Is microwave popcorn a healthy snack?

Two cups of plain popcorn have 2.3 grams of fiber and just 62 calories. “Without the added butter and high-fat seasoning, the food is quite a healthy snack,” agrees Gregory J. Privitera, associate professor of psychology at St.


Can microwave popcorn be healthy?

Bottom Line: Microwave popcorn can be a convenient option for a fun snack, but beware that the added flavorings can cause fat, calories and sodium to stack up quickly. Most companies use simple ingredients but the check labels of your favorite brands.

Is microwave popcorn healthier than chips?

Yes, popcorn is generally healthier than chips. Popcorn is a whole grain food that's high in fiber and low in fat and calories. Chips are generally fried in fat and heavily salted. There are unhealthy popcorn options like movie theater popcorn or caramel corn, and there are healthy chip options.


Are microwave popcorn bags unhealthy?

Due to the removal of diacetyl and other chemicals, microwave popcorn no longer appears to be damaging to your health. Nevertheless, consumers should be aware that some substances are still used in the packaging.

What happens if you eat microwave popcorn everyday?

Microwave popcorn has also been linked to a serious lung disease called popcorn lung. Diacetyl, a chemical used to give microwave popcorn its buttery flavor and aroma, is linked to severe and irreversible lung damage when inhaled in large amounts.


Is Microwave Popcorn Safe to Eat?



What is the healthiest type of microwave popcorn?

9 Healthy Popcorn Brands
  1. Quinn Snacks Just Sea Salt.
  2. Eliza's Organics Organic Microwave Butter Popcorn. ...
  3. Act II Light Butter. ...
  4. SkinnyPop Sea Salt Microwave Popcorn. ...
  5. Pop Secret Homestyle. ...
  6. Angie's Boom Chicka Pop Sea Salt Microwave Popcorn. ...
  7. Orville Redenbacher Simply Salted. ...
  8. Newman's Own Sea Salt. ...


What is the healthiest popcorn to eat?

Air-popped popcorn doesn't use oil and is the healthiest way to enjoy the snack, according to Cleveland Clinic. Popping it on the stovetop using oil can be a way to add healthy fats to your diet, just opt for walnut, avocado, canola, or extra virgin olive oil.

Is popcorn better than junk food?

It's low in fat, calories, sugar, and sodium.

As long as you stick the to the appropriate serving size, which is about one cup, plain popcorn is a much better choice than junk food, such as potato chips and cheese crackers. And even if you eat three times the serving size, you'll still clock in at only 96 calories.


Is popcorn healthier than pasta?

Basically, a serving of white pasta has 200 calories, 2 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein. But if you eat eight cups of unsalted, air-popped popcorn (which is a whole grain, BTW), you'll rack up 10 grams of fiber and protein while still staying under 250 calories.

What are the disadvantages of eating popcorn?

Premade popcorn often contains a high level of salt, or sodium. Eating too much sodium can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health complications. Some brands also include a lot of sugar. Added butter, sugar, and salt can make popcorn an unhealthful snack.

Why is popcorn not a good snack?

"Even a small movie theater popcorn has significant calories and is very high in salt," Vadiveloo said. "Sodium is one of the leading risk factors for hypertension and stroke in general, so it's something we do care about from a perspective of heart disease."


What should I eat after popcorn?

Check out the tips below. So, after consuming a week's worth of salt in a bag of popcorn, you feel like a blimp. You need to get some potassium on board. There are several foods you can eat that are good sources of potassium: bananas, sweet potatoes, figs, unsalted edamame, watermelon, apricots or cantaloupe.

Which is healthier an apple or popcorn?

D., professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, said his research team found that popcorn contains a higher concentration of healthful antioxidant substances called polyphenols than fruits and vegetables!

Is popcorn worse than sugar?

Popcorn remains a better snack option than many salty or sugary snacks for avoiding high blood sugar and diabetes complications. GI is a scale from 1 to 100 that refers to the speed at which sugar enters the bloodstream after a person eats foods containing carbohydrates.


How much popcorn is too much?

If you're on a low-carb diet, enjoy popcorn still, but consider cutting your serving down to a cup. Low-carb plans often make you limit your net carbohydrate intake to less than 100 grams a day, or even 20 grams max for some plans. Each cup of air-popped popcorn has 6.2 grams of total carbohydrates, including fiber.

Is popcorn the healthiest snack in the world?

Popcorn is a healthy snack when it's air-popped and served without ingredients high in fat, salt, or sugar. Popcorn is high in important nutrients, including fiber. Popcorn is one of the world's healthiest and most popular snack foods. It is loaded with important nutrients and offers a variety of health benefits.

What's the healthiest bagged popcorn?

Best healthy popcorn of 2022
  • Best overall: Lesser Evil Himalayan Pink Salt.
  • Top-rated: Skinny Pop Sea Salt and Pepper.
  • Best microwave: Newman's Own Organic Touch of Butter.
  • Best plain kernels: Tiny But Mighty Unpopped Kernels.
  • Best bagged popcorn: Boom Chicka Pop Avocado Oil Popcorn.


Is popcorn an unhealthy carb?

Popcorn does contain carbs, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. One-fifth of the carbohydrates in popcorn are in the form of dietary fiber, which is good for your overall health. Popcorn is a good example of a high-volume, low-calorie whole grain. If cooked correctly, it makes a healthy snack.

Which popcorn is healthiest white or yellow?

Excluding the butter and salt, there is almost no difference in nutritional value between white or yellow kernel popped corn.

Is bagged popcorn healthier than microwave popcorn?

Primary Health Risk

While microwave popcorn is typically higher in calories and sodium and lower in fiber than the air-popped variety, the main reason it's less healthy is that it often contains trans fats.


Is Skinny Pop healthier than microwave popcorn?

Yes, skinny pop is healthier than most brands of microwave popcorn as it has less sugar and fat and is low in sodium. It's a great substitute for lower-carb snacks and a good source of fiber.

What snack is healthier than popcorn?

Other popped grains, freeze-dried fruits, and low carb veggie chips are some low-calorie popcorn substitutes. Puffed foods are often puffed with air, making the food bigger without increasing the calories. High calorie popcorn substitutes include nuts, seeds, pork rinds, and unpopped grains (such as pretzels).

What's healthier popcorn or Cheerios?

Most cereals are fortified with a load of vitamins & minerals. If getting these nutrients into your child is NOT an objective, we vote for popcorn as the superior snack -- healthy popcorn that is.


Is there a healthy way to popcorn?

Make popcorn on the stovetop

Air popped popcorn uses no oil, meaning it has the fewest calories. “Popping it in oil, however, is a great way to consume a healthy portion of fat to control hunger,” Jeffers says. Not only can you manage serving size, but you can also make it in under 10 minutes in most cases.

When should you not eat popcorn?

Popcorn is a choking hazard and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids not have in until they're at least four years old. By this age, children should be good enough at chewing and swallowing to safely eat popcorn.