Calories & Nutrition in Air Popped Popcorn

Overview

Air popped popcorn is a nutritious and healthy snack loved by many. It can be eaten plain or with salt, butter, spices, chocolate, caramel or other toppings. The nutritional profile of plain air popped popcorn makes it a good snack for dieters, but additional toppings generally reduce its value as a diet food.

Definition

Air popped popcorn is made from dried kernels of popcorn, a specific variant of corn, popped in a machine that heats the air to very high temperatures and causes the kernels to burst. It is different from other styles of popcorn in that it doesn't use oil to heat the kernels, making it a healthier option. Microwave popcorn generally contains oils or other ingredients that make it less healthy than true air popped popcorn.

Calories and Serving Size

One serving of air popped popcorn is 1 cup, about 8 g. A single serving has 31 calories, mostly from carbohydrates. It also includes 1 g dietary fiber and 1 g protein per serving.

Fats

Unlike corn popped in oil, air popped popcorn has no saturated or trans fats. It is a source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats, which are healthy and help carry out vital bodily functions. Air popped popcorn contains no cholesterol.

Micronutrients

Air popped popcorn is high in micronutrients. Some of the vitamins and minerals it contains are manganese, folate, niacin, vitamin A, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium.

Glycemic Index

Air popped popcorn has a glycemic load of 3 on a scale of 100. This is a measure of how quickly a standard serving of a particular food is converted to glucose in the body. For air popped popcorn, this number is extremely low, indicating that one cup of popcorn does not convert into blood sugar rapidly. Because it has such a low glycemic load, eating a serving of popcorn is unlikely to cause rapid rises in blood sugar levels, something important to consider for those with diabetes or prediabetes.

Recommendations

True air popped popcorn that does not have any toppings is a healthy food dieters can confidently include in their weight loss plans. However, many people prefer the taste of popcorn with added flavors, so these need to be taken into account when calculating the nutritional value of what you are eating. For dieters interested in taking advantage of the health benefits of popcorn without adding too many other things that will sabotage their weight loss plans, adding herbs or spices is a good idea to try and vary the taste of the popcorn.