Microwave popcorn?

AmberElaine84
AmberElaine84 Posts: 964 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all!! Really quick (possibly silly) question about popcorn. I am looking at the nutrition facts on my kettle corn bag and it says that there are 3 servings per every 3 oz bag. There are 2 different calorie labels. It says 150 calories in 2 tablespoons of UNpopped corn. Then it says 35 cals per 1 cup of popped corn. Am I looking at a whole bag totaling 450 cals or 105 cals? I hope I'm not being dense, but I seriously can't figure it out! I have 700 extra cals tonight and I know I'm safe to eat more than one serving, but I'd just like to know for future reference. Thanks!!

Replies

  • JayAlexander
    JayAlexander Posts: 268 Member
    I can never figure those things out! Who eat UNpopped popcorn?? I gave up and ended up buying smart pop 100 calorie bags of kettle corn, one bag = 100 calories period!
  • AmberElaine84
    AmberElaine84 Posts: 964 Member
    I didn't know Smart Pop made 100 calorie kettle corn bags..I should have looked! I figured the EXACT same thing about the unpopped corn...who eats it unpopped? lol
  • doberfoell
    doberfoell Posts: 3 Member
    The information is clear as mud. What I do when I'm not sure is go to the company website and use "contact us" and ask your question.

    The other day we ordered from Olive Garden, but when I looked at their website for nutrition facts, it said 1 serving of zuppa toscana was 130 cal, but it didn't say what exactly was 1 serving. Turns out the take out soup and salad contains 2 servings.
  • MichelleWagner50
    MichelleWagner50 Posts: 240 Member
    Who eats unpopped corn?? I would go with the popped corn, 1 cup serving information though. Good luck and enjoy!
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
    Pop the bag and use a measuring cup to count how many cups you end up with. It probably varies anyway depending on how many unpopped ones you end up with which you're not gonna eat.
  • mc63
    mc63 Posts: 5
    Each tablespoon makes a little more than 2 cups. It's just giving the calorie information for what is currently in the bag, before you pop it (not necessarily thinking that you're going to eat the kernels straight out of the bag). This is similar to any food that requires preparation. They usually tell you nutritional information unprepared and then a second column for if you prepare it based on the instructions. Therefore, your 2 tablespoons of kernels would be 150 calories unprepared but would equal a little more than 4 cups when prepared...If each cup popped equals 35 calories (as stated on your box/bag) then 4 cups would equal about 140 calories (pretty much the same as the 150 when unprepared). I think companies are required to report the nutritional info. when unprepared and if you have to prepare the food, the nutritional content after prepared. I hope this helps!
  • mc63
    mc63 Posts: 5
    ...and just to add on about the servings in a bag...Each bag should have about 6 tablespoons of kernels (3 servings x 2 tablespoons per serving). With 150 calories per serving UNpopped, that will equal 450 calories in the bag. If you pop the whole bag of kernels, you will end up with a little more than 12 cups of popcorn (since each tablespoon of kernels makes about 2 cups of popcorn). If a cup is 35 calories, then 12 cups x 35 calories equals 420 calories...a little more than 12 cups that the bag of kernels makes will therefore equal the 450 calories if the entire bag is popped. If you eat the whole bag, you will eat 450 calories.
  • AmberElaine84
    AmberElaine84 Posts: 964 Member
    Thank you all for your input!! I haven't even gotten around to eating it. And now my brain is buzzing with multiplication problems, LOL.
  • kimmrdodge
    kimmrdodge Posts: 190 Member
    LOL I had the exact same experience last night. I was like "what the heck?" Just tell me how many calories are in the popped version, please! Took me a few mins to figure it out. I really don't understand the point of labeling it like that?
  • girlruns
    girlruns Posts: 344
    mc63 is correct. I just ignore the unpopped version. But there are more than three cups popped in a bag. I usually just use a glass measuring cup as my bowl, so I know how many cups I am eating. I love popcorn and almost always will eat a whole bag, so I like to save up so I can. Enjoy it if you have it!
  • amillward27
    amillward27 Posts: 21
    I know you said that you didn't realize that they self single serving kettle corn and neither did I! But I found that jolly time has kettle corn popcorn, single serving bags, 100 calories each. They are endorsed by weight watchers and they characterize it at 1 point. It is so so good! You should try it :-) But good luck with figuring out the whole calorie thing on the box, i don't knwo why they make it so confusing!
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