Popcorn is a snack food that originated from corn kernels fried in oil or butter. Today, consumers enjoy popcorn in various forms such as plain, flavored, frozen, microwaveable, and even baked. Fortunately, you can eat a lot of it without gaining too many extra pounds. Popcorns are not high in carbs because they are made from corn kernels, which are a type of grain. It's therefore a popular snack option for people who want to follow a keto or balanced diet.
History of popcorn
Popcorn has been enjoyed for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians ate it, and possibly even Peruvians, who are believed to have consumed it as far back as 6000 BC. During the 19th century, popcorn became popular thanks to Thomas Edison’s invention of the movie camera. He wanted to show his friends what he had done, so he sent out samples of his product. His friends loved it, and soon people everywhere were eating popcorn during the theater experience.
In 1894, Charles Mackenzie patented the modern popcorn machine. This machine used air pressure to pop corn while spinning the kernels inside a metal bowl. By 1895, there were over 12 million machines in use across America. Today, popcorn is still one of America’s favorite snacks. You can find it in every grocery store. There are different types of popcorn including microwave popcorn, stovetop popcorn, movie theatre popcorn, kettle popcorn, and oven popcorn.
Popcorn nutrition facts
Popcorn actually packs quite a nutritional punch. A single cup contains 90 calories, 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 7 grams of carbohydrates. You'll find plenty of potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, copper, manganese, zinc, selenium, and niacin. In addition, there are several phytochemicals like lignans, flavonoids, and phenolic acids that help fight inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, and protect against certain cancers.
The American Heart Association recommends eating three servings of whole-grain foods every day. One serving equals one slice of bread, ½ cup cooked cereal, ¼ cup pasta, ½ cup brown rice, or 1/3 cup oatmeal.
The nutritional value of popcorn depends on how it’s prepared. There are several ways to make popcorn nutritious:
Add healthy ingredients such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Use low-fat microwave popcorn kernels that contain no trans fats
Buy air-popped popcorn
Choose natural flavorings over artificial flavors
Look for recipes that use real butter
Avoid overly salty snacks
Carbs in popcorn
According to researchers, popcorn contains fewer calories than many foods we typically eat. It also doesn't contain much saturated fat, unlike some other snack foods like potato chips. This makes popcorn a better choice for those trying to lose weight or lower their cholesterol levels.
Researchers say that popcorn provides fiber, vitamins B6 and E, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc. But what about carbs? Are there too many in each serving? According to the American Heart Association, popcorn contains around 3.5 grams of net carbohydrates per cup. For comparison, one slice of bread has 11 grams of net carbs.
Fats in popcorn
Popcorn lovers know that air-popped corn is far superior to microwaved varieties. Air-popping popcorn delivers far less fat than conventional popping methods. The fat in corn is mostly unsaturated fatty acids — monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats help lower cholesterol, while polyunsaturated fats help prevent blood clots.
Trans fats, however, are another story. They are highly processed vegetable oil derivatives that are found in baked goods like cookies and crackers. These unhealthy fats raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels and decrease HDL ("good") cholesterol levels, both of which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Nutrition information for popcorn toppings
Popcorn lovers know how much fat and calories are packed into their favorite snack. But you might not realize just how many different toppings there are out there. While some people choose plain old air-popped corn, others go for butter, cheese, bacon bits, chili powder, garlic, herbs, jalapeños, ketchup, maple syrup, ranch dressing, salsa, sugar, and even hot sauce. If you want to make healthier choices, it’s important to understand what each topping does to the nutritional value of your popcorn.
Protein in popcorn
Popcorn contains about three grams of protein per cup. This doesn't sound like much, but it provides more protein than most people think. One cup of raw broccoli has nearly five times as many calories as popcorn, but just over half as much protein. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming 30 grams of protein every 24 hours could help you build muscle mass without gaining fat.
