Harvested from an Indian water lily plant, roasted until crunchier than popcorn, and beaming with health benefits, popped water lily seeds sound like a snack in a fantasy world — but they are very real. The low-calorie Ayurvedic snack has been eaten for many years in India and China but have only recently popped their way to the West. Free of allergens like wheat, nuts, corn, and soy, the marble-size bites are predicted by some health experts to be one of the top health-food trends of 2019. What’s with the sudden buzz?
Jai Farswani, co-founder of AshaPops, says the superfood seeds have three main benefits. First, they are high protein, with as much as 5-6 grams per ounce. They also contain antioxidants and minerals like magnesium, which can strengthen bones, improve sleep, and relieve anxiety. Lastly they won’t set you back calorie-wise. “The big thing for our customers is that it’s a low-calorie snack — 100 calories in the whole bag — but it’s nutrient-dense,” he says. Combine those factors with the addictively crunchy texture, and you have a winning snack. Suddenly feeling snacky? Here are four brands making popped water lily seeds in all kinds of flavors, from sweet dark chocolate to spicy sriracha.
ashapops
AshaPops ($22/4 bags) are named after Farswani’s mom, Asha, who grew up snacking on popped water lily seeds in India. She suffered from joint pain and sleep troubles as she got older, but she claims that her problems subsided when she started snacking on the seeds again. Try AshaPops in Indian-inspired flavors like Turmeric and Bombay Pepper Masala as well as Dark Chocolate and Vegan Cheese.
Lily Puffs
Lily Puffs ($20/6 bags) only come in one flavor, but the taste is so Cheetos-like, it might be the only flavor you crave. Vegan Cheese blankets water lily seeds in a simple mixture of coconut oil, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and paprika. It contains 120 calories per serving with 6 grams of protein, compared to 2 grams in a 150-calorie serving of Skinny Pop Popcorn.
BOHANA
Bohana Himalayan Pink Salt ($25/6 bags) gives you an idea of what water lily seeds taste like before they’ve been flavored: like popcorn, but with twice the crunch and without pesky kernels stuck in your teeth. You can also try Bohana in Wild White Cheddar (which contains dairy) and chili-dusted Soulful Spice.
Taali
Taali ($18/4) is your one-stop-shop for a wide range of flavors, from simple Himalayan Pink Salt and Salt & Pepper to highly savory Tangy Turmeric and White Cheddar. Tikka Masala, made with tomato, onion, and lots of spices, means you can experience the taste of your favorite Indian take-out dish on the go and for about 50 calories per cup.
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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
(Photos via Bohana, AshaPops, Lily Puffs, and Taali)
Meta, the parent company to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, recently introduced their latest social media platform to enter the ring, called Threads. The new text-sharing app takes inspiration directly from Instagram, offering a more conversational space via words, rather than photos and videos. If you’ve been feeling skeptical about adopting yet another social media, we have the deets on all things Threads. Read on to vet the platform before you hit ‘download.’
What is Threads?
Threads is a new, text-based social media app built by the teams at Instagram. It’s for sharing text updates and joining public conversations. Sounds just like Twitter, right? 🤪 According to Meta, the mission for Threads is to “take what Instagram does best and expand that to text, creating a positive and creative space to express your ideas.”
How does Threads work?
Threads is connected to Instagram. You can log into the platform using your IG account to begin sharing text posts up to 500 characters long. In these posts, you can include links, photos, *and* videos up to 5 minutes. It’s a scrollable social media app that also allows you to like and repost others’ content. You can choose to follow the same people you follow on Instagram, if they have a Threads account, plus the platform recommends content from new creators you don’t follow.
Is Threads like Twitter?
From what we’ve gathered, Threads is very similar to Twitter. After all, Mark Zuckerberg candidly acknowledged that the platform would be Twitter's competitor before it launched. Both apps follow a newsfeed-type structure and grant users the ability to like and repost content from other users, but Threads posts can reach up to 500 characters, while posts on Twitter are limited to 280.
Is Threads safe to use?
Photo by Kerde Severin / PEXELS
According to Meta, Threads is safe to use. It’s closely connected to Instagram, which Meta has longtime security investments in.
“As with all our products, we’re taking safety seriously, and we’ll enforce Instagram’s Community Guidelines on content and interactions in the app,” Meta’s website says. “Since 2016, we’ve invested more than $16 billion in building up the teams and technologies needed to protect our users, and we remain focused on advancing our industry-leading integrity efforts and investments to protect our community.”
Is Threads popular?
Though it’s still in its infancy, Threads logged 5 million sign-ups *just* in its first four hours of existence, and according to Mark Zuckerberg, the app now hosts more than 100 million users. We’d say it’s pretty popular at the moment!
Is Threads free?
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio / PEXELS
Yes, Threads is free on Apple and Google app stores.
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Header photo by Andrea Piacquadio / PEXELS
From Easter Eggs To Theories, Here Are *13* Bits Of Taylor Swift News You Need To Know Right Now
Taylor Swift is no stranger to gossip. In the age of TikTok, Twitter, and Reddit, the internet is always talking about what relationship she might be in or which aspects of her latest posts actually serve as Easter eggs. It can be difficult to keep up with, which is why we put together this comprehensive list of all the theories you need to know about right now — for Swifties, by a Swiftie.
