Popcorn

terlywerly

Hi all,
Probably a totally daft question but on a scale of good healthy snacks to bad bad ones, where on the scale is popcorn?
I bought a popcorn maker in Lidl today (€12.99!) and its an air popper so no oil or butter involved, and I never add salt, so I was just wondering does anyone have a rough idea of the calories in air popped popcorn, and is it the type of food that should be avoided if I'm still trying to lose a few more lb? It recommends no less than one scoop of kernels (30g I think) to operate safely, and no more than 4 scoops. I know (obviously) you will get a large volume of popcorn from not many kernels but any advice would be great.
Cheers and sorry if its a totally daft question!

El_Dangeroso

Umm, 3??

Popcorn basically amounts to pure nutrition-less cardboard, except with more calories. Spikes blood sugar pretty bad too. It also contains this substance called 'Phytic acid' that blocks the absorption of magnesium and calcium from other foods you eat. You'd get more nutrition by not eating it! So yeah, fine every once in a while but definitely not one for the regular snack rotation IMO.

Khannie

Air popped popcorn is also fairly flavourless. It'll need some butter or something.

terlywerly

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

So yeah, fine every once in a while but definitely not one for the regular snack rotation IMO.

It'd just be for something to snack on when myself and the OH are watching a film or something, not something I'd eat every day. I wouldn't be that massive a popcorn fan. But I thought it'd be healthier than crisps or chocolate?

Khannie wrote: »

Air popped popcorn is also fairly flavourless. It'll need some butter or something.

I don't think I've ever had air popped before, so I'll have to see.

Thanks guys, I just don't wanna be eating it if there's absolutely no point, and I thought maybe it'd beat a bar of chocolate or half a tub of ice cream!

El_Dangeroso

terlywerly wrote: »

It'd just be for something to snack on when myself and the OH are watching a film or something, not something I'd eat every day. I wouldn't be that massive a popcorn fan. But I thought it'd be healthier than crisps or chocolate?


I don't think I've ever had air popped before, so I'll have to see.

Thanks guys, I just don't wanna be eating it if there's absolutely no point, and I thought maybe it'd beat a bar of chocolate or half a tub of ice cream!

Oh for sure it's better than a bar of choc don't get me wrong!

Can you add fat to the popcorn? That would actually help blunt the blood sugar response and if it's a once in a while treat you might as well go the whole hog and add some melted butter on top :pac:

terlywerly

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

Oh for sure it's better than a bar of choc don't get me wrong!

Can you add fat to the popcorn? That would actually help blunt the blood sugar response and if it's a once in a while treat you might as well go the whole hog and add some melted butter on top :pac:

I never really liked butter popcorn so I'm not sure how that'd go. If anything I'd say I'd grab the salt, but that's probably making things worse again!
Any recommendations for something I could add in? Or even eat alongside it that would help the blood sugar response?

El_Dangeroso

terlywerly wrote: »

I never really liked butter popcorn so I'm not sure how that'd go. If anything I'd say I'd grab the salt, but that's probably making things worse again!
Any recommendations for something I could add in? Or even eat alongside it that would help the blood sugar response?

Salt's fine to add, as long as your not eating tonnes of it in your other food, and even then the evidence against it is very hit and miss. If concerned use lo-salt instead.

Hmmm, some protein? Thought cheese but that sounds pretty disgusting! What does popcorn usually go with? Besides a large coke and family bag of maltesers that is..

terlywerly

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

What does popcorn usually go with? Besides a large coke and family bag of maltesers that is..

Haha that's exactly what I thought!
Well I made some there with one scoop of kernels and threw a bit of salt over it when it was done. Bit bland, but better than a huge bag of crisps anyway. I use the lo-salt as I am, and add it to next to nothing that I cook. A drum of salt lasts me years!
Speaking of things that are odd to go with popcorn, when I was in uni and went to the cinema I used to ask for a small popcorn box filled half and half with popcorn and the corn chips for doing the nachos. Very very odd. I used to get weird looks and was asked once was it a pregnancy craving

Dotcomdolly

There's some ideas for diff toppings here on ww site

terlywerly

Dotcomdolly wrote: »

There's some ideas for diff toppings here on ww site

Ooh, spicy popcorn sounds interesting, may try that the next time! Cheers!