Popcorn is a fun and healthy snack as long as it is prepared in a healthy way. Commonly eaten between meals, popcorn helps dieters by providing satiety, the feeling of being full or satisfied, without excess calories, fat or sugar. Popcorn can be prepared and eaten at home, and is available at entertainment venues such as movie theaters and sports stadiums.
Preparation
The preparation method of popcorn has a big effect on the nutritional value of a serving. The most healthy popcorn is air-popped. Popcorn that is popped in oil, a common preparation method in movie theaters, is far higher in calories and fat. The type of oil used matters also, with popcorn popped in oils such as coconut or palm oil, which are high in saturated fat, being less healthy than popcorn popped in canola oil. Microwave popcorn also frequently has oil included in the bag and may contain trans-fats. Keep Kids Healthy warns that prepackaged popcorn advertised as air-popped may actually be sprayed with oils after popping, raising the calorie and fat count.
Servings and Calories
A single cup of air-popped popcorn has 31 calories while a single cup of oil-popped popcorn has 55 calories, according to Popcorn.org. One serving is made up of 3 cups of popped popcorn, but popcorn is typically sold in sizes that contain more than one serving. A typical bag of microwave popcorn has three to five 3-cup servings. According to the Los Angeles Times, a medium popcorn at Regal Cinemas, the largest movie theater chain in the United States, contains 20 cups of popcorn with a calorie count of 1,200 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat.
Nutrients
Air-popped popcorn is fat-free and contains one gram of protein. Other nutrients present in popcorn include zinc, magnesium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. It also contains small amounts of folate, niacin and choline. Popcorn is naturally low in sodium, but salt is frequently added as a topping in commercially available pre-popped popcorn.
Carbohydrates and Glycemic Index
A 3-cup serving of popcorn provides 3 g of fiber, 15 percent of the recommended daily intake. Popcorn has a high glycemic index, the measure of how rapidly 100 grams of its carbohydrates will raise blood sugar in comparison to table sugar, but a low glycemic load, the measure of blood sugar rise from a typical serving of a given food. Popcorn's glycemic index of 79 and glycemic load of four occur because popcorn contains a large amount of water and air in relation to its carbohydrates.
Toppings
Many people put salt, butter, spices or other toppings on popcorn, which can significantly change the nutritional value of a single serving. According to Keep Kids Healthy, a 3-cup serving of caramel corn, made with added sugars, has about 400 calories, far more than the 93 calories of 3 cups of air-popped popcorn. The Los Angeles Times reports that adding 1 1/2 tbsp of buttery flavoring to movie theater popcorn adds 200 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat.
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