Consumed in India for years, popped water lily seeds are hitting their stride in the U.S.

Touted by some as the next kale chip (a.k.a. healthy snack), water lily seeds are balls of puffy crunch. They mimic popcorn in terms of texture, without the hull, which often knocks popcorn down on the snack-o-meter, unless you’re equipped with dental floss 24-7.

With all the hype, these airy, popped seeds definitely have their redeeming qualities. They are naturally gluten free and contain fiber, offering your digestive system a little support in keeping things moving. They also provide three grams of protein per ounce.

With all this hype about water lily seeds, we were excited to try Taali Water Lily Pops, which are also verified organic. The salt level of the snack was good and the crunch was there. But the flavor had an underlying chemical taste, almost like one would expect kerosene to taste.

Not all pops we tried tasted the same. Some were good; but, it was a gamble with each lily seed we popped into our mouth. Good. Good. Bad.

We’re not quite sure if this is the case with all lily seed snacks, since this is our first time trying them, so maybe it’s how this brand is processing the snacks that gives some of the lily seed pops a bad flavor.

Because a few bad seeds can ruin the batch, we’re giving Taali Water Lily Pops an IMBHO-no. However, this isn’t going to stop us from trying them again. According to a Newsweek article on this superfood trend, “a number of businesses have sprung up to bring puffed water lily seeds to the U.S.”

For now we’re passing on Taali, but we look forward to exploring other brands offering this snack. If you have a favorite popped lily seed snack brand, let us know!