When it comes to snacking, Americans choose popcorn for its mouth-watering smell, satisfying crunch and salty taste. People in the United States eat an average of 52 quarts of popcorn per year, with 70 percent eaten at home, according to the Popcorn Board. Popcorn is endorsed as a sensible snack by the National Cancer Institute, the American Dental Association and the American Dietetic Association, the Popcorn Board's website notes.
Whole Grain
Popcorn's three parts--the endosperm, the germ and the pericarp or hull--comprise a complete grain. Of the main corn types, only popcorn bursts open into an edible white grain. Unlike sweet, dent and flint corn, popcorn's ideal thickness and moisture content allows it to pop open when heated for several minutes, the Popcorn Board website explains.
High in Fiber
In a comparison of 11 varieties of microwave popcorn, a Consumer Reports study found that many of the brands tested provided at least 20 percent of recommended daily fiber. Popcorn's complex carbohydrates give the body an energy boost and help calorie-conscious eaters feel full enough to avoid snacks that are off-limits because of higher fat and sugar content.
Low in Calories
One half bag of air-popped corn has 90 calories, zero grams of fat, five grams of fiber and no sodium, according to the Consumer Reports website. However, popcorn with butter has 210 calories, 15g of fat and 420g of sodium. For the most nutritional benefits, notes Consumer Reports, people should avoid brands using trans fat or palm oil, which can raise the risk of heart disease.
Varieties to Avoid
A Los Angeles Times article, "Movie Popcorn is Still a Horror," warns that eating popcorn at a movie theatre is not the same as popping your own at home. Citing a report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the article notes that eating a medium-sized bag of movie theatre popcorn has "the nutritional equivalent of three Quarter Pounders topped with 12 pats of butter," packing three days' worth of saturated fat.
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