Benefits of Popcorn in Your Diet

Read in EnglishPopcorn can fit into a balanced diet if you know how to prepare it, as it contains important nutrients and offers a variety of health benefits.Popcorn is a special type of corn that pops when exposed to heat; this happens because there is a small amount of water inside each kernel, which expands when heated and eventually causes the kernel to explode.Although it may not seem like it because it is a very popular snack, popcorn is a whole grain, making it naturally high in several important nutrients, and according to various studies, there is a link between the consumption of whole grains and health benefits such as reduced inflammation and decreased risk of heart disease, for example.For its part, a 100-gram serving of popcorn provides the following nutrients:Vitamin B1 (thiamine): 7% of the DV.Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 12% of the DV.Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): 8% of the DV.Iron: 18% of the DV.Magnesium: 36% of the DV.Phosphorus: 36% of the DV.Potassium: 9% of the DV.Zinc: 21% of the DV.Copper: 13% of the DV.Manganese: 56% of the DV.This comes with a total of 387 calories, 13 grams of protein, 78 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fat, and 15 grams of fiber, an extremely high amount that makes this serving of popcorn one of the best sources of fiber in the world.Image taken by Eduardo Casajús Gorostiaga, Unsplash.There are many ways to prepare popcorn, perhaps the most popular are the pre-packaged ones that can be made in the microwave; however, most microwave bags are coated with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to a variety of health issues.To make healthy popcorn, it is best to make it on the stove with just 3 tablespoons of oil, which can be olive or coconut oil; this amount of oil will be enough to make half a cup of popcorn kernels and you will only need half a teaspoon of salt to season them.If you want an additional benefit, you can sprinkle them with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast has a nutty and cheesy flavor and contains several important nutrients, including protein, fiber, B vitamins, and various minerals.