12 Kodiak Power Cakes, Ranked Unhealthiest To Healthiest

Kodiak pancake and waffle mix appeals to the health-minded eater. The Park City, Utah-based brand (and former "Shark Tank" reject) calls its pancake and waffle mix "Power Cakes" because they pack up to 15 grams of protein per serving. Kodiak plays up the health angle even more by using whole grain wheat flour and oat flour in the mixes rather than typical refined flour. At any given time, Kodiak sells about a dozen flavors of Power Cake mix. Not all of them are as healthy as they seem, so we decided to rank them from unhealthiest and healthiest here.

Premade mixes are generally unhealthier than scratch-made batter because of all the sugar or sodium added to them. Trying to cut back on sugar? You may prefer one of Kodiak's less sweet Power Cake flavors — but those flavors will contain high levels of sodium. We'll dive deeper into our ranking methodology at the end of the article.

Something else to consider when browsing Kodiak's Power Cakes selection are the cooking instructions. Not every Power Cake flavor is prepared the same way. For certain Power Cakes, you must add milk, egg, or butter to get the right taste and consistency, and these ingredients add calories. Wondering how your favorite Power Cake flavor ranked on our list? Keep reading to find out.

Kodiak make sure gluten intolerant folks can enjoy Power Cakes too, but unfortunately they get the short end of the stick in almost every other health category. One serving of prepared Frontier Oat Gluten-Free Power Cakes is a ½ cup of mix, milk, and one egg. Made this way, you'll get 14 grams of protein and 340 calories in three flapjacks — not horrible. Then there's the sodium, sugar, and fat contents to consider.

There are 4 grams of fat in a single serving of this Power Cake mix before adding milk, which is high. A flavor like Frontier Oat sounds hearty (hence the protein), and carby (there are 48 grams in a serving), but it doesn't sound sweet. Nonetheless, Kodiak managed to incorporate 11 grams of sugar — a number that many low-sugar enthusiasts would pass up. And 650 milligrams of sodium? That's a figure more fitting for salty canned soup than an all-natural food.

These are the stats for eating the exact serving size of pancakes with nothing added. Kodiak encourages consumers to customize Power Cake mix to their hearts' content ... and they do. Power Cake mix is used in recipes for breads, cakes, donuts, and more. Those looking to maximize its protein content may use yogurt rather than milk. And of course, there's toppings like butter, syrup, or jam to contend with. With all this in mind, Frontier Oat Power Cakes can become a heavier-than-intended breakfast.

If you love the idea of eating Kodiak Power Cake mix that's made using grain from regenerative farms, you're bound to be drawn to Kernza Power Cakes. We love an elevated pancake concept as much as anyone, but in truth, Kernza Power Cakes are one of Kodiak's least healthy options. Yes, you'll get 14 grams of protein, but you'll also get a lot of fat, carbs, sugar, and sodium.

For many Kodiak Power Cake mixes, the only additional ingredient you need to make batter is water. That's not the case for Kernza Power Cakes. The cooking instructions on the packaging indicate that milk, egg, and butter are also needed. As prepared, a ½ cup serving of Kernza Power Cakes contains 330 calories and 13 grams of fat. Due to the inclusion of butter, these numbers aren't a huge surprise, but the sodium and sugar levels don't seem as reasonable.

Ten grams of sugar in three, 4 inch pancakes is high for a flavor that doesn't contain sweet elements like honey or chocolate (brown sugar is responsible for the 10 grams). The 450 milligrams of sodium don't exactly exude healthfulness either. Pancakes aren't generally viewed as a low-carb food, but at 41 grams per serving, Krenza Power Cakes have more carbs than other flavors Kodiak offers.

With "cake" in the name twice, it's no shocker that these birthday-themed pancakes are one of Kodiak's unhealthiest. The 11 grams of sugar in one ½ cup serving is par for the course for a pancake and waffle mix named after a sweet treat. More unbecoming are the 420 milligrams of sodium that come along with it. That said, Birthday Cake Power Cakes pack 16 grams of protein per serving — the highest count of all currently offered Kodiak Power Cake varieties.

