Have you ever asked yourself “is popcorn healthy?” If so, we’ve got some great news for you—yes it is. Eating popcorn is one of the healthiest snack habits you can have. It’s filled with fiber, has more antioxidants than some fruits and vegetables, and may even help fight cancer.
Popcorn could be the perfect healthy snack
When you wonder: “Is popcorn healthy?” you have to narrow down the type of popcorn you’re munching on. If it’s air-popped popcorn—not the fatty, butter-drenched stuff you get at the movies—then you’ll be happy about the answer. Read on to learn more about why air-popped popcorn is actually a healthy snack option, and why you can add it to your list of healthy snacks for adults.
It has few calories—if you pop it the right way
The healthiest type of popcorn is air-popped, which only has 30 calories per cup. Meanwhile, the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that the medium and large popcorn sizes at Regal theaters each had 1,200 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat. A large popcorn at AMC wasn’t much better: 1,030 calories and 57 grams of saturated fat. At home, you can use a hot air popper, like this Cuisinart Hot Air Popcorn Maker or Colonel Popper Microwave Popcorn Popper Bowl to make your own.
Popcorn could be healthier than fruits and vegetables
Yep, you read that right. According to a 2019 analysis in the journal Antioxidants, popcorn is loaded with polyphenols, compounds found in plants that act as antioxidants and reduce inflammation. Polyphenols are heavily diluted in fruits and vegetables, which are 90 percent water. Yet popcorn is made up of about 4 percent water, so the polyphenols are more highly concentrated, especially in the hulls (the hard shells that get stuck in your teeth). One serving of popcorn can contain up to 300 mg of polyphenols, according to a prior study from the University of Scranton, which would account for 13 percent of the average American’s daily intake. Fruit accounts for 255 mg of polyphenols per day, and vegetables bring in about 218 mg per day. That said, popcorn doesn’t have many other vitamins and nutrients, so it can’t completely replace fruits and veggies in your diet.