Little Debbie is a brand of snack foods originally created by O.D. McKee in 1960. According to the company's website, Little Debbie was named after McKee's four-year-old granddaughter. The first Little Debbie snack food was the Oatmeal Crème Pie, which is still available in stores in 2010. Since 1960, the company has greatly expanded--Little Debbie snacks are available in almost any grocery store and mass retailer that carries food.
Calories
According to the CalorieKing nutritional database, one Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Crème Pie has about 170 calories. One Honey Buns pastry from Little Debbie has approximately 220 calories, according to CalorieKing. Little Debbie also makes Zebra Cakes, a chocolate snack cake with white and milk chocolate icing. CalorieKing states that one serving of Zebra Cakes, which is two small snack cakes, has 330 calories.
Fat
Little Debbie’s snack foods are generally high in fat, since they contain ingredients like milk, cream and butter. CalorieKing reports that one Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pie has 7 g of total fat and 2 g of saturated fat. The Honey Buns roll has 12 g of total fat and 6 g of saturated fat per serving. The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 35 percent of your daily calories from fat, or 7 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, to protect your heart's health.
Carbohydrates and Protein
Little Debbie's Oatmeal Crème Pies and Honey Buns have the same amount of carbohydrates and fiber. Both treats have about 26 g of carbohydrates and only 0.5 g of dietary fiber, according to CalorieKing. The Oatmeal Crème Pie has 1 g of dietary protein, while the Honey Buns product contains 3 g. CalorieKing also states that one serving of Little Debbie Zebra Cakes has 47 g of carbohydrates and 2 g of protein.
Sugars
Sugar intake is a big concern for many people, since diabetes and obesity rates are so high. CalorieKing states that a Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Crème Pie has 12 g of sugar, and Little Debbie Honey Buns have 13 g of sugar per serving. Zebra Cakes have 32 g of sugar per serving. According to Reuters Health, eating too many added sugars in foods like cookies, pies and candy can increase cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which puts a person at a higher risk for a heart attack.
Calcium
The Oatmeal Crème Pie and Zebra Cake products by Little Debbie do not contain calcium, but the Honey Buns snack has 80 mg per serving, according to CalorieKing. The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements recommends that all adults between the ages of 19 and 50 get 1,000 mg of calcium though diet or supplements every day, in order to strengthen and protect the bones.
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