The DU Lounge

Popcorn is one of the world’s healthiest and most popular snack foods.

It is loaded with important nutrients and offers a variety of health benefits.

However, it is sometimes prepared with large amounts of fat, sugar and salt, which can drive overeating.

For this reason, it is very important to prepare your popcorn the right way.

It can be either super healthy or very unhealthy, depending on how you prepare it.


This is the nutrient content of a 28.35-gram (1-oz) serving of air-popped popcorn (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source):

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.029 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 0.655 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): 0.045 mg
Iron: 0.904 mg
Magnesium: 40.8 mg
Phosphorus: 101 mg
Potassium: 93.3 mg
Zinc: 0.873 mg
Copper: 0.074 mg
Manganese: 0.315 mg

This is coming with a total of 110 calories, 3.36 grams of protein,
22.1 grams of carbs and 1.29 grams of fat.

This serving also contains a whopping 4.11 grams of fiber, which
is extremely high. It makes it one of the world’s best sources of fiber.

How to make healthy popcorn

Popcorn made on the stove or in an air-popper are going to be the healthiest options.

Here’s a simple recipe to make healthy popcorn:

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil.
1/2 cup popcorn kernels.
1/2 teaspoon salt.

Directions

Place oil and kernels into a large pot and cover it.
Cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until the popping almost stops.
Remove from heat and pour into a serving bowl.
Season with salt.

Here is a quick video that shows you how to make super healthy popcorn in a matter of minutes:

You can add additional flavor by topping it with fresh herbs or spices. If you want something sweet, try drizzling it with natural nut butter or sprinkling it with cinnamon or shavings of dark chocolate.

For an added health benefit, sprinkle it with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast has a nutty-cheesy flavor and contains several important nutrients, including protein, fiber, B-vitamins and several minerals (30Trusted Source).