How Healthy the Hot Pocket Is?

By - Dr. Rimita Farid

Nostalgic as hot pockets made you, Do you know anything about your favorite childhood snack aside from that earworm jingle? Hot pockets are portable sandwiches with a dough that can actually retain its crispiness even after being frozen and then warmed up for a few minutes in the microwave. But, are hot pockets healthy? This is debatable.

You might think that hot pockets, with their calzones like appearance and pizza fillings, may have been invented by Italians or Italian-Americans, but you would be wrong. This American staple food was invented by two Iranian immigrants. There are many variations of hot pockets today. In this article, we will discuss how healthy are hot pockets.

Are Hot Pockets Healthy?

If someone complains that hot pockets make me sick, it can be because of so many reasons. It may be because the person is allergic to any ingredient present in hot pockets. Another reason can be that hot pockets are too spicy that it irritates the stomach or maybe the hot pockets were not fresh and they caused food poisoning. So, are hot pockets good for you? It depends on how much you eat.

You probably already assume that hot pockets are a very healthy food option around but what’s actually in them may surprise you. Maybe, you are curious to know, are lean hot pockets healthy? Here’s what you are consuming when you bite into a hot pocket.

Hot pockets or lean hot pockets are bread filled with meat, cheese, and sometimes vegetables. That’s probably not the type of meal you can expect to taste sweet or to feature sugar as a prime ingredient. But pretty much every hot pocket contains between 2 and 8 grams of sugar.

Of course, sugar occurs naturally in vegetable and milk products so it should not come as a surprise that a product with cheese would include some sugar. But if you are trying to stay away from added sugars in your diet, it is important to pay attention. According to a Mayo clinic, people sticking to a 2000 calorie diet should not consume more than 48 grams of sugar per day.

White meat chicken lean pockets contain 8 grams of added sugar. You will need to be careful about how much additional sugar you consume in your meals and snacks throughout the day. The reality is that sugars are often added in processed foods like hot pockets because they add texture and flavor and help the bread to rise.

Considering that the hot pocket prides itself on crispy crusts and bread, it makes sense that there is sugar in each one. Sugar is not good for health as it leads to diabetes and obesity.  In addition to it, hot pockets contain some food coloring. If they use Annatto and turmeric to enhance flavor, it is totally fine as these are natural products.

The problem is that they use artificial colors which destroy human health. According to the American chemical society, processed foods like hot pockets need food coloring to make them more appealing to the eyes. They also used high fructose corn syrup which is another problematic ingredient. Vegetable oil used in hot pockets can raise bad cholesterol levels, so overall if we analyze all the ingredients, hot pockets are not healthy to eat.

Are Pizza Pockets Healthy?

Pizza hot pockets are also not a healthy snack to eat as they are full of artificial flavors and harmful ingredients. The pepperoni pizza may seem to be made with real cheese but imitation cheese is mostly used in it. They remove the natural milk-based protein from cheese and replace it with non-milk-based alternatives which are often vegetable fats.

The result is almost identical to regular cheese and the flavor is very similar but they do not contain considerable nutrients. So the pizza pockets just become empty calories rather than contributing to the nutritional status of our body. This artificial cheese is less expensive, so most of the food manufacturing companies do the same trick hence depriving you of real cheese and its health benefits.

Also, the pizza pockets are high in sodium and high fructose corn syrup which you know are the real problematic ingredients.

Are Breakfast Hot Pockets Healthy?

Breakfast hot pockets are very popular among kids but these little Pockets are packed with a lot of sugar, saturated fats, and calories. The modified hot pockets contain too many preservatives that are used to enhance the shelf life of the hot pockets.

These preservatives cost too much to our health. They can lead to diabetes, hypertension, Coronary heart diseases and they can cause early obesity in children which further leads to hormonal imbalance and many other problems in adult age.

Are Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets Healthy?

Are our ham and cheese hot pockets bad for you? Yes, they may be. The key is to eat everything in a moderate amount. The same rule applies to ham and cheese hot pockets. Ham and cheese hot pockets are warm, flaky, and tasty. They consist of ham and cheddar cheese. There is also a sauce to enjoy them with. The good news is that there are no artificial flavors in ham and cheese hot pockets.

If we talk about the benefits of cheddar cheese, it is high in calcium that is good for healthy bones and joints. An adequate amount of calcium in the body can prevent osteoporosis by promoting bone health. Moreover, cheddar cheese is rich in Vitamin K and other important nutrients that are good for health.

How to Make Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets?

Follow these steps to make ham and cheese hot pockets.

How Many Calories Are in Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets?

A 100 gram stuffed ham and cheese hot pocket has 241 calories in it.

Are Hot Pockets Good for Weight Loss?

Do hot pockets make you gain weight? Yes, they can make you gain extra pounds, especially when you eat a lot of these little calorie-filled pockets.  Hot pockets are very high in calories. They contain preservatives, additives, artificial colors, and other modified ingredients that can make you gain weight.

The sugar in hot pockets can cause obesity followed by diabetes and other health-related problems. It also causes inflammation in the body by retaining more water. So, if you are trying to lose weight, hot pockets are not a healthier option. Also, people ask, are hot pockets good for bodybuilding? No, they are not good for building muscles.

If you want to build up your muscles, you need to cut off or lessen the sodium in your diet. Hot pockets are very high in sodium as well as sugar. They can’t help you gain muscle mass, rather they will cause more fat to build up in your body.

Are Hot Pockets Safe to Eat Now?

Many people are unable to find the hot pockets in the market. Therefore, they ask, are hot pockets discontinued? Nestle has discontinued its hot pockets as they want to replace some ingredients with their healthier versions because of some health-related risks.

The Bottom Line

Sometimes a hot pocket craving strikes usually around midnight. But, are hot pockets healthy? Well, they are not healthy because actually when you are eating a lot of hot pockets, you are just gulping the empty calories. They do not contain a good amount of nutrients so they are not healthy.

But if you crave hot pockets, you can eat ham and cheese hot pockets but in a moderate quantity. Hot pockets can make you gain weight if you do not check in your calorie intake. Make sure the number of calories you need to take per day and adjust accordingly, whatever you want to eat.

FAQs

Can I eat hot pockets on a diet?

No, it is not advisable to eat hot pockets on a diet. These tiny Pockets can play havoc with your diet by making you ingest an extra amount of calories and fats that can cause more weight gain rather than shredding it.

Is hot pocket junk food?

Yes, hot pockets are highly processed junk food. It contains a lot of chemicals, preservatives, and artificial flavors that most junk food contains. That is the reason, they cost too much to human health.

What’s wrong with hot pockets?

Hot pockets contain a lot of empty calories. They don’t have the considerable amount of nutrients that are required for a healthy body. They can cause weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases.

What is the healthiest hot pocket?

Nestle claims to provide the healthiest hot pockets. They claim that their hot pockets contain real cheese with lean cuts of meat and fresh dough. The homemade hot pockets can be the healthiest because you can make them according to your calorie requirements by stuffing them with vegetables, real cheese, and the meat of your choice.