Small Movie Theater Popcorn Nutrition

If you're like many people, you can't go to the movies without getting a bag of popcorn to eat during the show. And while plain air-popped popcorn is a healthy food choice, a small movie theater popcorn can have more calories than a fast food hamburger. Knowing the nutrition information for a small bag of movie theater popcorn can help you determine if it can fit into your meal plan.

Calories

The calories in a small bag of movie theater popcorn can vary from theater to theater. In general, the calories in a small bag of movie theater popcorn, which holds about 7 cups, contains 470 to 630 calories. By comparison, one regular hamburger from a fast food restaurant contains 254 calories. People who pay close attention to their daily calorie intakes have more success at losing and maintaining a healthy weight than those that don't, according to the USDA.

Fat

In addition to being higher in calories than a fast food hamburger, a small movie theater popcorn is also higher in total and saturated fat. One small movie theater popcorn contains 37 to 50 g of total fat and 29 g of saturated fat. By comparison, a small fast food hamburger contains 10 g of total fat and 3 g of saturated fat. High intakes of saturated fat increase blood cholesterol levels. You should limit your intake of saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories, or no more than 22 g a day on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Carbohydrates and Protein

One serving of a small movie theater popcorn contains 44 to 50 g of carbohydrates and 4 to 5 g of popcorn. Your body breaks down the carbohydrates in the food you eat into glucose, which your cells use as a source of energy. The protein is broken down into amino acids to build the proteins found in your cells, organs and muscles. For a balanced diet, you should get 45 to 65 percent of your calories from carbohydrates and 10 to 35 percent from protein.

Sodium

The sodium content in movie theater popcorn can vary. A small serving without added salt can have as much as 420 mg. Limiting your daily sodium intake can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure. A healthy diet should contain no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. However, if you are over the age of 51, have a history of high blood pressure or diabetes or are of African American descent, you should limit your sodium to no more than 1,500 mg a day.