popped versus unpopped

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jaecamp1
jaecamp1 Posts: 120 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This may seem like a dumb question, but when I enter in popcorn do I use the popped or unpopped calories count? Of course I pop it, does anyone eat it without popping it? When I scan the box it comes up with the unpopped count. Now that I've eaten the whole bag I don't want to under (or over) estimate by 300+ calories. What is the difference between the two to make such a huge difference calories wise? I can't possibly be the only one confused right?

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  • Pamela_June
    Pamela_June Posts: 341 Member
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    you are absoultly not the only one....
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
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    Does the package have recommended preparation directions that might include adding melted butter?
  • PunkinSpice79
    PunkinSpice79 Posts: 309 Member
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    Great question. I'm also curious. Plus, I notice the bag always says "3 cups popped," but it ends up being almost DOUBLE that. Seriously confusing...
  • luckynky
    luckynky Posts: 123 Member
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    This may seem like a dumb question, but when I enter in popcorn do I use the popped or unpopped calories count? Of course I pop it, does anyone eat it without popping it? When I scan the box it comes up with the unpopped count. Now that I've eaten the whole bag I don't want to under (or over) estimate by 300+ calories. What is the difference between the two to make such a huge difference calories wise? I can't possibly be the only one confused right?
    Of course you are not expected to eat it that way, but to measure it that way. Then pop it, then eat it. The calories don't change if you airpop it, they do it you add oil, but you add the oil in seperately. The reason why they give you an unpopped amount is accuracy.

    But how can she open a bag and measure it unpopped first if it's a bag of microwave popcorn? That doesn't seem like it would work, so if you're eating microwave popcorn in a bag, you'd need to measure popped kernals.

    If you want, you could just buy a bag of kernals, some brown paper lunch bags, and make your own microwave popcorn. It's just 1/2 cup kernals, add a teaspoon of oil and mix, then put in the bag, fold over the top edge about 4 times, place in microwave and hit your popcorn button. Easy and less fattening.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    This may seem like a dumb question, but when I enter in popcorn do I use the popped or unpopped calories count? Of course I pop it, does anyone eat it without popping it? When I scan the box it comes up with the unpopped count. Now that I've eaten the whole bag I don't want to under (or over) estimate by 300+ calories. What is the difference between the two to make such a huge difference calories wise? I can't possibly be the only one confused right?
    Of course you are not expected to eat it that way, but to measure it that way. Then pop it, then eat it. The calories don't change if you airpop it, they do it you add oil, but you add the oil in seperately. The reason why they give you an unpopped amount is accuracy.

    But how can she open a bag and measure it unpopped first if it's a bag of microwave popcorn? That doesn't seem like it would work, so if you're eating microwave popcorn in a bag, you'd need to measure popped kernals.

    If you want, you could just buy a bag of kernals, some brown paper lunch bags, and make your own microwave popcorn. It's just 1/2 cup kernals, add a teaspoon of oil and mix, then put in the bag, fold over the top edge about 4 times, place in microwave and hit your popcorn button. Easy and less fattening.

    Any ready to microwave bags of popcorn are going to have calorie information based on the bag. She is referring to buying unpopped popcorn kernels and popping your own popcorn.
  • jaecamp1
    jaecamp1 Posts: 120 Member
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    Just in a bag of Orville Redenbacher or something similar. Even in air popped it lists it this way too. But even if 2 tbsp unpopped equals 1 cup popped, and if I measure it all, would I use the 160 cal or 30? The rest of the day will really stink if I'm trying to make up for a 400 calories snack. Lol. It seems like on here its pretty much only uppopped amounts listed.
  • dakitten2
    dakitten2 Posts: 888 Member
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    The Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop popcorn that I buy show the unpopped and the popped as the same amount: 100 calories.
  • BrienJD
    BrienJD Posts: 541 Member
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    I hate trying to figure out popcorn. It also depends on what you pop it in. I know, no help....just thought I'd chime in:smile:
  • lsmsrbls
    lsmsrbls Posts: 232 Member
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    This may seem like a dumb question, but when I enter in popcorn do I use the popped or unpopped calories count? Of course I pop it, does anyone eat it without popping it? When I scan the box it comes up with the unpopped count. Now that I've eaten the whole bag I don't want to under (or over) estimate by 300+ calories. What is the difference between the two to make such a huge difference calories wise? I can't possibly be the only one confused right?
    Of course you are not expected to eat it that way, but to measure it that way. Then pop it, then eat it. The calories don't change if you airpop it, they do it you add oil, but you add the oil in seperately. The reason why they give you an unpopped amount is accuracy.

