Movie Theater Popcorn Nutrition Facts

On first glance, movie theater popcorn seems like a wholesome, whole-grain snack that beats the sugary candy or processed hot dogs and nachos that are often also present on the menu. However, a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that movie theater popcorn is often far less healthy than you may believe, particularly in terms of saturated fat content and calories.

Oil

The main reason that movie theater popcorn contains far more calories than popcorn you make at home is that it is popped in quite a bit of oil. Though some movie theaters have switched to a non-hydrogenated canola or sunflower oil to pop their corn, most stick with the industry standard: coconut oil. Experts at Anderson University say that this oil, which is packed with saturated fat, may yield a tastier popcorn, but the results are bad news for your health.

Calories and Fat

According to calculations by Anderson University experts, an average medium, plain movie theater popcorn, generally about 11 cups, contains 650 calories, 43 g of fat and 31 g of saturated fat. The Center for Science in the Public Interest's analysis found that movie theater popcorn often contains far more calories and fat than the theater reports, or than people would calculate given their knowledge of the product. Additionally, the calorie and fat content of movie theater popcorn tends to vary from theater chain to theater chain.

Add-Ons

In addition to the calories and fat in the popcorn itself, most movie theaters add salt and quite a bit of butter-flavored oil to the snack. Most medium servings of buttered, salted movie theater popcorn contain at least half of your daily allotment of sodium. The Center for Science in the Public Interest also discovered that each tablespoon of buttery topping added to the popcorn piles about 130 calories onto the total count.

Alternate Cooking Methods

In mainstream movie theaters, the best popcorn you can get is popped in non-hydrogenated oil. However, though this significantly lowers the saturated fat content of the popcorn, the calories are about the same, if not higher. Popcorn popped in non-hydrogenated oil usually also contains far more sodium than popcorn popped in coconut oil. Air-popped popcorn is the healthiest by far, but this generally isn't available in movie theaters.

Considerations

"The Abs Diet Ultimate Nutrition Handbook" says that, if you must have popcorn at the movie theater, you should order the smallest available size and decline the extra salt and buttery topping. You may consider bringing your own air-popped popcorn, or another healthy snack, from home instead. Oil-free popcorn is a solid source of whole grains and fiber.