Popcorn healthy snack?

lolo32015
lolo32015 Posts: 11
edited November 14 in Health and Weight Loss
Is a popcorn a healthy snack? My friend things it is but I dont see how with all that butter and salt. So is it I plan on going to the movies on Friday and getting me a small popcorn if it is healthy or okay.

Someone please help!
«1

Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited March 2015
    Log it and see if it fits into your calorie goal. You don't have to get the butter, you know.
    If it doesn't fit into your goal, and you still want it-you can go over your deficit a little if you're due for a treat.

    There's nothing unhealthy about popcorn. Weight loss is about calories in/calories out. And popcorn is awesome.
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
    I have popcorn almost every day. Either white cheddar popcorn or light butter microwave popcorn. Movie popcorn will likely have more calories, but if it fits into your cals then it's fine.
  • lolo32015
    lolo32015 Posts: 11
    edited March 2015
    Thank you! @arditarose‌ and @MysticRealm‌
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Everything in moderation.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    You can eat anything you like so long as it fits into your daily calorie allowance and your hitting your nutritional requirement (macros and micros). Check the database to get an idea of how many calories it is (I have no idea what a small sized US movie popcorn would be in terms of number of cups, so you'll need to estimate that). Here's an entry I pulled at random (nb that cal count is for 1 cup only, no way it will be that small). Armed with that knowledge you can plan ahead to work it into your day and save up some calories towards it if necessary.

    m9kphp2j7k1r.png
  • joepratt503
    joepratt503 Posts: 191 Member
    Quaker rice cakes (kinda like popcorn) are great. White cheddar are 45 cal, 8 carb, 0 fat per...I use them as snacks. The Apple ones (also no fat) go good with peanut/almond butter if you have fat to give :)
  • GoGoMary4
    GoGoMary4 Posts: 33 Member
    I like it air popped with chili powder, it makes me not miss the butter and salt.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    Oh, just to note, that example shows kilojoules, not calories, cos that's what I work in :)
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
    Honestly, I'd pack an oversize purse with Skinny Pop popcorn and bring my own ;) No popcorn in a movie theatre chain is going to be "healthy" but if you make your own, you're in control of what goes on it.

    http://www.thedailymeal.com/how-unhealthy-movie-theater-popcorn
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    amy8400 wrote: »
    Honestly, I'd pack an oversize purse with Skinny Pop popcorn and bring my own ;) No popcorn in a movie theatre chain is going to be "healthy" but if you make your own, you're in control of what goes on it.

    http://www.thedailymeal.com/how-unhealthy-movie-theater-popcorn

    So this says a small popcorn without butter is 225 calories and 11 grams of fat. I think that's incredible! Helps me hit my fat macro too. Even the medium at 430 isn't bad. I'm always going to get movie theater popcorn now. Thank you.
  • lolo32015
    lolo32015 Posts: 11
    Nice love it @amy8400
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    Air popped corn is a great healthy snack, higher in protein and fiber than many others and quite filling for the calories. All the butter/salt/seasoning is an option and to some would make it a whole lots less "healthy". I have popcorn at least a couple times a week with some melted butter and salt, sometimes I add some sweetener/sugar and a dash of cinnamon, it really kills the craving for baking.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    I eat every night a huge bowl of air-popped popcorn
    With butter spray and seasoning from Kernel ( they have different kinds of taste from salt to sweet)

    For months now. It it is healthy??? no idea. But it is my snack to nibble on in the night. They fit in my calorie allowance so why not eat them? And i lost almost 75 pounds in the last 5 months.

    You can cut out every little joy you have in life but that doesn't make it more pleasant ( read healthy)

    What does it matter that you eat or drink something on a night out? As long there are no medical issues. You just have to get back to portion control and moderation the next day.

  • lolo32015
    lolo32015 Posts: 11
    Where can you get air popcorn @GoGoMary4‌ and @maroonmango211
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    I eat every night a huge bowl of air-popped popcorn
    With butter spray and seasoning from Kernel ( they have different kinds of taste from salt to sweet)

    For months now. It it is healthy??? no idea. But it is my snack to nibble on in the night. They fit in my calorie allowance so why not eat them? And i lost almost 75 pounds in the last 5 months.

