Is popcorn clean eating?
I love popcorn. I love the smell of it when you walk into the movie theatre and the heat of it against your fingertips. Growing up my mom used to pour oil in the bottom of a popcorn maker, pour in the popcorn and then put the giant yellow-orange lid on it. (Hey, it was the 70’s.) We used to jump up and down waiting for it to pop and then pour butter over it and sprinkle some salt on it. Then we’d make a fort out of every single blanket and pillow in the house, watch The Dukes of Hazard, and enjoy our evening snack.
That can’t be clean.
Air popped corn became all the rave in the 80’s. It was less messy and healthier but didn’t taste as good. But then the mega monster known as Orville Reddenbacker came out with microwave popcorn and it tasted AMAZING. Plus there were no bowls to clean.
So, my question is: Is popcorn a clean food?
After researching a little I discovered that popcorn is indeed a clean food because corn is considered a whole grain, which means it is not processed and has fiber in it too. It also has magnesium, zinc and iron and some vitamin B in it.
How you pop it and what you put on top is what separates the clean from the dirty. For example: Microwave popcorn is considered “dirty” because it’s a processed food and contains ingredients like “artificial flavoring” and preservative ingredients.
- Clean sources of popping: Air, olive oil, vegetable oils (sunflower, safflower, corn, soy) and coconut oil.
- Clean toppings: Salt (but don’t go crazy)
- Dirty toppings: Caramel (!)
- Split decisions: Canola oil (for popping) and butter (for topping)
Oils named above (particularly canola oil) do contain fat but they are the healthier kind of fats. In theory, if you are popping it in oil there should be enough flavor that you don’t need a topping like butter.
Butter, while “clean” in and of itself, is high in fat and calories. Also, if you are doing clean eating for dieting purposes, rather than just a lifestyle choice, you should be aware that it’s the butter that adds on the bulk of the calories without any real benefit (other than taste.)
As you can see nutrition info from myfitnesspal.com while both air and oil popped corn are considered clean, there is a clear benefitting to choosing air popped corn if you are looking to cut calories and fat.
- 2 cups air popped popcorn has 62 calories, 0 fat, 12g carbs, 2 g protein
- 2 cups popcorn made with coconut oil has 149 calories, 11g fat, 13g carbs, 2g protein
Of course if you are tracking your macronutrients (iifym) you can go for the coconut oil popped corn (which tastes way better in my humble opinion) and adjust the rest of your food for the day accordingly.
How about you? Do you like popcorn?
Lisa 
- @sheslosingitnet
- http://www.facebook.com/ShesLosingItnet
Sheslosingit.net (c) 2013 Lisa Traugott. All rights reserved. No portion of this blog, including any text, photographs, and artwork, may be reproduced or copied without written permission.
Love popcorn! It is often my mid-afternoon snack at the office (sorry, I use microwave low-cal popcorn). Unfortunately, sometimes my office smells like a movie theater.
I don’t really know a lot about clean eating, but I do know that garlic powder on popcorn is AMAZING.
There are a lot of spices which have health benefits so maybe you can do something with that?
I’ve heard that but never tried. Thanks!
I can’t believe it’s not butter spray is great on popcorn. What about those fancy oil spritzers from bed Bath and beyond? Also cinnamon or garlic powder are really good on popcorn. Parmesan cheese is also good. It’s not as strong favors so you don’t need very much to give the popcorn a snap.
I LOVE butter spray, but technically it’s not “clean” because it’s processed and has a lot of preservatives in it. But, honestly, sometimes you got to get a little dirty ;0
Read: fancy oil spritzers you could use olive oil or even flavor infused olive oil.
Will check out – thanks!
Woohoo!! How about if you sprinkle it with a little paprika or cayenne pepper? One of my favorite ways to eat it 🙂
Those are spices, so they should be ok. Wow, cayenne pepper – u like it hot!
My husband will be happy to hear this. Guess we need to invest in an air popper. ;0)
I was very happy to find it on the “clean” list!
Good day! I’m thankful to find this article!
What about melted coconut oil? Coconut oil is a clean food, isn’t it?
Coconut oil is clean, but it’s one of those foods you have to consider the fat content if you are trying to watch your waistline.
And I really have to watch my waisline! LOL
Me too!
how about pam butter spray!!!!!!!!!
I haven’t tried Pam yet, but I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and Olivio quite often. They are very tasty.
Recently purchased an air popped popcorn machine, and indeed the popcorn is quite bland, though I didn’t want to add butter and add lots of calories. I decided to try using a low cal mango salsa (most are low cal because it is tomato based) to dip my popcorn into! Its actual very good and the popcorn was my “eat this, not that” for tortilla chips. Hope y’all enjoy it as much as I do!
That’s an interesting combo – thanks for the suggestion!
Nutritional yeast is delicious on popcorn that has been popped in coconut oil!!! Almost cheesy. I think that is clean.
Interesting. I’ve never tried nutritional yeast, actually, I’ve never even heard of it. Thanks for giving me my next research project!
I LOVE popcorn. It is my weakness. I always say that if I could choose one food to live on it would be that. I never tire of it. This is how I eat it and the only way I can eat it now because it is delicious AND it’s clean. After air popping it, I drizzle with a good olive oil and sprinkle either paprika or chili powder on it (or a little sea salt maybe). The only downside is that it’s so delicious I wind up eating a huge tub of it all by myself. That can’t be good for the waistline.
You don’t even need an air popper! Pour 1/4 cup popcorn kernels into a brown paper lunch bag, fold the tops over and crease it well, stick it in the microwave and voila! Microwave popcorn with no added oil, butter, salt. I think it tastes better, less chewy than an air popper. I like to spray a few spritzes of coconut oil, shake, pour a packet of stevia and some cinnamon and give another good couple shakes and there you have it!
Interesting – I will have to try it out. Thanks!
Yes I know about the luch bag way. it works, I just tried it one day and it worked. I figured pretyy much any spices you like minus the salt and butter should work?
Sounds reasonable to me.
What about onion and garlic powders…or other dried herbs (not herb/seasoning mixes)? Are they not simply plants/vegetables that have been dried and crushed?
I’ve never tried onion and garlic popcorn or dried herbs, but they sound clean to me!