It's official: popcorn is hot. How hot? North America’s favourite movie snack has been a source of much discussion on the blogosphere, Twitter and in magazines lately, in articles purporting that it possesses nutritional properties more powerful than one might believe. So is popcorn worth the hype? Let’s take a closer look.
Popcorn: The good
If you keep it simple, popcorn does have something to offer, nutritionally speaking. Plain popcorn is a low-calorie snack, providing about 108 calories for a 3 1/4 cup serving (that's one ounce, or 28 grams, or about one-third of a fully popped bag). Somewhat impressively, that same portion also provides 4 grams of both fibre and protein. Why? Because popcorn is actually a whole grain, so it contains the outer hull, where many of the nutrients are stored. Popcorn is also a source of magnesium: the same portion provides 10 per cent of this important, yet under-consumed nutrient that can improve vascular health and promotes blood pressure control.
And there’s good news for those who have been diagnosed with diverticulosis, a common condition in older adults that occurs when small out-pouches form in the bowel: While we once believed that difficult-to-digest foods such as popcorn, nuts and berries should be avoided for fear that fragments could become lodged in the pockets of the bowel, triggering inflammation, we now have good evidence that consuming higher fibre foods like popcorn can actually help reduce the risk of flare-ups, possibly because they encourage the bowels to keep moving.
Popcorn: The bad-ish
While popcorn might be low in calories and a source of fibre and protein, it is not terribly nutrient-dense otherwise. Aside from trace amounts of B-vitamins, and 5 per cent of your daily iron, it is of fairly limited nutritional value, especially compared with other crunchy snacks such as nuts and seeds — which, to be fair, are far higher in calories, and can be much easier to overeat. Like all plant foods, popcorn does contain some polyphenols, compounds thought to be natural disease-fighters, but you will find higher concentrations in numerous other darkly coloured fruits and vegetables. Nonetheless, when comparing popcorn to many other salty snacks, including various types of pretzels, crackers, chips and rice crisps, popcorn fares better for what it doesn’t contain: refined flour, salt, sugar or trans fat.
Popcorn: The ugly
Of course, all of this information is based on plain, air-popped popcorn, which is a completely different animal than the stuff you get at the movies, in many microwave bags, or in so many of the trendy, specialty products that are becoming popular, including sweetened kettle corn. According to nutrient analyses conducted by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, movie popcorn is a nutritional landmine that few of us can afford: a medium-sized bag from Cineplex clocks in at 780 calories — and that’s without the buttery toppings that can add 220-250 calories in just four pumps.
Aside from its impact on the waistline, there have also been health concerns over microwave popcorn, in part because of a chemical, known as diacetyl, which is used in the production of buttery flavours, and has been linked with lung disease in popcorn factory workers. Thus far, there have only been selected cases where diacetyl exposure has been thought to trigger lung problems in consumers, and in those cases, it was found in individuals eating very large amounts of the stuff.
As for microwave brands’ nutritional content, they can vary considerably in calorie, fat, and trans fat amounts, not to mention sodium. If you’re looking to watch your waistline, try sticking to 100 calorie packages such as Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop!, which will help you to control your portions without having to tap into that bothersome self-control. But better yet is to airpop your own popcorn, using fresh, good quality kernels (yes, it does make a big difference), adding a light amount of salt or butter yourself if needed.
Nutrition junkies have even been known to put brewer’s yeast, a nutritional powerhouse and rich source of vitamin B12, on their popcorn to add flavour. But research also suggests the type of bowl you use to serve your popcorn will influence your perception of the flavour: Using a coloured bowl can actually help the popcorn to seem saltier.
Jennifer Sygo is a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Canada in Toronto.