popcorn good or bad?

flippy1234
flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
edited November 24 in Food and Nutrition
Is popcorn a good or bad snack? I eat it with just a little salt. Or should I find something else? Trying to lose some weight.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    I love popcorn, and have a huge bowl a couple times a week. About 350 calories for me...I use coconut oil and butter, though. I make it the old fashioned way, in a pan on the stovetop. Lots of fiber, which is great.
  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
    I eat the 100 calorie bags often- as long as it is within your calorie range- it is "good to go"
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
    It’s a good snack if you like to eat it and it fits your calorie goals.
  • kam26001
    kam26001 Posts: 2,794 Member
    Boom Chicka Pop - Light Kettle Corn. It's really good and low in calories.
  • Erfw7471
    Erfw7471 Posts: 242 Member
    edited January 2018
    I just finished a bowl - it's a great way for me to get a good amount of fiber in. 40 grams of kernals is 130 cals, 24 carbs (6 fiber), 3 protein. I use an air popper then toss with either 14 g melted butter or light spread & whatever seasonings I'm in the mood for.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    You know, like a lot of things, it just depends on context.

    My meals tend to be low fat so I depend on high fat snacks ( nuts, cheese, fat bombs, etc) many days. But if I pre-log my day and I'm fine on fat but low on fiber, I'm going to have a popcorn snack and love every bite. (I airpop with no fat added.)

    Popcorn is awesome fiber and a little protein for not too many calories. It can certainly help you hit your macro & calorie goals.
  • Fitnessmom82
    Fitnessmom82 Posts: 376 Member
    I love SkinnyPop!! You can eat a ton and it's low calorie!
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Delicious! And usually fits my calories unless I'm going for an obviously calorie-dense option (Movie theater popcorn, caramel corn-cheddar corn combo, I'm looking at you!).
  • AlyssaPetsDogs
    AlyssaPetsDogs Posts: 421 Member
    I love popcorn! I will regularly have air popped popcorn. I don’t even need salt - it’s something about the crunch.
    When we have family movie nights and I’m going to just cheat/not log, I make it the old fashioned way on the stove with butter, oil, salt!
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    Plain popcorn is not a problem. It's only a problem when you start adding salt & butter to it.

    I can make 2 quarts of popcornq w/only 1/4 cup of popcorn kernals and 2 tbsp of olive oil to start it popping (w/o burning) in the wok that I use to make it.

    That's about 210 cals for the corn and 220 cals for the oil - 430 cals, total. I usually split it 50/50 w/my GF when watching a movie on TV. So, popcorn is about 215 cals/quart or about 55 cals/cup to me.

    Add butter and that's an extra 100 cals/tbsp, which is about 90% pure fat. Add salt and that's about 2400mg/tsp; 1500mg/day is the limit recommended by the American Heart Association.

    Just plain popcorn for me.



  • mabearof6
    mabearof6 Posts: 684 Member
    kam26001 wrote: »
    Boom Chicka Pop - Light Kettle Corn. It's really good and low in calories.

    I absolutely LOVE this stuff!
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Good or bad for what?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    murp4069 wrote: »
    It’s a good snack if you like to eat it and it fits your calorie goals.

    This. I like it, it's one of my favorite snacks although you remind me I have not had it lately.

    I tend to pop mine with coconut oil or, if I want to save calories, I have a popper thing you can use with kernels in the microwave and then I spritz it with olive oil.

    I don't like popcorn without salt -- and see zero reason why I should eat it without salt -- and so log the cals from the oil.
  • alicebhsia
    alicebhsia Posts: 178 Member
    edited January 2018
    i find popcorn to actually be fairly high calorie but then i'll eat like a whole bowl of it with tons of salt. if you can control your portion size then it's probably fine. be careful chewing though, i cracked a molar real bad on a popcorn kernel once. (i pop mine in oil in a pan.)
  • BeccaLoves2lift
    BeccaLoves2lift Posts: 375 Member
    I actually enjoy eating plain air popped popcorn, very low in cals. Occasionally I'll add a bit of coconut oil, a sprinkle of sugar and salt.
  • JillianRumrill
    JillianRumrill Posts: 335 Member
    As long as you're not eating anything drowning in butter or salt, it's fine. I like the smartpop 35 calorie white cheddar.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    edited January 2018
    Let's re-frame your question in a new way:

    NO: "Is popcorn good or bad?" (Because on MFP there's no food off limits.)
    YES: "Will popcorn fit in my calorie allotment?"

    The "Will popcorn fit in my calorie allotment?" question is much more useful. Now you have to go look at your calorie allotment and figure that out. If you're tracking macros (fiber, fat, sodium, etc.) that's additional guidance on what's a good fit in your plan for today.

    I'm guessing the answer will likely be popcorn being a great food in your day. For me, it was a filling, yummy, easy food that is pretty low calorie as long as not too much butter is added. It's also something you can find in any grocery store, it's cheap, you can stick some microwave popcorn in a desk drawer at work, and it's a nice normal food that is a crowd pleaser.

    Big takeaway: MFP demands that you learn what works for YOU. There are no "good" or "bad" foods. There are foods that fit easily into your diet, and ones that will not. It's up to you to actually do a little bit of research, a little bit of planning, and a little bit of reflection. But it's worth it because then you don't depend so much on other people to make choices.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    I can eat the whole bag for 300-400 calories as part of dinner. I enjoy it. However, after unknowingly getting a husk stuck in my gum and having an infection, I don't eat it now.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Unless you are insulin resistant or diabetic it's fine.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's neither good nor bad...
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,246 Member
    Love it, but have to enjoy only occasionally because I can't just eat a small amount. I use an air-popper and then add a scant amount of butter and salt then munch down the whole bowl. A friend here on MFP suggested adding nutritional yeast and that makes for an interesting "cheesy" flavor without a ton of calories.

    As far as the popcorn hulls getting stuck in your gums, it's a calculated risk. A water pik takes care of that issue!

  • fatal_degree
    fatal_degree Posts: 22 Member
    1/4 cup air popped with a light spray of coconut oil from the can, topped with fake cheese powder or a light salt or salt & 1tsp sugar for the "kettle" experience...mmmm Low cal and great for after dinner munchie attacks

    In the summer I do a farm market where my neighbor vendor has a 100yo cast iron corn popper....he does a caramel blended with bacon & cheddar corn, it makes my heart sing when I get a "perfect bite" where all 3 are together. I don't even want to know what the cals in his is, but in the summer I am active enough to not worry 'bout it.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I loooooooooooooooooooooooooove popcorn. It's a regular part of my diet. Helps ya poop, and gives you a nice salty fix. Nice volume for 150 calories for the pre-popped and seasoned stuff. I can moderate it better than I can salty chips, so it's a win for me.
  • tarun_yadavA
    tarun_yadavA Posts: 1,411 Member
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    Is popcorn a good or bad snack? I eat it with just a little salt. Or should I find something else? Trying to lose some weight.

    Its better than Nachos and cheese dip when watching a movie
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