MY HAPPY ME {com}

By: Liliya Vafina

All right, sorry to keep you waiting! I am back with some light on popcorn. By the way, YOU did very well answering my question with 67% voting for “yes, popcorn is a healthy snack”. I think so too and here is why.

However, first I need to mention that I am talking about PLAIN popcorn here. You can ruin the healthiest of foods by pouring a gallon of butter on them. No, I am not talking about a buttery greasy kind of popcorn that can be bought in buckets which can easily contribute up to a third of one’s daily energy requirement, having very low nutrient density for that amount of calories. I am talking about plain, air-popped popcorn that is consumed in amounts appropriate to be considered a snack.

Plain popcorn is:

• Low in calories, low in fat, contains no salt or sugar
• It is a whole grain snack, i.e. it has nutrient rich bran and germ (and vitamins and minerals contained in them) as opposed to refined grains that have bran and germ removed
• It has high protein content for a cereal grain
• It is slow absorbing carbohydrate that does not cause rapid blood sugar spikes
• It contains fiber which aids digestion and keeps you full for longer

Want a variation for an even healthier snack? Make your own trail mix with popcorn. Add some nuts, seeds and dried unsweetened berries for a sustaining and nutritionally balanced snack.

Enjoy your popcorn and your summer movie season, and don’t forget to order plain!