It’s time to relax. You snuggle up under a big blanket, turn on your favorite movie, and what do you crave? A big bucket of… POPCORN!
Perfect! It turns out popcorn is one of the healthiest snacks you can eat. Those little kernels are packed with polyphenols, a type of natural chemical found in plant foods that helps neutralize free radicals. Polyphenols also play a part in combating cancer and heart disease.
Popcorn actually has one of the highest levels of polyphenols – even higher that most fruit! According to Dr. Joe Vinson, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, this is because fruit contains high amounts of water, not in popcorn, which dilutes the polyphenols.
But WAIT… step away from the microwave!
After reading this, please don’t run out to the grocery store and stock up on microwave popcorn! Microwave popcorn is actually one of the most dangerous snacks… packed with toxic, deadly chemicals and preservatives.
Yes, in its purist form, popcorn is healthy, but the health benefits go downhill once food manufacturers get ahold of this beloved snack and create convenient, microwavable popcorn bags. The kernels in these bags are coated with perfluorochemicals, or PFCs. Fancy word, but what does it mean? PFCs are a class of chemicals linked to various cancers, as well as reproductive system damage.
Even though PFCs have been linked to thyroid disease and ADHD, food manufacturers add these obesity-promoting chemicals to popcorn bags to make them more “greaseproof.”
So how can we get the health benefits without the deadly toxins?
The healthiest popcorn is made the good ol’ fashioned way – on the stovetop (or with an air pop machine). This way of making popcorn is actually even less expensive than buying the processed, microwave bags. Load up on the healthy, organic kernels instead and you will saved yourself a few dollars.
Place a couple tablespoons of coconut oil in a heavy saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil has melted, add about ¼ cup of popcorn kernels to the pan and shake them around, coating in coconut oil. Cover with a lid and let pop.
After the kernels are no longer popping, quickly remove from the heat and uncover. I like to sprinkle my popcorn with garlic powder and Cholula hot sauce to make it a little spicy.
There you have it… you are left with the perfect snack – high in antioxidants, low in calories and fat!
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