Vitamins and minerals
Popcorn contains a number of nutrients that are important for good health. Air-popped popcorn provides iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc - some of the most common micronutrients found in foods. Popcorn also supplies vitamin B6 and folate, both of which help maintain healthy blood levels. In addition, popcorn supplies manganese and selenium, which play a role in maintaining normal immune system function.
Calories in popcorn
Popcorn lovers are often told to eat it because it’s low in calories. But what do you really know about how many calories are in popcorn? A cup of popped corn contains 93 calories. Of those calories, 79 come from carbohydrates and 14 come from fat.
Fiber in popcorn
Fiber is a complex carbohydrate. Complex carbs are less processed than simple carbs, like refined sugar. Fiber promotes bowel regularity and controls cholesterol. It can keep you from gaining too much weight, and may even be able to prevent type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It has an important impact on your long-term health.
Popcorns contain approximately 6g of fiber. Men under 50 should consume 38g of fiber daily, while women under 50 should consume 25g of fiber daily. If you're over 50, you should consume about 30g of fiber daily for men, and 21g of fiber daily for women.
Why Choose Bad Monkey Popcorn?
Is popcorn a low-carb snack?
Nutritious popcorn is a great snack option for people following a low-carb diet because it doesn't contain a lot of carbohydrates. It's a healthy snack because it contains no fat, cholesterol, sodium, or added sugars. But did you know that there are actually two types of popcorn?
Regular corn kernels contain 3.5 g of carbohydrates per cup, while microwaveable varieties have 5 g of carbs per cup so you can enjoy a handful of popcorn without worrying about counting your daily carb allotment.
Low-carb diets and popcorn
Low-carb or keto dieters usually consume between 100 and 150 grams of carbohydrates each day. While on a low-carb or keto diet, you can enjoy a small serving of popcorn without feeling hungry afterward.
Fiber helps fill you up and the smaller portion size may help you avoid caving into cravings for cakes and cookies. If you decide to consume popcorn as your snack, you may need to limit other carbohydrate-rich foods for that day.
Can you eat popcorn on a keto diet?
If you want to enjoy popcorn while on a keto diet, there are plenty of ways to do it. You could try eating smaller portions or choosing lower-calorie varieties. You might also find that you like popcorn better when it’s baked rather than popped. Baking brings out the flavor of the kernels, and it makes the texture chewier and softer.
Keeping popcorn healthy
Adding too much salt or pouring on too much melted fat can cancel out the healthful properties of popcorn. For example, movie theater popcorn has very high levels of unhealthy saturated or trans fat, and loads of calories. You might want to limit this type of popcorn to a rare occasion or share a small serving with a friend.
Popcorn is one of the best snacks for weight loss because it has no calories and is low in fat. If you want to enjoy it without using any oils or butter, you can pop your own kernels at home. You can't decrease the carb content of popcorn by making it yourself, but you'll have more control over the amounts of fat, salt, and calories.
Health benefits of eating popcorn
Popcorn is high in fiber and protein. It’s also a good source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
It's loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.
The antioxidant lignans found in popcorn may help protect against cancer.
Eating popcorn can help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels.
The antioxidants found in popcorn may protect against certain types of cancer.
Popcorn contains tryptophan, which helps you sleep better.
It's easy on the digestive system.
Eating popcorn can help you lose weight.
Eating popcorn without a lot of butter or added salt can help you lower your blood pressure.
Considerations
Microwave popcorn is not quite as healthy as air-pops or stovetop popping, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. The academy recommends air-popping over microwaving because the former method produces less heat and allows the kernels to expand without bursting open, thereby retaining nutrients.
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Bad Monkey Popcorn was born in Montreal, Canada. The company was founded by two brothers and when they were children, their mother would call them her little bad monkeys! Now they are good monkeys that make tasty popcorn.
Bad Monkey Popcorn is currently one of the largest manufacturers of popcorn in North America & is distributed in over 7000 points of sale including Dollar General USA, Dollarama, Winners, DollarTree, Metro, Superstore and many more !