    But how can she open a bag and measure it unpopped first if it's a bag of microwave popcorn? That doesn't seem like it would work, so if you're eating microwave popcorn in a bag, you'd need to measure popped kernals.

    If you want, you could just buy a bag of kernals, some brown paper lunch bags, and make your own microwave popcorn. It's just 1/2 cup kernals, add a teaspoon of oil and mix, then put in the bag, fold over the top edge about 4 times, place in microwave and hit your popcorn button. Easy and less fattening.

    Any ready to microwave bags of popcorn are going to have calorie information based on the bag. She is referring to buying unpopped popcorn kernels and popping your own popcorn.

    I suspect you are incorrect.

    ETA: I replied before the OP's response posted that verified that you were incorrect. Sorry about that -- wasn't trying to be a jerk.
  • Querian
    Querian Posts: 419 Member
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    I usually use an air popper so I just measure the unpopped kernels but lately it has been in storage so I've gotten some bags of microwave popcorn and I agree IT IS INCREDIBLY CONFUSING! Please someone figure this out and let me know! I've basically been entering the whole bag as 7 cups popped but I could be totally wrong about what I'm doing :/
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    If you're using air popped then base it on the calories in unpopped kernels. If it's microwave popcorn then I think it's based on the popped kernels...I don't make microwave popcorn for that very reason!! (I know, that doesn't help you though.)
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Great question. I'm also curious. Plus, I notice the bag always says "3 cups popped," but it ends up being almost DOUBLE that. Seriously confusing...

    One bag is normally not just one serving. The bags that I have contain just under two servings in them when fully popped. I weight the popcorn once cooked when I use microwave popcorn. The nutritional information should have a weight listing for those 3 cups.

    I rarely use microwave bags of popcorn so when I make it I measure out the kernals, measure the oil and add both into the tracker.
  • jaecamp1
    jaecamp1 Posts: 120 Member
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    Great question. I'm also curious. Plus, I notice the bag always says "3 cups popped," but it ends up being almost DOUBLE that. Seriously confusing...

    One bag is normally not just one serving. The bags that I have contain just under two servings in them when fully popped. I weight the popcorn once cooked when I use microwave popcorn. The nutritional information should have a weight listing for those 3 cups.

    I rarely use microwave bags of popcorn so when I make it I measure out the kernals, measure the oil and add both into the tracker.

    This particular bag had 2.5 serving. To me, ya I'm going to eat pretty much the whole bag. My kids took some. For 75 calories that's a great snack. For 400 I'd have made myself a cheeseburger.
  • sparkle814
    sparkle814 Posts: 78 Member
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    I was really confused about this at one point too! I only have 100 calorie mini bags in my house right now, but if I recall correctly, the serving size is based on the unpopped kernels, and so if there are 2.5 servings per bag, you'd want to multiply the unpopped calories by 2.5 for the whole bag. (The confusing part is that they give you calories for unpopped and popped, but that amount of unpopped kernels does not equal that amount of popped. So stupid!) Hope that helps.

    Yeah I think a big bag of popcorn has several hundred calories, unfortunately. I love the mini bags!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,971 Member
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    Just in a bag of Orville Redenbacher or something similar. Even in air popped it lists it this way too. But even if 2 tbsp unpopped equals 1 cup popped, and if I measure it all, would I use the 160 cal or 30? The rest of the day will really stink if I'm trying to make up for a 400 calories snack. Lol. It seems like on here its pretty much only uppopped amounts listed.

    You just add your own "Food" entry into the database. Then you get what you paid for.

    Once you enter a food, it is easily found again in your "MY FOODS" tab. Those you enter are entered the way you want them.
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Great question. I'm also curious. Plus, I notice the bag always says "3 cups popped," but it ends up being almost DOUBLE that. Seriously confusing...

    One bag is normally not just one serving. The bags that I have contain just under two servings in them when fully popped. I weight the popcorn once cooked when I use microwave popcorn. The nutritional information should have a weight listing for those 3 cups.

    I rarely use microwave bags of popcorn so when I make it I measure out the kernals, measure the oil and add both into the tracker.

    This particular bag had 2.5 serving. To me, ya I'm going to eat pretty much the whole bag. My kids took some. For 75 calories that's a great snack. For 400 I'd have made myself a cheeseburger.

    If the bag had 2.5 servings in it, multiply the serving size information on the box by 2.5. Whether that is popped or unpopped you will get your amount. One bag of the buttery flavour has about 440 calories in it. I'm still confused as to why it's frustrating to figure it out. The information will be on the side of the box and there are tons in the database.

    This is one reason why I don't have microwave popcorn. I can make twice as much that tastes much better for less calories. It's nearly impossible to get one of those normal sized bags of microwave popcorn for 75 calories.

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