    You can cut out every little joy you have in life but that doesn't make it more pleasant ( read healthy)

    What does it matter that you eat or drink something on a night out? As long there are no medical issues. You just have to get back to portion control and moderation the next day.

    What's up with the butter spray? How can you tell the calorie count? Also, do you air pop yours in the microwave or do you have an air popper?
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    I buy popping corn from my local grocery, I usually go for the brand name as I find store brand or no name just dont pop as well (probably stale) and pop them stove top with a couple drops of water or in my air popper (can be gotten in most small home electronics sections). I've seen people make it in the microwave in paper bags too, I just personally haven't tried it.
  • GoGoMary4
    GoGoMary4 Posts: 33 Member
    @lolo32015 I make it at home with an air popper but you can make it on the stove with out oil or butter http://www.livestrong.com/article/443084-how-to-cook-popcorn-without-oil/
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    maroonmango211 wrote: »
    I buy popping corn from my local grocery, I usually go for the brand name as I find store brand or no name just dont pop as well (probably stale) and pop them stove top with a couple drops of water or in my air popper (can be gotten in most small home electronics sections). I've seen people make it in the microwave in paper bags too, I just personally haven't tried it.

    Yeah, this is what I've been wondering. If it's a pain in the butt I will just get a popper. I get frustrated easily ha.
  • MyM0wM0w
    MyM0wM0w Posts: 2,008 Member
    I'm with Amy. I always pull out my big purse that I only use for movies then head to the grocery store. I get one of those premade melon salads and a package of nuts. I also grab a bottle of water because the theater costs double the price of the grocery store.

    Healthy fats from the nuts give me my salt kick and the sugar from the yummy melon gives me my fruit.

    Oh, another one is tangerines. I peel them at home and put the slices in a container. YUM!
  • Sydking
    Sydking Posts: 317 Member
    air popped with chicken salt and pizza topper hebs is OK

    Butter and oil adds hundreds of cals per cup its not worth it
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    I have an air popper.
    the butter spray is zero calories for 1/5 second or so. But i dont do it that way
    the whole spray is 470 calories so i tested how long i do with a spray and divided that amount in the calories that i quickly added every day. This amount of quickly add calories is for the lemon juice i use and the butter / olive and other spray's So for the products that dont give an calorie amount because it is under the 5 calories per serving

    But my popcorn is about 250 calories ( i have an double portion each night) For a big big bowl. It is 80 gram of popcorn un-popped So it is more than those bags you pop in the microwave about 2.5 more is my guess.

    The Kernel seasoning is also zero calories. You have white cheddar/garlic Parmesan/sweet/ chocolate caramel/ bacon and some other kind of tastes.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    I have an air popper.
    the butter spray is zero calories for 1/5 second or so. But i dont do it that way
    the whole spray is 470 calories so i tested how long i do with a spray and divided that amount in the calories that i quickly added every day. This amount of quickly add calories is for the lemon juice i use and the butter / olive and other spray's So for the products that dont give an calorie amount because it is under the 5 calories per serving

    But my popcorn is about 250 calories ( i have an double portion each night) For a big big bowl. It is 80 gram of popcorn un-popped So it is more than those bags you pop in the microwave about 2.5 more is my guess.

    The Kernel seasoning is also zero calories. You have white cheddar/garlic Parmesan/sweet/ chocolate caramel/ bacon and some other kind of tastes.

    Interesting. I am a high volume eater so I'm considering getting a popper. I haven't seen those seasonings either.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    1d9bz5e60b39.jpg
    9b7wm92pge2w.jpg

    Fun part the seasoning is also great in salads and meats

    I made some lovely chicken the day before with some lemon juice, Dash spices, and a little bit of the kernel bacon seasoning. it was nom nom nom
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    1d9bz5e60b39.jpg
    9b7wm92pge2w.jpg

    Fun part the seasoning is also great in salads and meats

    I made some lovely chicken the day before with some lemon juice, Dash spices, and a little bit of the kernel bacon seasoning. it was nom nom nom

    Thanks for the tip. Maybe I'll get into this.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    I have an air popper.
    the butter spray is zero calories for 1/5 second or so. But i dont do it that way
    the whole spray is 470 calories so i tested how long i do with a spray and divided that amount in the calories that i quickly added every day. This amount of quickly add calories is for the lemon juice i use and the butter / olive and other spray's So for the products that dont give an calorie amount because it is under the 5 calories per serving

    But my popcorn is about 250 calories ( i have an double portion each night) For a big big bowl. It is 80 gram of popcorn un-popped So it is more than those bags you pop in the microwave about 2.5 more is my guess.

