I’m from the belly of America’s bagel beast, the tristate area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. If there was ever a bagel authority, I’d be a board member. Which means TikTok’s latest obsession, the Better Bagel, instantly had me and many others raising our eyebrows. Blasphemous? Biased? Either way, TikTok is buzzing, and the Better Bagel won’t be brushed off.
What is the Better Bagel?
The Better Bagel is a bagel that boasts of 90% less carbs but 250% more protein than traditional bagels. According to the Better Bagel site, this is the same “net carb content as two banana slices,” the same “protein content as four eggs,” and the same “sugar content of one stalk of celery.” There are six flavors: The Pretzel, The Sesame, The Classic, The Chocolate Chip, The Cinnamon, and The Everything, as well as variety packs.
Though it debuted in 2021 to quite a bit of bagel buzz, TikTok is bumping it up again for the latest foodie trend. It comes from the health food company BetterBrand.
What does the Better Bagel taste like?
The Better Bagel can brag about its 4.86 stars from 22 reviews on its site, though outside reviewers had a more blended response.
The Quality Edit beams about the “slick and modern” packaging and how “pleasantly surprising” the texture and taste were. “I don’t think I would’ve known the difference between it and the generic brand I have in my house, except for maybe the squishiness pre-toast,” wrote reviewer Dana Abraham.
In contrast, Protein Snack Finder bemoans that “The Better Bagel much more resembles a roll with a hole in the center than it does a bagel. It is very soft and bready, which is not how I prefer my bagels to be.”
“These bagels have a pretty distinct ‘earthy’ flavor to them,” the writer continues. “[Butter] isn’t able to mask the slight sourness of the ingredients.” The writer recommends cream cheese and toasting to distract from the flavor.
On TikTok, the Better Bagel also bagged from a solid 7/10 from @beautyofthefoodie. Commentators on her video note a “spongy taste” and dry texture. One comment wrote, “The bagels are excellent for what they are. For me, they have that little bit of spongy low-carb bagel texture to them.”
In short, all bagels are a balancing act, and these bagels bargain for health benefits over the usual baking style.
Where can I buy a Better Bagel?
The Better Bagel can be bagged on the Better Brand’s site, which sells all six flavors, variety packs, and the option to bagel in bulk. Pricing roughly equals out to $4 for each bagel, which can be bought in bulk, up to 16 bagels for $3.5 each. You can also find them at Target and Whole Foods near you, thanks to the Better Bagel site’s store finder feature.