Is Popcorn Healthy?

Popcorn is one of our favourite foods to eat between meals and whilst watching a good film. But is popcorn healthy? Can this snack be part of a healthy diet and how many calories are in Popcorn?

The answer largely depends on how much popcorn you eat and the way you prepare it, or what you have with it or on it. Below we are going to tell you in more about the benefits of eating this food, what it can do for your health and approximately how many calories it contains, depending on how you prepare it.

Is popcorn fattening?

Although popcorn is simply kernels of corn, there is a lot of nutritional information that you should know. If you are wondering whether or not you should continue eating it as a snack, we have good news for you: natural popcorn on its own is not fattening.

When you buy this tasty snack at the cinema or make it with butter, salt or other condiments like recipes with sugar, then this snack rapidly becomes less healthy since the amount of calories increases considerably.

How many Calories are in Popcorn

If you like to keep a strict control on your diet, the nutrients you are eating, and calorie count then you will want to know how many calories are in popcorn as well as the fibre and fat content to ensure you find the best and most health conscious way to enjoy this food.

As we have said previously, popcorn on its own is quite healthy if eaten in moderation. To give you an idea, 100 grams will provide your body with 350 calories.

Popcorn at the Cinema

Popcorn at the Cinema is known to be almost everybody's favourite foods to eat whilst enjoying a film on the big screen. Recipes used at Cinemas are not only high in calories, but are also high in trans fats, which can be harmful to your health, since oil is used. For example, the largest container of popcorn sold in cinemas and Theaters can exceed 1000 kcal!

Microwave Popcorn

When visiting the Cinema is not an option. but we still want to enjoy an afternoon with a good film and in good company, microwave popcorn is the option we often go for. A bag of popcorn ready to heat in the microwave can make popcorn quickly and easily however recipes like this contain an average of 500 calories per bag.

With butter

Although this is one of the most popular recipes, it is not recommended for our health, since this type of popcorn is high in fat, this can help contribute to Cardiovasular problems and affect our health.

Sweet Popcorn

If you are looking for the best way to enjoy this food and control your weight then unfortunately this sweet option is also not going to help your diet. The mixture of trans fats with the large amounts of sugar in the caramel flavoured version can also be a dangerous combination. Once again it can lead to heart problems, obesity, or diabetes. Approximately every 100 grams will provide you 500 calories.

How to make healthy homemade popcorn

If you are looking to follow a healthy diet then we are sure you will want o know the best way to eat this food. Simply heat a pan on the hob with a small amount of Olive oil, when it is hot enough add the corn and lower the heat a little so that it doesn't burn. Remember to put a lid on the pan so that it doesn't shoot out when it goes pop! Finally, when you stop hearing the corn kernels popping turn off the heat, let it rest for a few minutes and you will be ready to go!

Benefits of eating popcorn

Try to remember that Popcorn its self is not un- healthy. What makes popcorn fattening is butter or caramel, the corn kernels alone do not pose a health risk and they are rich in fibre, antioxidants, and carbohydrates that help reduce cholesterol levels and regulate the digestive system, amongst other benefits.

Now that you have read this information and know that homemade popcorn is the healthiest way to enjoy this snack in the company of a good movie or to hang out with friends. What are you waiting for, why not get yours popping!