Folks trying to drop a few pounds often run into problems between meals – like with snacks. I know I do. When you’re extremely hungry and dinner or lunch isn’t quite ready, it’s easy to stray and eat fattening snacks – like crackers, chips or too many nuts.
One snack that is both satisfying and nutritious is popcorn – but not all types of popcorn. A medium-sized box of buttered movie popcorn that has been cooked in coconut oil contains more fat than a breakfast of bacon and eggs, a Big Mac and fries, and a steak dinner combined.
However, a big bowl of salted popcorn without the additives is high in fiber, low in calories, free of sugar and rich in anti-oxidants. Quite simply, popcorn is a great snack for those on a diet.
Sometimes, on Sunday afternoons, Nancy and I will have popcorn for our lunch. It tides us over nicely until dinner and is a great way to spend an afternoon while watching a football game or an old movie.
Ever wonder how popcorn works?
A kernel of popcorn is extremely hard on the outside and practically impervious to moisture. Most of the starch on the inside is dry, but each kernel has some liquid within. When heated, pressure builds up until the kernel actually explodes. Voila – popcorn!
I’m not crazy about microwave popcorn. It’s fairly tasteless without butter and seasonings and that defeats its purpose.
I have found a popcorn that is incredibly good and that’s Amish Country Popcorn. I bought some at Bed, Bath and Beyond and stuck it in Nancy’s Christmas stocking, since I knew she enjoyed popcorn on occasion. I find it superior to Redenbacher, though that’s a close second.
I pop my corn in an old-fashioned contraption called a Whirley-Pop, made by Wabash Valley Farms. It’s a hand-crank system that you put on a hot stovetop with a little vegetable oil and it pops a batch in less than a minute. With the Amish popcorn, every kernel popped. It was moist and delicious.
If you’re trying to lose a little weight, pop some corn, hold off on the butter and additives and it makes a tasty, nutritious snack.
