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Is Movie Popcorn Fattening?

Jan 25, 2011 | By Eliza Martinez

Many people enjoy a tub of popcorn when they go to the theater. However, with the increasing awareness regarding the health of Americans, you may decide that this isn't a healthy choice. Most movie theaters give you portions that too large and topped with lots of butter and salt. Occasionally indulging in movie popcorn likely won't make you fat, but eating foods this high in fat and calories can be damaging over time.

Calories

A large-sized popcorn at AMC theaters contains 664 calories, without the buttery topping. This number varies among theaters and some are much higher, while others may be lower. Pour on the butter and you may be consuming more calories than you need for an entire meal. Add a soda and some candy and you're really overloading on calories.

Fat

Many movie theaters prepare their popcorn using coconut oil, which is very high in saturated fat. A diet high in saturated fat increases your risk of heart disease and can raise cholesterol. A large popcorn at AMC movie chains contains 27 g of saturated fat. Some theaters have switched to using canola oil, which cuts the saturated fat content of its large popcorn significantly. A person who eats 2,000 calories per day should not exceed 15 g of saturated fat per day. It is easy to consume several day's worth of fat while eating movie theater popcorn. Buttery topping adds additional saturated fat.

Sodium

Consuming too much sodium is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure. Movie theater popcorn is very high in salt and if you sprinkle on extra at the snack counter, you may be reaching your recommended total for the entire day, which is 1,500 to 2,300 mg. A large AMC popcorn contains 443 mg of sodium without the buttery topping.

Movie Popcorn and Being Overweight

The bottom line when it comes to gaining weight is that you consume more calories than you burn. While no single food will do this by itself, regular consumption of high calorie and high fat foods will lead to becoming overweight, even obese. Mary MacVean in the Los Angeles Times (2009) reports that Regal Cinemas maintain that its snacks are designed to be an occasional treat and should not be part of your everyday diet. It only takes 3,500 additional calories to put on a pound and it's easy to see how eating movie popcorn a few times a month can lead to this.

Recommendations

Eating popcorn at the movie theater is part of the experience for many people, and if you must have it, at least order a small size to somewhat limit the amount of fat and calories you consume. You can also bring along your own bag of air-popped popcorn so that you can still enjoy a movie snack without the potential of weight gain. Popcorn is considered a whole grain and is a healthy snack option when it isn't loaded with oil and butter. Balance your fat and calorie intake for the rest of the day so that you stay within the healthy recommendations.

References

Article reviewed by Mia Paul Last updated on: Jan 25, 2011

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