A Potential Relationship With Matty Healy
After splitting from longtime boyfriend Joy Alwyn, Taylor Swift has been spotted with Matty Healy from The 1975. There are some conflicting reports about the status of the relationship, but the latest update is that Taylor is unsure she's “ready to commit,” via US Weekly.
Not only have they both shown up at each other's concerts, with Matty coming onstage with the Eras Tour openers and Taylor featured as a guest, but they both mouthed "This is about you, you know who you are. I love you,” during those individual concerts.
An Autobiography
Rumors about Taylor writing a memoir have been around for awhile — even before the "All Too Well (Ten Minute Version) (Taylor's Version)" music video ended with Taylor's character reading her autobiography to an audience.
With so many recent references to July 9, and a summer autobiography from a yet-to-be-revealed celeb, fans were speculating that we'd finally be getting a memoir from the singer-songwriter. Unfortunately, Variety recently confirmed that the book isn't Taylor's, but if she ever were to release a memoir, I'd be first in line.
A Brand New Music Video
Taylor filmed a music video in England last month, reportedly with Joey King (who starred in the "Mean" music video) and Taylor Lautner (who's the subject of "Back to December"). We're not sure whether the music video is the final video for the Midnights era, or whether it's for a Speak Now (Taylor's Version) vault track like the Blake Lively-directed "I Bet You Think About Me" in 2021.
"Speak Now (Taylor's Version)"
Taylor announced Speak Now (Taylor's Version) during her May 5 show in Nashville, and the fandom went wild. This is one of her most beloved albums, and fans are already speculating song titles, lyrics, and whether the announcement means we'll finally get some Speak Nowsurprise songs.
A Month of MAYhem
To launch the Midnights era, Taylor spent every week leading up to the October 21 album release doing a TikTok series called "Midnights Mayhem With Me." Considering she announced Speak Now (Taylor's Version) on the first Friday in May, fans are wondering whether that mayhem could translate to the whole month of May.
A Brand New Band
During an interview with Zane Lowe in 2020, Taylor revealed that there had been behind-the-scenes conversations about starting a band with some of the people involved in evermore. Since the beginning of the Eras Tour, even though other artists like Selena Gomez have attended shows, they haven't been brought onstage.
This led one TikTok user to wonder whether Taylor's Eras Tour guests are her way of introducing us to the members of a new supergroup. Following along with this theory, so far the band would include Taylor Swift, Marcus Mumford, and Aaron Dessner.
The Eras Tour
Speaking of the tour guests, the Eras Tour is definitely top of mind for every Swiftie. She's made it quite the experience, with beautiful sets, amazing costumes, and both her popular hits and less mainstream songs making the setlist. From the surprise songs to the musical guests to the celebrity guests, every concert has a few surprises.
Plus, now that we know she's okay with announcing new releases from the stage, who knows what else Taylor could have up her sleeve.
The First Rain Show
Rain shows aren't a bad thing when it comes to a Taylor Swift concert because she loves them! Her May 7 concert ended up being the first rain show of the Eras Tour (the show was delayed until after 10 pm because of a thunderstorm), and not only was it a fun experience, but she still played her whole set, meaning she finished at 2 am.
A Few Street Walks
After her split with Joe Alwyn, Taylor has been spotted walking around New York City with her girlfriends (something we haven't gotten much of since the 1989 era). In addition to hanging out with her friends, she's also been seen wearing clothes that don't quite fit into any of her recent aesthetics, which leads me to...
TS 11
In addition to the what might be a new aesthetic, Taylor has been seen leaving recording studios in the city, and we know thanks to her Variety Directors on Directors interview that she is *always* writing. Based on her recent release schedule — Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version) in 2021, Midnights in 2022, and now Speak Now (Taylor's Version) in 2023 — she could be prepping a brand new album for 2024.
"The Alcott"
Taylor joined The National on their newest album First Two Pages of Frankenstein for "The Alcott" and we have *thoughts.* The song is about reconnecting with an ex-lover, and everything about the lyrics and the production is just beautiful. Plus, it fits right in with her other collaborations.
"After discussions with fellow literary Swifties, we have collectively decided that you can describe a couple's history by starting with Renegade (troubled relationship), Exile (the first breakup), Coney Island (regrets), and ending with The Alcott (the reconnection)," @tweetsricochet tweeted.
The "Satellite" Music Video
ICYMI: Harry Styles recently released a music video for his song "Satellite." You might be thinking, "How in the world does this relate to Taylor Swift?"
In her song "gold rush," Taylor Swift sings about an "Eagles T-shirt hanging from the door," and after the "Satellite" video dropped, @ekelleydesign on TikTok pointed out that the video features an intersection between two street signs named Gold Rush and Eagle Drive.
Her Most Recent Instagram Captions
Back before TikTok, one of Taylor Swift's favorite way to give her fans an Easter egg was to write a message, and capitalize different letters throughout the paragraph that would spell out something completely different when put together.
In three of her recent posts, she's capitalized words starting with the letter "W," specially "WELL," "WILD," and "WOW." Only time will tell if she's being enthusiastic...or is hinting at something bigger.
Which piece of Taylor Swift news is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!