PopCorners Protein chips: Are these really a healthier upgrade?

Protein is big in the snack food world. Food brands are adding it to everything—coffee drinks, cereals, bars, and now chips. And the reasoning makes sense: protein can support satiety, muscle maintenance, and weight management. But adding protein to a familiar product doesn’t automatically make it a better version of that product—sometimes it makes it a different product entirely.

That’s exactly what happened with PopCorners Protein.

The new line has 9 grams of protein per serving—a big jump from the 2 grams in the original. But this isn’t a case of sprinkling in a flavor powder or adding a protein boost at the end of the process. A closer look at the ingredient list reveals a product that’s been completely reformulated, with so many differences that calling it a “protein version” of the original undersells just how much has changed.

So the real question isn’t whether PopCorners Protein has more protein—it clearly does. It’s whether those changes make it more satisfying or nutritious, and whether someone who loves the original will even recognize what they’re eating. To find out, we dug into the ingredient lists, ran the numbers, and got input from Maggie Hudspeth, RDN, Noom’s Senior Manager of Coaching. Here’s a full breakdown.

What are PopCorners Protein chips?

PopCorners Protein chips are made primarily from pea protein isolate and rice protein isolate—the same concentrated protein ingredients found in powders, bars, and shakes. These aren’t traditional chip ingredients—they’re functional nutrition ingredients designed to pack protein efficiently without adding a lot of extra calories.

They come in three flavors—Hickory BBQ, Zesty Cheddar, and Cinnamon Delight—each delivering 9 grams of protein in a 1-ounce serving.

PopCorners Protein vs. Original PopCorners: More Different Than You’d Think

The packaging looks similar. The products are not.

The original PopCorners starts with yellow corn—it’s a corn chip. The Protein version doesn’t contain corn at all. It starts with rice flour, with pea protein isolate and rice protein isolate appearing near the top of the list. On top of that, PopCorners Protein stacks multiple concentrated protein sources—pea protein isolate, rice protein isolate, whey, and milk protein concentrate—a layering approach you’d expect to see in a protein bar, not a snack chip.

Several other ingredients show up in the Protein version that aren’t in the original: tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, steviol glycosides, and rosemary extract. Each serves a functional role—texture, binding, leavening, sweetness, preservation—and together they paint a picture of a product engineered for a specific nutritional outcome.

Here’s how the cheddar versions compare side by side:

	Original PopCorners (White Cheddar)	PopCorners Protein (Zesty Cheddar)
First ingredient	Yellow corn	Rice flour
Protein sources	Whey, reduced lactose whey	Pea protein isolate, rice protein isolate, whey, milk protein concentrate
Other notable additions	Corn maltodextrin, buttermilk, lactose	Tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, steviol glycosides, rosemary extract
Protein per serving	2g	9g
Carbs per serving	20g	11g
Calories per serving	130	140

These are better understood as two completely different products that share a brand name, not a protein upgrade and an original.

“When I look at an ingredient list, the first few ingredients tell you what a product actually is,” says Hudspeth. “The original PopCorners is a corn-based snack. The Protein version opens with rice flour and pea protein isolate—that’s a completely different foundation. These aren’t the same product with a protein boost; they were built differently from the start.”

PopCorners Protein: Nutrition Info

Across all three flavors, the nutrition is nearly identical, so flavor preference is the main differentiator here.

	Hickory BBQ	Zesty Cheddar	Cinnamon Delight
Calories	140	140	140
Protein	9g	9g	9g
Total Fat	5g	6g	5g
Saturated Fat	0.5g	1g	0.5g
Sodium	210mg	220mg	170mg
Total Carbs	12g	11g	13g
Dietary Fiber	0g	0g	0g
Total Sugars	1g	1g	2g
Added Sugars	1g	0g	2g

Going from 2 grams to 9 grams of protein is a real nutritional shift. Research consistently shows that protein is among the most satiating macronutrients—it slows digestion, triggers fullness hormones, and suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin more effectively than carbs or fat. If you’re someone who regularly reaches for chips as a snack, that added protein could genuinely make the habit more satisfying.

That said, it’s not a guarantee—and here’s why: the chips have no fiber. Protein and fiber tend to work together to support fullness, which is why whole foods like roasted chickpeas or edamame are so effective as snacks. PopCorners Protein gives you one side of that equation, but not both.