Birthday Cake Power Cakes are one of the mixes that only calls for added water, so if that's how you prepare them, the nutrition facts on the box will be accurate (to make waffles you'll add 1 tablespoon of oil). Adding milk to bulk up on protein and calcium will also add sugar and calories. Any toppings (whipped cream is tempting at a time like this) will further contribute to the sugar and calorie counts.

What's more, Birthday Cake Power Cakes having a longer ingredients list than other flavors because of the sprinkles inside them. Yet Kodiak didn't put all its effort into making whole wheat, protein-rich pancakes to crash and burn with cheap, artificial sprinkles. Every sprinkle is colored with natural ingredients. Beet juice, turmeric, and spirulina extract replace common chemical food colorings like Red Dye No. 40, Red Dye No. 3, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6.  

Don't let the plant-based buzzword fool you. Compared to Kodiak's other Power Cakes, these Plant-Based Classic ones are not that good for you. The main problem areas with Plant-Based Classic Power Cakes are the levels of sodium and sugar. In a ½ cup serving, (which accounts for 230 calories), there's 440 milligrams of sodium and 10 grams of sugar. Cane sugar is the third on the list of ingredients. The ingredient "natural flavor" toward the end of the list has a vague sound to it, making its presence as an additive feel a little questionable.

In addition to some not-so-cute nutrition facts, Plant-Based Classic Power Cakes contain a higher amount of carbs per serving than almost all of Kodiak's other Power Cake mixes (Frontier Oat Gluten-Free and Kernza Power Cakes are the only varieties with more). Vegans can join the carb-conscious in their mutual disappointment with Plant-Based Power Cakes' nutritional content. For these Power Cakes, plant-based does not mean vegan. Due to being processed on equipment that also produces egg and milk-containing foods, trace amounts may be found in this otherwise plant-based mix.

There are some silver linings. On account of being egg and dairy free, Plant-Based Classic Power Cakes are cholesterol-free. All other Kodiak Power Cake flavors get their cholesterol from ingredients like whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, egg, and buttermilk. They've also got 14 grams of protein and just 2 grams of fat.

Smack dab in the middle of our Kodiak Power Cake health ranking is Buttermilk Flapjack Quick Mix — the premixed version of the original flavor. It's a fitting placement, because buttermilk pancakes from Kodiak (both Quick Mix and regular) offer a degree of neutrality. In other words, you're not getting anything too unexpected here in terms of flavor or nutrition information.

There's 15 grams of protein in a ½ cup serving — exactly the kind of stat Kodiak devotees yearn for in a small stack of pancakes. The biggest health drawback of Buttermilk Flapjack Quick Mix is the heaping sodium. One serving contains 540 milligrams. If you happen to put butter on your pancakes and that butter happens to be salted, the health benefits of these protein-rich, whole grain pancakes are forced to contend with the unhealthy attributes of salt. Over time, a high-sodium diet can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, and increased risk of stroke.

One redemptive quality of Buttermilk Flapjack Quick Mix is the modest sugar content. With 4 grams per serving, it's one of Kodiak's lowest-sugar Power Cakes options. No Power Cake flavor's sugar content dips below 4 grams.

In some ways, Buttermilk & Honey Power Cakes have the most universal appeal in Kodiak's lineup. They're a little sweet, have plenty of fiber and calcium and are reasonably low in fat (a ½ cup serving has 2.5 fat grams). Unlike several of Kodiak's other Power Cakes sweet flavors, Buttermilk & Honey Power Cakes bring just 4 grams of sugar to the table. The calorie count is palatable too. Three, 4 inch flapjacks contain 210 calories. These are the positives, but not all of the nutrition information looks so good.

One of Kodiak's biggest selling points for Power Cakes is the big dose of protein within them. At 9 grams per serving, Buttermilk & Honey Power Cakes are low-ish in protein compared to the other Power Cake varieties — all of which have at least 12 protein grams per serving. Health wise, another area where Buttermilk & Honey Power Cakes are weak is sodium content. At 470 milligrams per serving, three Buttermilk & Honey Power Cakes take up 20% of the recommended daily value.

