[#SupportLocal] Snack Healthy with ZENKO Superfoods’ Water Lily Pops

What if we told you that there is a snack that is not just healthy, but is a superfood that is good for you?

Discover the world of superfood snacking with ZENKO Superfoods, a new Singaporean brand on a mission to uncover the best superfoods from around the world and to introduce a lifestyle of guilt-free superfood snacking to consumers who are looking for healthier snack options.

“At ZENKO Superfoods, we are all about exploring the world to find new, forgotten or hidden superfoods and turn them into delicious snacks that everyone can, and will, enjoy at any time of the day,” shares Wouter Duyck, Co-Founder of ZENKO Superfoods.

“With superfood snacking, we want to encourage our consumers to rethink their usual snack preferences and
be deliberate in choosing our superfood snacks, which are not just delicious, but healthier as well.”

ZENKO Superfoods seek to offer a range of natural superfood snacks that are sustainably sourced and produced in its place of heritage. The first range of products that ZENKO Superfoods is launching is their Water Lily Pops, made from the seeds of water lily flowers, found in the ponds located in the North-Eastern Indian state of Bihar, at the foothills of the Himalayas.

An advocate of sustainable agriculture and supporting the growth of the local communities in Bihar, ZENKO Superfoods adopts a “seed-to-snack” model where it works directly with the local communities in a 5-step process – from harvesting, to roasting, popping, flavouring and packing of the seeds. This holistic approach allows ZENKO Superfoods to improve parts of the supply chain, ensure the quality of their products and work directly with the local farmers.

The operation in India is managed by Co-Founder, Jochim Goedeweeck (who is based there), while Wouter helms the headquarters here in Singapore.

Water Lily Pops – An Ancient Superfood Snack

Water Lily Pops, also known as Makhana, have been around for over 2,000 years. Water lily seeds are harvested, sun-dried, roasted and at last, popped to produce a light, crunchy and nutritional snack that tastes much like popcorn. While it has been around for over thousands of years, this hidden gem remains relatively unknown to the rest of the world.

Made up of 100% natural water lily seeds, Zenko Superfoods Water Lily Pops are said to be:

• Low in calories yet energy-boosting
• Low in fat with zero trans-fat
• Good for heart health and blood pressure
• A good source of protein and antioxidants
• Gluten-free, organic, vegan and non-GMO
• High in fibre
• Rich in calcium (boosting lactation for breastfeeding mothers)
• Low GI (suitable for diabetics)
• Halal-certified

Four Natural Flavours

Zenko Superfoods’ Water Lily Pops are now available in Singapore with a new look in four natural flavours – Spicy, Cheddar Cheese, Himalayan Pink Salt and Original.

Those looking for the kick will love the savoury Spicy, with hints of red chilli spices, garlic and onion while Cheese lovers will love the Cheddar Cheese.

If you are looking for a simple snack on movie night, you will love the Himalayan Pink Salt for lightly-salted pops to jazz things up or the Original, totally natural with a touch of olive oil. Both taste similar to salted popcorns, only with 50% less fat, 20% less calories.

We sampled all four flavours and found the pops to be very similar in crunch to popcorns, but thicker and more filling. The texture was fun to munch and snack on and the right-size to keep popping them into your mouth as you enjoy a movie at home. Flavours wise, not exactly as sinful as your usual potato chips and such, but we will give it some leeway here as these are superfoods compared to junk food.

The Water Lily Pops won’t be an apple-to-apple substitute for junk food in terms of flavour, but if you are looking for a healthier snacking alternative that delivers on the munching experience, this is definitely worth a try.

The ZENKO Superfoods Water Lily Pops (from S$3.50) are now available online on ZENKO Superfoods’ website and Redmart, as well as other e-commerce platforms. ZENKO Superfoods can also be found in over 150 stores across Singapore, such as FairPrice Fínest, Shell Select, Ryan’s Grocery, Cedele, SF Juice Bar stores and more.

Stay tuned for more news on the exciting upcoming adventures of ZENKO Superfoods, which targets to launch a new superfood snack every year. The next ancient secret to be unveiled in the near future are said to be the Ancient Grain Clusters, which are made from popped Sorghum with roots traced back to the beginning of time.