“Nine grams of protein is a meaningful amount for a chip-style snack—that’s a real difference from what you’d normally get,” says Hudspeth. “But the zero fiber is worth noting. Protein alone can help with fullness, but when you pair it with fiber, you tend to get a more sustained effect. If someone is reaching for these as a satisfying snack, they’d do well to pair them with something that brings the fiber—a piece of fruit, some raw vegetables, something that covers that gap.”

For context on where these land in the broader snack landscape:

• Traditional potato chips: about 2–3g protein per serving
• Original PopCorners: 2g protein per serving
• PopCorners Protein: 9g protein per serving
• Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, jerky, protein bars: 10–20g per serving

They’re a meaningful upgrade over regular chips, but they’re not in the same tier as high-protein whole foods.

One other thing worth keeping in mind: a serving is only 1 ounce, which disappears quickly when eating from a bag. At 140 calories per serving, that’s reasonable—but it’s easy to go through two or three servings without noticing.

PopCorners Protein: Where the protein comes from

The protein pairing here—pea protein isolate and rice protein isolate—is likely deliberate. Pea protein is low in methionine but high in lysine, while rice protein is high in methionine but low in lysine, making them natural complements. Research shows that blending the two can effectively balance out those gaps, producing a more complete amino acid profile than either delivers alone. It’s the same combination used in many plant-based protein powders for exactly this reason.

Studies on pea protein also suggest it holds up reasonably well against whey when it comes to fullness and hunger management.

“Pea and rice protein together make a solid plant-based protein pairing—they complement each other’s amino acid profiles well,” says Hudspeth. “The protein source here is legitimate. The question with any protein-enriched snack is whether the rest of the nutrition profile supports your goals, and that’s where you have to look more closely.”

Can eating PopCorners Protein be good for weight loss?

Possibly—but it depends on how you’re including them.

Compared with traditional chips, the jump in protein is real and meaningful. Protein tends to be more satiating, so swapping a low-protein snack for one with 9 grams per serving can genuinely help with fullness. But protein is only part of the picture. The lack of fiber is worth keeping in mind—snacks that combine both protein and fiber tend to keep hunger at bay more effectively than those relying on protein alone.

Portion size is the other thing to watch. A serving is just 1 ounce, which is smaller than most people expect, and 140 calories can disappear quickly when you’re eating straight from the bag. It’s easy to go through two or three servings without realizing it.

The honest answer: PopCorners Protein chips can be a smart swap if chips are your go-to snack and you’re trying to get more protein in your day. Just don’t mistake them for a health food—they’re still a packaged snack, not a substitute for protein-rich whole foods like Greek yogurt, eggs, or legumes.

Are PopCorners Protein snacks safe? Allergens and who should be cautious

For most people, PopCorners Protein is a perfectly fine occasional snack. A few groups should take a closer look, though:

• People with legume sensitivities: Pea protein isolate comes from yellow split peas, so anyone with a legume sensitivity should check the full ingredient list before diving in.
• People with dairy allergies: All three flavors contain milk ingredients. Anyone with a milk allergy or dairy sensitivity should avoid these entirely.
• People monitoring sodium: The savory flavors contain 210–220mg of sodium per serving—moderate on its own, but worth watching if you’re eating multiple servings or managing blood pressure.

The Bottom Line: PopCorners Protein chips have more protein, but are very different from the original line

PopCorners Protein chips do have more protein—9 grams per serving is a genuine upgrade over the original, and for someone who snacks on chips regularly, that difference can add up meaningfully over the course of a day.

But it’s worth being clear about what you’re actually buying. This isn’t a better version of the PopCorners you already know—it’s a fundamentally different product that happens to share a name. The corn is gone. The ingredient list reads more like a protein bar than a chip. The texture, the taste, and the nutritional profile are all the result of a ground-up reformulation built around protein delivery first.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’re looking for a more satisfying, higher-protein alternative to traditional chips, PopCorners Protein fills that gap well. Just go in with the right expectations—and if you’re a fan of the original, don’t assume these will taste anything like what you’re used to.

Want more guidance on building a higher-protein eating plan? Sign up for a free trial of Noom to start tracking what you eat, find healthy recipes and snack ideas, and connect with a community that can help you build an approach that fits your routine and lifestyle.