Popcorn Calories: Popped Vs. Unpopped
Sitting in a cozy theater and eating popcorn is every movie buffs favorite pastime. You can have this delightful snack buttered, or with caramel or with cheese, and somehow even when you are full, you always want one more mouthful of it! Many people who are on a diet stay away from these scrumptious delights because of their reputation of being fattening because they always wonder about the calories and carbs. Popcorn is ideal for weight watchers, as they are high in fiber and roughage.
Popped Vs. Unpopped: Calorie Comparison
Many people wonder why unpopped popcorn has more calories in comparison to popped ones. The answer lies in popcorn kernels, popped popcorn has less kernels, therefore less calories. What I mean to say is, a cup of unpopped popcorn will have more calories because of the large number of kernels that are present. On the other hand, popped popcorn of the same measure will have less calories because of the absence of kernels. Moreover, a cup of unpopped popcorn will give you around four cups of popped popcorn. Therefore, the former has more calories. If you want minimum amount of calories, it is best to have air popped popcorn with no butter or salt or cheese added. Whether you have it buttered, or like it with cheese, there is one thing that remains constant aside from the extra fat you add into the popcorn, which is the basic fat in unpopped popcorn is healthy and good fat.
List of Popcorn Calories
- Cheese popcorn - 58 calories per cup
- Buttered popcorn - 40 calories per cup
- Oil popped popcorn - 55 calories per cup
- Air popped popcorn - 31 calories per cup
- Microwave popcorn - 25 calories per cup
- Caramel popcorn - 122.5 calories per cup
- Caramel popcorn with peanuts - 230 calories per cup
But even if you are an ardent weight watcher, you can try different recipes, and I'm pretty sure you can negotiate a little increase in calories here and there. Popcorn is the healthiest snack as it is whole grain, which makes it high in fiber. The above mentioned calorie count is a basic estimate, though one of the many astounding popcorn facts is that it has one of the least amount of fat as compared to other snacks. So if you are on a healthy low fat diet, munch away on as much popcorn as you want. The calorie issue also depends on how one wants to have their popcorn. If one has a combination of say, oil popped popcorn with butter and a dash of salt, the calorie count will of course jump up to 155 calories a cup. It is common knowledge that one shouldn't completely eliminate fat from their diet plan, so if you love your popcorn, remember, the fat present in them is good fat, with no cholesterol.
All said and done, when it comes to popcorn calories, it doesn't matter if you are an avid fan of munching on them. Once in a while, it is okay to treat our taste buds and give in to our inner glutton, after all this is a healthy fast food option. One cup of these popping mouth-waterers will not be responsible for those much dreaded extra pounds!
