Once popped, 1/4 cup of popcorn transforms into more than 4 cups of crunchy goodness. This is fine news for dieters because popping it only increases its volume, not its calories. Maximizing the volume of food you eat without increasing calories can be an effective way to lose weight, according to researchers at Penn State University. When prepared without butter and salt, popcorn can be a good addition to your diet.
Comparisons
Popcorn appears to be a calorie-dense food, as a 1/4 cup serving of unpopped kernels contains 110 calories. However, keep in mind that once popped, you'll get to enjoy 4 cups of popcorn for the same number of calories. If you are comparing calories cup for cup, 1 cup of popcorn kernels contains 440 calories while one cup of popped popcorn contains only 27 calories.
Preparation
How popcorn is prepared can affect the number of calories in popped popcorn. If you pop the popcorn kernels in oil, the resulting 4 cup serving will contain approximately 350 calories. Prepare popcorn at home in a hot air popper to keep the calorie count of your popcorn low. You can also purchase microwave popcorn that is virtually fat-free.
Benefits
Popcorn is considered to be a whole grain, and contains 4 g of fiber per serving -- almost 1/5 of the amount you should get every day, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. You'll also get almost 1 mg of both iron and zinc with each serving -- popped or unpopped, making popcorn a snack that is well worth the calories.
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