Is Popcorn a Healthy Snack?

With so many big blockbuster hits in the movie theaters these days, it’s hard not to think about popcorn!  The question is, is it a healthy snack?  Let’s dive right into it.

Health Benefits 

There are some beautiful characteristics about popcorn that makes it a great snack.  First off, it’s a low-calorie snack even when we eat a good amount of it.  For reference, three cups of plain, air popped popcorn is less than 100 calories.  

Not only is it low in calories, but it is considered a whole grain that contains dietary fiber.  Keep in mind that it is recommended by the dietary guidelines that half of all our grains eaten are whole grains, so popcorn fits the bill! We want to keep our fiber up to support our body, specifically digestion and heart health, and to keep us feeling fuller for longer periods of time.  

Watch out

Now we know that air popped, plain popcorn provides health benefits, but when we start adding flavor to our popcorn is when we need to be more cautious.  Yes, I know caramel corn, cheddar cheese, and buttery popcorns are delicious, but by adding to this power snack we increase fat, sugar, and sodium.  

Here’s a nice chart that I created to compare some favorite popcorn selections.  

As you can see, the more butter and cheese we add the higher the sodium level increases.  When we add caramel to our popcorn, we see the sugar content spike.  

As for fat, we have to remember that unsaturated fat or our healthier fats are not always included on the nutrition label.  So don’t be tricked by the 8 g of total fat that comes from the Act II: Movie Theater Butter Popcorn being less than the Skinny Pop PopCorn.  The Original Skinny Pop Popcorn has 9 g of unsaturated fat after doing the math (10 g total fat minus 1 g saturated fat), but the Act II popcorn has 4 g of saturated fat and 4 g of unsaturated fat (to equal 8 g total fat).      

Now don’t think I am taking the fun out of popcorn. There are other ways to add flavor, I promise!  

Spice it up

These alternate ways to flavor popcorn are just as good as some of our favorites above.  Here are six ways to add flavor without adding excessive amounts of fat, sugar and sodium.  

• Looking for a refreshing flavor? Add citrus like lemon to your popcorn 
• Have leftover herbs from dinner? Try garlic herb popcorn by tossing popcorn with garlic cloves and rosemary, sage and thyme 
• Missing the beach? Try adding dried pineapple and coconut to your popcorn for some sweet flavor 
• Missing sweet popcorn? Try adding cinnamon 
• Make popcorn an even better snack?  Try adding nuts to your popcorn to fill you up even more! 
• Need to spice it up? Add chili powder for a little kick 

Overall, popcorn is a great snack and can be flavored in ways that don’t up your intake of fat, sugar, and salt.  Next time you go and grab some popcorn, how do you plan to flavor it?  Let us know!  

Cheers, 

References: 

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/06/18/popcorn-as-a-snack-healthy-hit-or-dietary-horror-show#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20fiber%2C%20popcorn,popcorn%20is%20its%20high%20satiety.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-flavored-popcorn-recipes

https://www.verywellfit.com/popcorn-nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefits-4111296

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/discover-popcorns-healthy-side