    The Kernel seasoning is also zero calories. You have white cheddar/garlic Parmesan/sweet/ chocolate caramel/ bacon and some other kind of tastes.

    Interesting. I am a high volume eater so I'm considering getting a popper. I haven't seen those seasonings either.
    Well me too in the evening
    i love to snack
    And this is marvelous when you want to eat a couple of hundred of something hehehehe
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    What about frozen mint peas. Like a summer time popcorn substitute.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    I have an air popper.
    the butter spray is zero calories for 1/5 second or so. But i dont do it that way
    the whole spray is 470 calories so i tested how long i do with a spray and divided that amount in the calories that i quickly added every day. This amount of quickly add calories is for the lemon juice i use and the butter / olive and other spray's So for the products that dont give an calorie amount because it is under the 5 calories per serving

    But my popcorn is about 250 calories ( i have an double portion each night) For a big big bowl. It is 80 gram of popcorn un-popped So it is more than those bags you pop in the microwave about 2.5 more is my guess.

    The Kernel seasoning is also zero calories. You have white cheddar/garlic Parmesan/sweet/ chocolate caramel/ bacon and some other kind of tastes.

    Interesting. I am a high volume eater so I'm considering getting a popper. I haven't seen those seasonings either.
    Well me too in the evening
    i love to snack
    And this is marvelous when you want to eat a couple of hundred of something hehehehe

    Yeah, I love to see how far 200 calories can go with something you LIKE. I'm all for moderation, but if I find something really low cal that I love and can eat a large quantity of, I'm in.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    btw the butter spray is for sale at Walmart. I had the Kernel's and some other brands. Kernel is very good.

    One day sold out and i really wanted my popcorn in the evening so i bought the Winona brand, and its gooooood lol
    Much better taste then other brands and when you spray it on you even can smell it.
    so i switched to that one.

  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    I have an air popper.
    the butter spray is zero calories for 1/5 second or so. But i dont do it that way
    the whole spray is 470 calories so i tested how long i do with a spray and divided that amount in the calories that i quickly added every day. This amount of quickly add calories is for the lemon juice i use and the butter / olive and other spray's So for the products that dont give an calorie amount because it is under the 5 calories per serving

    But my popcorn is about 250 calories ( i have an double portion each night) For a big big bowl. It is 80 gram of popcorn un-popped So it is more than those bags you pop in the microwave about 2.5 more is my guess.

    The Kernel seasoning is also zero calories. You have white cheddar/garlic Parmesan/sweet/ chocolate caramel/ bacon and some other kind of tastes.

    Interesting. I am a high volume eater so I'm considering getting a popper. I haven't seen those seasonings either.
    Well me too in the evening
    i love to snack
    And this is marvelous when you want to eat a couple of hundred of something hehehehe

    Yeah, I love to see how far 200 calories can go with something you LIKE. I'm all for moderation, but if I find something really low cal that I love and can eat a large quantity of, I'm in.

    well i eat at the moment a double portion because i can fit it in. But even 1 serving so 40 grams is a very decent bowl of popcorn. And only 120 calories without seasoning and butter. So say 125 all together. And it is more than the microwaveable bags.

  • lllwallace
    lllwallace Posts: 8
    A good recipe (in my opinion): Hot air popped corn. In a plastic bag put equal amounts of melted butter and lime juice, a dash (or more) of Tabasco sauce and salt to taste, toss in the corn and shake it up. If you use a bag or covered bowl this way to disperse the butter evenly with the shaking action you get away with using a lot less butter or olive oil. I just can't eat it plain, so it is just a sometime treat. I use the covered bowl shake for tossed salads and get by with much less dressing - hardly any.
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