Then there's the additives on the ingredients list. Processed elements like honey powder, powdered egg whites, and the suspiciously–named "natural flavors" are some of the less-than-desired inclusions inside. Ingredients like these are reminders that Kodiak Power Cakes mixes are bulk-manufactured in a food processing facility, not an artisan's workshop. 

Almond Poppy Seed is one of the more inventive Power Cake flavors, but it's not one of the healthiest. The 15 grams of protein you'll get in three flapjacks is an obvious benefit, however, it means you'll also be consuming elevated amounts of sodium, sugar, and additives. There are 440 milligrams of sodium and 9 grams of sugar in a ½ cup serving — not terrible numbers but nothing to boast about either. If you prepare the batter with water rather than milk and forgo any toppings, Almond Poppy Seed Power Cakes account for 230 calories per serving. In the grand scope of Power Cake calorie counts, this is a middle of the road figure.

There are 3.5 grams of fat in a single serving, and in view of the fact that almonds contain healthy fats, this isn't an off-putting statistic. Yet Kodiak's way of putting the almond in Almond Poppy Seed feels like a missed opportunity. Blanched almond flour and natural almond flavor are used, not real almonds. Incorporating pulverized or slivered almonds in the mix would enhance the naturalness of these Power Cakes and boost their appeal as a healthier option.

Semisweet chocolate chips aren't a health food, but Kodiak Chocolate Chip Power Cakes have a more salubrious nutrition profile than you might assume. A ⅓ cup serving carries 10 grams of sugar because well, chocolate chips are involved. If the sugar isn't a deal-breaker, you'll be happy to know that Chocolate Chip Power Cakes contain 180 calories per serving — the lowest calorie count any variety of Kodiak Power Cakes can provide.

Another semi-favorable nutrition fact is the 29 grams of carbs. Along with Dark Chocolate Power Cakes, this is the lowest carb-count in Kodiak's Power Cakes repertoire. The 340 milligrams of sodium per serving is also one of the lowest you'll find in a Power Cakes mix, while the 13 grams of protein is on the higher end. In these areas of the Power Cake nutrition spectrum, Chocolate Chip doesn't perform badly at all.

Where Chocolate Chip Power Cakes fall short is the ingredients list. The chocolate chips bring in additives like dextrose and "sunflower and/or soy lecithin" — whatever that is. Added sugars like cane sugar, light molasses, and natural flavor hammer home the fact that Chocolate Chip Power Cakes are really sweet and really processed.

It's Kodiak's simplest Power Cake and one of its healthiest. Kodiak swears that a serving of its whole wheat Power Cakes will keep you full for hours. If you eat three of the Buttermilk ones (the recommended serving size) it'll set you back 220 calories. That's not a high-calorie breakfast, but the number reflects what's in Buttermilk Power Cakes made with water and nothing else. Using milk instead of water, adding anything else into the batter, or eating them with toppings will up the calorie count.

The biggest health flaw of Buttermilk Power Cakes is the same one that afflicts countless processed foods: too much sodium. For a ½ cup of plain mix, 450 milligrams seems high. It also takes up 20% of your recommended daily sodium intake. On the bright side, the sodium content in this version of Buttermilk Power Cakes is 100 milligrams less than what's in Kodiak Buttermilk Flapjack Quick Mix, which comes ready made in a squeezable packet.

To offset the sodium, Kodiak downplays the sugar with 4 grams per serving. This is a low number in the Power Cakes world. There's also 15 grams of protein, an excellent jump-off point for those who want to pump up their Buttermilk Power Cakes with protein powder, peanut butter, yogurt, or whatever else might make these pancakes live up to their burly name.

Warm cinnamon and whole grain rolled oats sound like they'd be lovely inside a Power Cake, and as it turns out, moderately healthy too. With Cinnamon Oat Power Cakes, Kodiak succeeds in creating a pancake and waffle mix that is both high-protein (there's 14 grams in a ⅓ cup serving) and low-fat (just 1.5 grams). The 32 grams of carbs in a single serving also makes Cinnamon Oat Power Cakes one of Kodiak's lower-carb mixes.

