The benefits and harms of Popcorn:
Prepared popcorn is not very healthy due to its high salt content, but it is rather low in calories. If you do not add butter or oil used for cooking, which contains a large amount of saturated fat, the original composition of this product is almost unchanged.
The next table shows the nutritional value of one cup (28 g) popcorn without addition:
Carbohydrates 13 g, Protein 3g, Fat 1g. The calorie content is about 160 kcal per 100 g.
The second important point to consider – exposure to chemicals that are part of the composition of microwave popcorn. The exhaust gases produced during frying contain diacetyl, whose inhalation can cause bronchiolitis obliterans – “popcorn workers ‘ disease”, or “popcorn lung”. The problem of diacetyl is not only the danger to health but also that it imparts a specific taste to popcorn. Diacetyl can also be found in some biscuits, jam, and jelly.
Even if you buy microwave popcorn without the addition of diacetyl, it will still contain chemicals with potential carcinogenic properties.
It has long been known that these popcorns are flavored with artificial sweeteners (such as saccharin) and natural flavors (usually obtained from soybean extract), which act on brain receptors responsible for regulating satiety.
It is possible that this mechanism is responsible for the fact that people who often eat popcorn tend to gain weight. Popcorn can cause cavities because it is not washed down with saliva.
Benefits of popcorn for weight loss:
It can help in weight loss, in many ways. It’s one of the foods that is allowed when you are on a diet because it has little calories in it and at the same time, helps fill your stomach making you eat less during meals. And since popcorn usually doesn’t have any sugar or fat, its consumption will not hinder weight loss. It just fills up the space that would’ve been filled with other “non-allowed” food items.
As far as benefits for weight loss go… here they are:
1. Popcorn helps keep your intestinal tract moving (keeping constipation at bay).
2. Popcorn contains 4 grams of fiber which helps make you feel full faster helping prevent overeating.
3. Fiber also helps with digestion.
4. The American Cancer Society recommends popcorn as a snack among cancer patients because it’s not fattening and is easy to digest.
5. Popcorn fiber helps the body rid itself of toxins so if you have been exposed to carbonated drinks, tobacco products, etc.,
Benefits of popcorn for skin:
The same fiber that helps with digestion also can help your skin look good. It doesn’t have any oil content so it won’t clog pores and on top of that, it keeps the body moisturized thus preventing dryness of the skin.
Benefits of popcorn for bones:
Popcorn is one of those foods that’s allowed during weight loss programs because it has few calories and at the same time, fills you up making you eat less during meals which results in faster weight loss. And since popcorn usually doesn’t have any sugar or fat, its consumption will not hinder weight loss.
It just fills up the space that would’ve been filled with other “non-allowed” food items. And as we know now, there are many benefits of popcorn, one is helping keep your bones strong. Popcorn contains hydroxyapatite which is the hygroscopic inorganic calcium phosphate found in teeth and bones. So when you eat popcorn, it can help strengthen your bones too.
Benefits of popcorn for diabetics:
Popcorn is low-glycemic so its consumption won’t affect your blood sugar levels. In the same way, the fiber it contains makes you feel full faster preventing overeating and keeping your stomach from being stretched thus keeping diabetes symptoms in check.
Benefits of eating popcorn at night:
As long as you are still eating the popcorn, there is no problem. But once you stop eating it at night, make sure to brush your teeth afterward because otherwise, you run the risk of tooth decay.
Homemade popcorn benefits:
One is that you can flavor the popcorn in your own special way. There are many flavors to choose from and they’re not fattening. Another benefit of making your own popcorn at home is that it’s economical. You don’t need to buy expensive microwave popcorn when you make it yourself.
Benefits of air-popped popcorn:
Air-popped means no oil added so there really aren’t any benefits for weight loss but with fewer calories, it can be consumed with other snacks during meals without disturbing weight loss programs as most foods do.
And with less fat content, its consumption will not hinder weight loss or cause problems for people trying to lose weight because fatty foods usually slow down the process of losing weight thus having air-popped popcorns won’t be much of a problem.
Benefits of popcorns for infants:
Again, there is no oil content so its consumption will not hinder weight loss or cause problems for people trying to lose weight because fatty foods usually slow down the process of losing weight thus having popcorns won’t be much of a problem. Popcorn also contains fiber which helps with digestion and since it has few calories in it, it’s one way to meet your baby’s calorie allowance.
Also, babies should eat three times a day so giving them popcorn as a snack option between meals would reduce the amount you need to spend on food. Since their stomachs are small nevertheless, feeding them too many kernels might result in digestive discomfort though. Another benefit of eating popcorn with your baby is that it’s a good way to introduce new flavors and textures into their diet.
There are many different types of popcorn available so you can try eating them one by one. The problem, though, is that babies cannot chew well so having too many kernels in their mouth might result in choking incidents. So it would be better if you can first cook them and then grind them into powder form so infants can swallow them easily.
Benefits of eating fried popcorn:
One is that the fat content will help keep your skin moisturized. This can be beneficial especially for people who have dry skin. Another benefit of eating fried popcorn is that it’s good for diabetics or those with high blood sugar since they usually fear eating sweets because they’ll increase their blood sugar levels quickly.
The problem, however, is that not all snacks are good for you so even though there are many benefits of eating fried popcorn, you should still control how much you eat them because make no mistake about it – too many snack foods will definitely cause problems to anyone even if the snacks are healthy like popcorns. You just have to make sure that you don’t gorge on any kind of food.
Benefits of microwave popcorn:
Microwave popcorns are very cheap so they won’t hurt your wallet. You can also make them yourself but since it’s time-consuming, you’d better buy the microwave type instead. Another benefit of having microwave popcorns is that they’re easy to prepare to make them perfect for anyone who doesn’t have the luxury of time.
If you have problems with bad breath then this will be a good snack option for you because its consumption will definitely freshen up your breath immediately. The only problem with microwave popcorns is that they usually cause acne breakouts to people who are prone to these kinds of skin problems due to their oily content. Microwave popcorns are best enjoyed hot so those who don’t like the cold better not try to eat this kind of popcorn.