Many of the regular snacks you eat have a lot of salt and sugar. Chex Mix is a healthier alternative if you eat potato chips as a snack. Chips have a lot of oil, carbs, and salts. Eating a lot of chips in one go is also not great for you in terms of health.
You’re not getting any protein or fiber, and thus, you’re very far away from a balanced diet. Potato chips are deep-fried and loaded with salt and preservatives so they don’t lose their shape. They’re unlikely to be the best option you can go for.
If your regular snacks are healthier, the Chex Mix is unlikely to be more nutritious than your everyday snacks. If eating vegetables with different dips is your idea of healthy snacking, know that Chex Mix is a step-down. The healthiest snacks have raw vegetables and fresh fruits as a base. Since Chex Mix has neither, it may not be the best option for you to choose.
Can You Make Chex Mix at Home?
Chex Mix is one of those things that people love eating, so you’re likely asking yourself if there’s a healthier way of eating it. Well, you could always make them at home. However, it will take you a lot of time and effort if you do everything from scratch. However, there’s also a way to mix things up using Chex Mix.
You can go to a grocery store and buy the healthier versions of all the individual pieces in a Chex Mix. You can then make your Chex Mix the same way you would make trail mix. This method allows you to control the amount of salt and sugar you add to your Chex Mix. It’s much healthier than other snacks you can make.
Conversely, it also lets you have a place in which you can curate your snacks. Once you start making Chex Mix on your own, you can likely make all the other snacks you want to make. Having healthier options for specific snacks balances out your diet enough that you can eat the unhealthy version of different foods.
For example, if you’re eating a healthy Chex Mix, it’s also true you likely won’t have to switch out Cheetos from your regular diet.
Is Cheddar Chex Mix a Healthier Option?
There’s no simple answer to this. The cheddar Chex Mix has more protein than the regular Chex Mix, so that you can have more nutrients. However, the cheese is likely more processed and may make you feel heavy and bloated. The cheese also adds to the sodium content of the mix, making the food quite a bit unhealthier.
Final Thoughts
Chex Mix is relatively healthy because it has a lot of whole grain and corn options. However, it is still a processed product, so we can’t say with certainty that it’s healthy. Many people think that making the Chex Mix at home is a better option, so they have better control over the salt and sugar content in the snack.
