Healthy eaters in the US continually turn to popcorn as a healthy replacement for the salty snacks that typically break a diet. Instead of snacks like chips, nuts, or pretzels that can be high in calories, salt, or fat, popcorn provides the ease of other bite-sized, mouth-popping snacks while at the same time They provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but not a lot of fat! Here are some facts about the snack and the best way to eat it for the most nutritional value.
popcorn nutritional information
* Popcorn contains more than 40 different nutrients.
* Has more iron than eggs, peanuts or spinach.
* You can find B vitamins, vitamin E, riboflavin, and thiamine in popcorn kernels.
* Popcorn has the highest amount of protein of all cereals.
* In the shell of the grain, you will find iron, phosphorus and protein.
* Popcorn has more fiber than chips or pretzels.
Additionally, popcorn is the recommended snack by many health and research organizations in the US. The American Dental Association recommends it as a good sugar-free and fat-free snack for children. The National Cancer Institute, noting that fiber in your diet helps protect you from cancer, recommends popcorn as a great way to add fiber to your diet. The American Diabetes Association allows popcorn as a starchy snack in weight control diets. The Feingold Diet for hyperactive children allows popcorn also as a snack since it can be prepared without additives or sugars.
The best way to eat popcorn
The best preparation for popcorn if you want it to be a healthy, low-calorie snack is to pop it with air. Adding butter, salt, or other seasonings can lessen the nutritional impact of snacking on popcorn. 1 cup of air-popped popcorn has about 30 calories, 1 gram of dietary fiber, and 1 gram of protein per serving. It has no saturated fat, trans fat or cholesterol. You’ll also find manganese, folate, niacin, vitamin A, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, and selenium in popcorn.
Whether you’re dieting, trying to get your kids to eat healthy snacks, or just trying to eat healthier yourself, replacing greasy junk food with freshly popped popcorn is an easy swap. Eating popcorn to curb your snack cravings is a health-conscious option that will help you manage your weight and provide nutrition instead of just satisfying your snack urges!