Popcorn has been eaten as a snack for over 6,000 years. Popcorn is made by popping dried corn kernels that have a high amount of moisture in the hull. When heated, the steam from the moisture causes the hull to burst, and the starchy interior erupts out. Popcorn is a whole grain food. All parts of the grain -- the endosperm, bran and germ -- are intact. Plain popcorn provides protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Description
The two varieties of popcorn, snowflake and mushroom, are named for the shapes they take when the kernels are popped. Snowflake popcorn is large and fluffy, and is typically the kind sold at movie theaters or baseball games. Mushroom popcorn is used to make candied popcorn, because it holds together well. Kernels can be air popped using a popcorn popper, oil popped on the stove. You can also buy microwave popcorn. A serving of plain popcorn is 1 oz. of popped kernels, which has 110 calories.
Macronutrients
The major nutrient in plain popcorn is carbohydrates. Because it is a whole grain food, it also provides protein and fat. A 1 oz. serving of plain popcorn has 22.1 g of total carbohydrates, 3.7 g of protein and 1.3 g of fat. Adults need to consume about 40 to 60 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates, according to the Institute of Medicine. The protein in popcorn is incomplete, meaning it lacks some essential amino acids. As long as you eat a variety of protein foods daily, you should have no problem meeting your needs.
Fiber
Plain popcorn is a good source of dietary fiber. You need fiber in your diet to keep your digestive tract healthy and to reduce your risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. A 1 oz. serving of plain popped popcorn provides 4.1 g of dietary fiber. According to the IOM, adult women need 25 g of fiber daily and adult men need 38 g. Diets high in fiber also help prevent constipation and diverticular disease.
Minerals
Plain popcorn is a good source of the mineral phosphorus. Phosphorus is necessary for activation of certain hormones, enzymes and cell-signaling molecules, and also provides structure to bones and cell walls. A 1 oz. serving of plain popcorn has 101 mg of phosphorus, which is 14 percent of the daily amount recommended by the IOM. Plain popcorn also has small amounts of iron and zinc.
Vitamins
Plain popcorn is low in vitamins, however, it provides more vitamin A than all other grains. A 1 oz. serving of popcorn has 56 IU of vitamin A, which is about 2 percent of the daily amount recommended by the IOM. Plain popcorn also has small amounts of the B vitamins niacin, thiamine, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid.
References
- Epicurious Food Dictionary: Popcorn
- Whole Grains Council: Corn- October Grain of the Month
- Whole Grains Council: Types of Corn
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Snacks, popcorn, air-popped
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes: RDA and AI for Vitamins and Elements
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes: Macronutrients
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