What does everyone have planned for this weekend? I am going to pick out my Christmas tree and bake delicious holiday cookies tomorrow! I am very excited! As long as I don't snack along the way I should be just fine!
I have plans to include some hiking in there as well. It is so gloomy outside my window today that I am not motivated to do much. That's okay, I will make it up this weekend!
So I know you are all waiting in anticipation on what I wanted to share with you about snacking, so without further adieu here you go!
Why You Should be Eating More Popcorn
Popcorn Has More of This
Than Fruits & Vegetables, Study Finds
Jolly
Time indeed: scientists have recently found that popcorn, a whole grain known
to be a high fiber snack, is also packed with high concentrations of healthy
antioxidant substances called polyphenols. In fact, there’s a higher
concentration of these antioxidants in popcorn than in fruits and vegetables.
Popcorn’s hull, the thin shell surrounding kernels that’s notorious for getting stuck in your teeth, has the highest concentration of fiber and polyphenols. As the lead researcher termed it, they are “nutritional gold nuggets.” (Since when do researchers like word plays?)
In fact, popcorn is the only snack that is literally “whole grain”—most cereals, crackers, etc. that are branded as “whole grain” are actually processed and diluted with other ingredients (only 51 percent of a product’s weight must be whole grain in order for it to qualify for the “whole grain” label). This kind of defeats the “whole” part of “whole grain,” no? Popcorn is actually 100 percent whole grain, and one serving of it equals more than 70% of your recommended daily whole grain intake. That’s great news, since the average person eats far less than what’s recommended.
Of course, depending on how it’s prepared, popcorn can quickly become a nutritional hazard rather than bonus. Your best option is air-popped (and you can sprinkle your own healthy toppings on it for taste). Microwave popcorn bags flavored with oils and other additives can be significantly higher in calories and fat.
And remember that while popcorn can be a satisfying, healthy addition to your diet, it’s not a replacement for fruits and vegetables, which contain vitamins and other nutrients essential for your health that popcorn doesn’t provide. Of course, nothing is a replacement for raw kale…that will haunt our dreams until the end of time.
Popcorn’s hull, the thin shell surrounding kernels that’s notorious for getting stuck in your teeth, has the highest concentration of fiber and polyphenols. As the lead researcher termed it, they are “nutritional gold nuggets.” (Since when do researchers like word plays?)
In fact, popcorn is the only snack that is literally “whole grain”—most cereals, crackers, etc. that are branded as “whole grain” are actually processed and diluted with other ingredients (only 51 percent of a product’s weight must be whole grain in order for it to qualify for the “whole grain” label). This kind of defeats the “whole” part of “whole grain,” no? Popcorn is actually 100 percent whole grain, and one serving of it equals more than 70% of your recommended daily whole grain intake. That’s great news, since the average person eats far less than what’s recommended.
Of course, depending on how it’s prepared, popcorn can quickly become a nutritional hazard rather than bonus. Your best option is air-popped (and you can sprinkle your own healthy toppings on it for taste). Microwave popcorn bags flavored with oils and other additives can be significantly higher in calories and fat.
And remember that while popcorn can be a satisfying, healthy addition to your diet, it’s not a replacement for fruits and vegetables, which contain vitamins and other nutrients essential for your health that popcorn doesn’t provide. Of course, nothing is a replacement for raw kale…that will haunt our dreams until the end of time.
Source: American Chemical Society (2012). Popcorn: The Snack With Even Higher Antioxidants Than Fruits and Vegetables. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120325173008.htm
So instead of getting a bag of chips this weekend, make some popcorn! You can definitely purchase the air popping corn and if it's easier, microwave popcorn is still better for you than a bag of chips, just get the low sodium kind.
Happy popping and enjoy your weekend!!
