Microwave Popcorn

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luvmytwins02
luvmytwins02 Posts: 71
in Food and Nutrition
I know, this is not a healthy snack, but it is my downfall! Anyway, I am new to calorie counting, and I am confused by the package. It says, 2 tbsp unpoped is 210cal. and 1 cup popped is 40 cal. Why do the measure the calories in an unpoppped bag? Which number to I go by? Obviously I eat it popped, but is it really only 40 calories popped?

Thanks!

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  • luvmytwins02
    luvmytwins02 Posts: 71
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    I know, this is not a healthy snack, but it is my downfall! Anyway, I am new to calorie counting, and I am confused by the package. It says, 2 tbsp unpoped is 210cal. and 1 cup popped is 40 cal. Why do the measure the calories in an unpoppped bag? Which number to I go by? Obviously I eat it popped, but is it really only 40 calories popped?

    Thanks!
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
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    yup, popcorn is pretty low in calories usually... unless you're piling on butter. watch out for sodium though. I don't know why they tell you what it is unpopped... I don't think anyone out there eats it unpopped.... lol. the popcorn I buy doesn't have anything about unpopped on the label, I just checked, lol. Go with the popped amount. But keep in mind you're probably going to eat more than a cup of it... At least I usually do when I have popcorn... a cup's not much. :bigsmile:
  • sculley
    sculley Posts: 2,012 Member
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    Honestly if I were you since I am a popcorn freak as well they have the 100 calorie box of popcorn at your local grocery store. They come in a bag that is 100 calories so no measuring and no pulling your hair out lol :) Have a great day!
  • luvmytwins02
    luvmytwins02 Posts: 71
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    I've been buying the snack bags, but I also do pop it on the stove and add salt and very little butter. I used to have popcorn as my night snack about 4 days a week. I am knocking that down to 2 now that I am dieting. Good to know which number I use!
  • jcummings69
    jcummings69 Posts: 183
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    In my opinion, popcorn is not a bad snack to have! It has fiber and protein, is low in calories and is filling! I love the 100 calorie Kettle corn!
  • brinmeliss
    brinmeliss Posts: 17
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    My personal trainer told me that popcorn is the best snack to eat when you are dieting. Here's the deal. Buy a regular size bag of popcorn, eat the whole bag!!!!! REALLY!!
    The entire popped amount equals about 5 cups of popcorn. Approximately 220 calories. Here's the other thing, when you pop it, all the oil that is in the bag does not get used. That's why they tell you how much it is when it's unpopped (more calories, the oil is not spread out) .

    She told me to watch my sodium for the rest of the day when I do eat the popcorn but other than that it's pretty good for you.

    Another tip is to pop 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels and use PAM spray liberally - you can use all the PAM you want and there is no calories in it. Good Luck MFP'S
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    I love popcorn. I make it myself on the stove with about a teaspoon of peanut oil. An enormous bowl made this way has about 200 calories. Instead of butter, and if I have a sweet craving, I add about three tablespoons of brown sugar as soon as the first kernel pops. Then I stir like crazy (old fashioned, crank-style popcorn stove popper). Then, for about 3- 4 hundred calories (depending on if I feel like sharing,) I get an enormous serving of "caramel corn". It is magical for those times when you must have something sweet, but don't want a lot of crap.

    Oh, and for the record, PAM is oil. There are calories in it. The reason it can say no calories on the package is because the serving size is so small, so the more you use, the closer it is to using actual oil. Just FYI. :flowerforyou:
  • luvmytwins02
    luvmytwins02 Posts: 71
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    It is good to know that my FAVORITE snack is not all that bad for me! GOOD NEWS!
  • julie737
    julie737 Posts: 406 Member
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    I was confused about this, too, so I went to one of the websites--it may have been Orville Redenbacher's--and it says they print the unpopped amounts because the government says they have to. They say to go by the calories in one cup of popped popcorn and multiply it by the amount of cups you eat.

    But I agree that microwave popcorn labels can be confusing, and microwave popcorn is one of my favorite snacks! But I also believe it's healthy, for the most part.
  • hahnwer
    hahnwer Posts: 4
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    LOVE POPCORN! They make it so easy with the 100 calorie snack packs. One thing that is also good to know....trans fat content (partially hydrogenated oils)...You want to watch your labels for that little tricky one. On the box they will say that it contains only a little bit, but most doctors agree that a little bit is too much. Act II and Pop Secret are brands that do not have any trans fats. There might be other brands with no trans fats with more and more people caring about what goes in their bodies.
  • emtink
    emtink Posts: 387 Member
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    In my opinion, popcorn is not a bad snack to have! It has fiber and protein, is low in calories and is filling! I love the 100 calorie Kettle corn!

    me too! had one on sautrday night with 100 cal can of dr. pepper:drinker:
  • hamilton4beaumont
    hamilton4beaumont Posts: 122 Member
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    I thought it was a great snack too. I like to put a packet of splenda in a bag of 94% fat free and shake it with a little spray butter. SOmetimes, I'll shake a little cinnamon in it too for a sweet treat or chili powder for spicy snack! I just enter the calories as they are listed on this site. The bag says 5 cups popped, but i measured and it made 8! Guess my microwave is good.

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