An American walking into a convenience store in Europe might be comforted by the sight of familiar snacks like Pringles, KitKats and Doritos.
But according to experts, the contents of the package can vary depending on which side of the pond you are on.
Generally speaking, portion sizes in the United States are larger, making Americans more likely to consume more calories, fat, salt, and sugar than their European counterparts.
Additionally, states have fewer restrictions on food additives than the European Union, so snacks in the U.S. tend to contain more flavorings and preservatives, some of which have been linked to cancer.
The consequences of obesity also differ considerably between the two continents. In the United States, 43 percent of adults are obese, three times the rate in the European Union, according to the latest available data.
That doesn’t mean American snacks always come out on top, though: Surprisingly, some European snack brands are higher in calories and sugar than the American version.
To dig deeper, researchers at Health Newsa Lithuania-based company that reports on public health and science, analyzed the ten most popular American snacks and compared them to their European versions.
The analysis was reviewed by public health researchers.
Six of the US snack brands were higher in calories, sugar and fat than their European counterparts, including KitKats, Skittles, Oreos, Twix, Snickers and Haribo gummies.
The biggest emptiness was found in a bittersweet: Skittles.
A medium box of American Skittles contains 250 calories, 45 grams of sugar (11 teaspoons), 10 mg of salt and 2.5 grams of saturated fat.
In comparison, a medium pack of European Skittles contains 179 calories, 33 grams of sugar, 4 mg of salt and 1 gram of saturated fat. However, this pack is about 15 g smaller.
There are about 50 percent more calories, 33 percent more grams of sugar and more than twice the amount of salt in the American version of the snack.
That’s also more sugar than most health authorities recommend consuming in a day.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that people consume about 2,000 calories a day and allows men a maximum of nine teaspoons of added sugar per day and women six teaspoons.
U.S. officials also recommend that people keep their salt intake below 2,300 mg per day, which is about one teaspoon.
California Governor Gavin Newsom sent a letter confirming that he had signed the so-called “Skittles ban,” which would become law in 2024. He attached a bag of Skittles from the European Union to the letter. The law will not go into effect until 2027.
Snacks are only supposed to account for about 15 percent of a person’s daily calories, according to Dietary Guidelines for AmericansThis represents between 250 and 420 calories depending on your gender, age and activity level.
That means one bag of American Skittles could equal the amount of snacks you should consume throughout the day.
In addition to traditional nutrients, Skittles also contain additives such as titanium dioxide, a white powder often added to cosmetics, foods and medical products to enhance their color.
It was banned in the European Union in 2021 because some studies showed that when ingested in large quantities or over a long period of time, it can cause DNA damage, which can lead to cancer, according to the European Food Safety Authority.
California attempted to ban titanium dioxide in October 2023 as part of a A controversial measure dubbed the Skittles banThe final version of the law removed some additives but kept titanium dioxide intact.
The rest of the U.S. hasn’t followed suit: Titanium dioxide is found in about 13,000 brand-name foods, according to The Center for Science in the Public Interest.
There also tends to be more saturated fat in American foods, Healthnews reported. Diets high in saturated fats (such as those found in butter and beef) have been linked to heart disease.
In a 28 gram serving of American peanut M&Ms there are 140 calories, 3 grams of saturated fat, 14 grams of sugar and 15 mg of salt. In a 28 gram serving of European peanut M&Ms there are 144 calories, 3.1 grams of saturated fat, 14.8 grams of sugar and 11.2 mg of salt.
In a 28 gram serving of American Pringles there are 150 calories, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 150 mg of sodium and zero grams of sugar. In a 30 gram serving of European Pringles there are 159 calories, 0.9 grams of saturated fat, 120 mg of sodium and zero grams of sugar.
However, a handful of American brands packaged their products with fewer calories than European ones, including Reese’s, Pringles and Peanut M&Ms.
For example, in a 42-gram serving of Reese’s American cheese, there are 210 calories, 22 grams of sugar, 135 mg of salt and 4.5 grams of saturated fat.
But in the same one-cup serving of European Reese’s there are 219 calories, 23.6 grams of sugar, 136 mg of salt and 4.5 grams of saturated fat.
One product was the great equalizer: Doritos.
While in the United States a smaller portion size of Doritos is recommended and almost 50 percent more salt is used in the product, the calories in European and American nachos are the same.
However, the American version contains 210 mg of salt, compared to 144 mg of salt in the European version. According to the AHA, consuming too much salt can increase blood pressure, which can contribute to a number of health problems, including heart disease and stroke.
No matter where you are in the world, snacking on these foods is not the best way to get your daily nutrition.
Snack brands tend to be low in gut-healthy fiber and can cause you to mindlessly consume excess calories, leading to obesity and a host of related health problems.