Munch on This: Pre-Popped Popcorn

Popcorn can be a healthy, tasty snack, but it’s often dismissed as something to skip if you’re trying to improve your diet. When popcorn is in the news, it’s usually the buttery, salty stuff you find at movie theaters; that’s because a medium-sized container (that’s about 20 cups, by the way) at the theater contains a whopping 1,200 calories, 60 grams of saturated fat, and 980 milligrams of sodium. With those numbers, you don’t need a scary movie to be frightened.

But there is a bright side. An increasing number of pre-popped popcorn varieties are now available at your grocery store, and consuming an appropriate serving size of many such products can allow popcorn to be a healthy snack. One of popcorn’s biggest nutrition bonuses is that it is packed with polyphenols. These are plant-based compounds that act as antioxidants and help reduce inflammation.

Popcorn is also a whole grain, so it helps you meet your fiber needs for the day. Eating more fibrous foods helps you maintain healthy digestion. Popcorn even contains some iron, so if you have iron-deficiency anemia, or you’re simply trying to get more iron in your diet, a little bowl of popcorn in the afternoon can help.

Consider these tips when selecting pre-popped, bagged popcorn.

Serving Size Varies

A serving is usually one ounce. However, the amount you get in cups of popcorn per ounce varies depending on the flavor. For example, cheese and caramel add weight and thus decrease the amount of popcorn you get in an ounce. Check the chart below to see how much serving size can vary—from 1¼ cups to 3½ cups.

Watch Out for the Sweet Stuff

Added sugar is not an issue in most varieties, but if you’re munching on kettle corn, the sugar content can climb up to 4 teaspoons per serving. Choose those with lower amounts of sugar.

Check the Sodium

This nutrient varies the most in bagged popcorn, even in the sweet varieties. In fact, some popcorn products contain more than 10 percent of your daily recommended amount of sodium in one serving. Because the sodium content varies widely among different products, do some label reading to find those lowest in salt.

DIY It

You can easily make your own popcorn and control your toppings. Three cups of air-popped or stovetop popcorn (prepared with a tablespoon of vegetable oil) has 90 to 105 calories, 0 to 3 grams of total fat, and no saturated fat or sodium. Try seasoning it with your favorite salt-free herbs and spices, such as oregano, basil, granulated garlic, or red pepper flakes, or a little Parmesan cheese. If you just can’t skip the butter, a drizzle of 2 teaspoons melted over your popcorn will add 68 calories, 8 grams of total fat, and 5 grams of saturated fat.  

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