Pop Some Popcorn! This High-Fiber Snack Is Surprisingly Healthy
This Traditional Theater Snack Is Healthier Than You Might Think
There’s nothing like curling up on the couch at home for a movie night. You throw on a nice warm blanket and cuddle up with your beau, kids, or dog while scrolling through streaming, looking for something good to watch.
A big bowl of popcorn is the centerpiece for any successful movie night. The trick is to skip the microwave and avoid dousing the popcorn in salt and melted butter. There is a much healthier way to pop your popcorn!
Stovetop popcorn has surprising health benefits. It’s a low-calorie snack that helps you feel satisfied without hurting your waistline. Enjoy movie night without any guilt!
Health Benefits of Popcorn
Popcorn is a whole grain so it qualifies as a complex carbohydrate. You may hear the word “carbohydrate” and think it’s a bad thing, but the opposite is true. Complex carbs are high in fiber, making them great for healthy digestion.
Weight control is key to avoiding type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems down the road. A bowl of popcorn curbs your hunger pangs, so you won’t feel the need to snack as frequently. One cup of plain popcorn is only about 30 calories.
You probably think you need to eat fruits and veggies to get vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. While these superfoods are undeniably good for your body, you can get nutritional value from popcorn as well.
Aside from fiber, popcorn is a good source of polyphenols. This antioxidant may help lower blood sugar levels, promote brain function, improve blood circulation, and lower your risk for heart disease.
Cleveland Clinic advises that you can also add protein to your popcorn. Top it with two ounces of melted cheese or even a tablespoon of peanut butter. Yum!
Stovetop Popcorn Is the Healthiest Choice
Stovetop popcorn is a much better option than microwave popcorn. In fact, the American Heart Association cautions that, in the past, certain brands used a chemical called diacetyl to make their microwave popcorn. This toxin has been associated with a disease known as “popcorn lung,” causing wheezing and shortness of breath.
Orville Redenbacher, Act II, Pop Secret, and Jolly Time stopped using this harmful chemical in 2007. However, there may be other GMOs in their ingredient lists.
It’s much safer to control and monitor the ingredients yourself. The only way to do so is by making popcorn on the stove with fresh kernels.
Air Popping vs. Cooking Oils
Your cooking method matters when making a healthy bowl of popcorn. You can pop the kernels with or without cooking oils.
Air popping is a great way to cut down on extra calories. You can dump fresh kernels into a pot with a tight-fitting lid and periodically shake to make sure they’re evenly popping. The results may not be as consistent as with cooking oil, but eventually you’ll master the art of making sure no kernel goes unpopped!
Cooking oil makes the kernels pop faster. It also adds extra flavor. If you do go this route, opt for a healthier oil like canola, avocado, coconut, or sunflower. These are low in saturated fats, but high in omega-3s and antioxidants.
Whether you air pop or use oil, you should sprinkle seasoning on top of the popcorn every time you dump it out from the pot. Garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, paprika, and even cinnamon are all tasty options!
Choosing the Best Kernels
You’re about ready to pop a healthy bowl of popcorn. The final decision you need to make is which kernels to buy. Here are your options!
Yellow popcorn
White popcorn
Red popcorn
Blue popcorn
Mushroom popcorn
Blue popcorn is considered the healthiest type of kernel since it’s high in antioxidants, but it’s also the most expensive and least accessible. White and yellow popcorn are almost as good and are available at most grocery stores.
Many people are already drinking mushroom coffee in the mornings. Mushroom popcorn offers the same benefits, including reduced inflammation and a stronger immune system. The downside is it’s not necessarily a snack you’d want to share with your kids!
How to Make Stovetop Popcorn
Popping popcorn on the stove is not nearly as complicated as it seems. All you need is a cooking pot or skillet that has a vented lid. Look for something that has a 2.5 or 3-ounce capacity so you don’t have to dump the pot into the bowl as frequently.
And speaking of bowls…the bigger, the better. It’s easy to overshoot and pour in too many kernels, which is fine since you’re probably sharing with your family or friends anyways!
Overall, you can’t order a large bucket of buttery popcorn at the movie theater and eat it all (plus the refill) and say that it’s a healthy choice. The best way to make popcorn is at home on the stove with carefully selected ingredients.
Movie night, here you come!
What movie are you going to watch with your healthy bowl of popcorn? 🍿
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