Where things go awry for Cinnamon Oat Power Cakes is the sugar. One serving contains 9 grams of sugar — eight of which are added sugars. For health-minded consumers looking to reduce their sugar consumption, 9 grams per serving would be far too much. The American Heart Association, (AHA) recommends a limit of 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day for women and 36 grams (9 teaspoons) of added sugar for men.

Four grams of sugar is equivalent to 1 teaspoon, which means there are 2 teaspoons of added sugar in Cinnamon Oat Power Cakes. For women, eating a single serving of Cinnamon Oat Power Cakes (with no toppings) will account for ⅓ of the AHA's recommended intake of added sugar. On the positive, Cinnamon Oat Power Cakes aren't as caloric as other flavors with 190 calories per serving.

Kodiak gets a lot right with its Blueberry Power Cakes, making them one of the brand's healthiest pancake and waffle mixes. For one, you'll get 14 grams of protein in one ½ cup serving and only 2 grams of fat. The suggested serving is 190 calories which is decent for this protein-forward mix, especially considering that Blueberry is one of the Power Cake flavors that could actually hold its own without any toppings.

Perhaps the best thing about Blueberry Power Cakes is that they contain real blueberries. There are several health benefits of blueberries. They're lower in natural sugar than most fruits and full of antioxidants, two traits that have contributed to the blueberry's status as a superfood. Alas, Kodiak proves once again, that when it comes to Power Cakes, old habits die hard. The nutrition stats on Blueberry Power Cakes' sodium and sugar content aren't as grim as other Power Cake mixes, but they're still not great. Per serving there are 360 milligrams of sodium and 9 grams of sugar — the kind of numbers that remind you why recipes for pancakes made from scratch still exist.

Dark Chocolate Power Cakes come out on top as Kodiak's healthiest. Wait, a chocolate-flavored Power Cakes mix is the healthiest Kodiak sells? Yup. When you compare the line-by-line nutrition facts of Dark Chocolate Power Cakes with the other Power Cakes it fares well in almost every major health category. A ⅓ cup serving of Dark Chocolate Power Cakes made with water contains 12 grams of protein and 3.5 grams of fat. This is a little less protein and a little more fat than what other Power Cake flavors offer.

The most prominent distinction between Dark Chocolate Power Cakes and the rest is the sodium content. With 270 milligrams of sodium, Dark Chocolate Power Cakes are the only variety that attempts to tamp-down the salt level. Chocolate Chip Power Cakes have the second-lowest sodium content, but at 340 milligrams per serving, it trails behind Dark Chocolate by a significant amount. Dark Chocolate Power Cakes also have the lowest number of carbs — single serving has 29 grams.

The 8 grams of sugar (7 grams are added sugar) could be improved upon. Additives in the semisweet chocolate like dextrose, which has no substantial nutritional value, are another area where Dark Chocolate Power Cakes could stand to strengthen its game. On the other hand, these Power Cakes have a noticeably higher potassium content than other flavors. A single serving contains 318 milligrams of this heart-healthy mineral.

This ranking is based on the full scope of nutrition facts and ingredients in all currently available Kodiak Power Cakes varieties as they pertain to general health. Power Cakes high in sodium, sugar, or both ranked on the lower, or unhealthier, portion of our list. High-calorie Power Cakes and those with added fats/oils also ranked lower. Other nutritional aspects we factored in were protein, carbs, and vitamin content. We compiled our ranking with the consideration that everyone's health journey looks a little different.

One's individual health goals or dietary needs may make certain Power Cake flavors preferable to others. Someone who wants to maximize the benefits of Kodiak Power Cakes' protein levels will gravitate toward Power Cake varieties that pack upwards of 14 or 15 grams per serving. Concurrently, consumers who are watching their carbs, fat, calories, or some amalgamation of all three may be more inclined to accept a higher sugar content in exchange for reduced stats in these other nutritional categories.