All You Need To Know About Popcorn Nutrition

Popcorn is arguably one of the world's most iconic snacks. The reasons are endless, but we’ll give you three for the purpose of this here blog. It’s a taste sensation, it’s easy to eat, and it’s even easier on your waistline and overall health. That last one is a biggie! In the ever-expanding world of snacks, how often can you say that something is A) very tasty, B) convenient, and C) low in calories? Consider this the hallowed trifecta of snack foods! All the boxes are ticked.

This is something we wanted to dig further into. With this blog, we’re asking the big questions. What is the nutritional value of popcorn? Does popcorn help you lose weight? Could our vegan popcorn help you or your pals convert? We’re not making any promises, of course. Find the info on this and more in our guide to popcorn nutrition!

First things first, would you like indulgent or innocent? We have both…

Before we get into it, we’d like to say that Popcorn Shed has a great deal to offer at both ends of the popcorn spectrum. We have options that are both indulgent and innocent so it really depends on what you’re looking for. Compared to other snacky alternatives you could choose, popcorn is recognised as a low-calorie option so you don’t have too much to worry about.

Let’s look at the many popcorn benefits

There are a whole range of benefits to be had from eating popcorn, many of which you can expect from enjoying the countless popcorn delights that make up our vast range. Does popcorn have nutritional value? Read on to find out.

Popcorn is packed with polyphenols which reduce inflammation

Did you know? Polyphenols are found mostly in plants and they act as antioxidants to help reduce inflammation. Polyphenols can also help manage your blood pressure levels, keeping your blood vessels healthy and strong. You’ll be glad to hear that popcorn is packed with polyphenols!

The 2019 study, Analysis of Popcorn (not the worst assignment in the world) demonstrates how polyphenols are heavily diluted in fruits and vegetables made of 90% water. Well, popcorn generally consists of about 4% water which means the polyphenols content is highly concentrated, especially in the hulls. It’s actually in the hulls you will find the best popcorn nutrition!

Popcorn fibre is quite possibly the best kind of fibre

You’ll find real nutritional value in popcorn fibre, as air-popped corn is fibre-rich which is great for helping digestion and generally aiding a healthy lifestyle. If you’re looking to increase your fibre intake but you want a break from the likes of beans and legumes, popcorn is a perfect candidate for a tasty, fibre-rich snack.

Popcorn has a low glycemic index (GI) so it’s a good option for diabetics

If you’re diabetic, popcorn might just be the perfect snack food. As we’ve mentioned, the polyphenols in popcorn help look after your blood pressure levels. What this means for people with diabetes is that it helps maintain blood sugar. Whereas foods high in GI can trigger blood sugar fluctuations, low GI foods like popcorn help maintain stable and safe blood sugar levels if eaten in moderation. Perfect!

You might be surprised by popcorn’s iron content

We’ve all heard of iron and its many benefits, like helping red blood cell creation and supporting the immune system, but what you perhaps didn’t know is that popcorn is full of it. Just 28 grams of popcorn contains 0.9mg of iron (30 grams of spinach has 0.8mg!).

Yes, it might not seem like much but when you factor in that men aged 19-50 need only 8mg of iron per day, that’s quite a lot to come from popcorn alone. Good, right?!

It can help with weight management, too

Is there anything popcorn can’t do? We’ll go into more detail on this, but the long and short of it is that popcorn fibre can help you feel fuller for longer periods of time. Like many foods high in fibre, this is a win-win because it staves off hunger. Paired with its low calorie count, popcorn can be a friend to any weight loss goals you might have.

Popcorn nutrition need-to-knows

These popcorn pointers will help you get the full picture of popcorn nutrition.

Our gourmet popcorn is air popped - no oil is used to pop our corn. The biggest difference between air popped and oil popped corn, is the significant fat content once oil is added to the mix - which is why our popcorn is air popped!
There are numerous micronutrients found in popcorn. You will find the following nutrients in each scrumptious bite of popcorn: iron (which we mentioned), copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, B vitamins and zinc.
Many of our tasty popcorn treats contain nuts, fruits and chocolate. Not only does this make them utterly irresistible, it also creates a lovely texture and adds to the overall nutritional value, too!
Our popcorn is made using the finest natural ingredients. We’ve taken great strides in maintaining the best all-natural ingredients because we don’t believe in cutting corners. Less additives means better quality and truer nutritional value.
All our flavours are gluten-free (except for the Cookies & Cream and Birthday Cake varieties). If you have cut gluten from your diet, you’ll be glad to hear that you can enjoy the vast majority of our popcorn flavours!

Your popcorn nutrition FAQs answered

We’ll start with the big questions and go from there.

Is popcorn healthy?

This is a biggie!

Popcorn is generally regarded as the healthier alternative to other snack foods you could choose from. Some varieties of popcorn may be less nutritious than others, but the health benefits speak for themselves.

Remember the hallowed trifecta? Popcorn is tasty, easy to eat, and waistline-friendly. What more could you ask for?! We have popcorn options (POPtions?) for everyone - if you’re looking for diet-friendly treats then we can direct you to our low calorie range. Popcorn is generally healthy, but it’s up to you just how healthy you want it!

Will popcorn raise blood sugar?

Popcorn’s polyphenol content is demonstrably proven to lower your blood sugar. If you’re diabetic then you should perhaps avoid the sweeter variations of popcorn, but classic popcorn flavours could be a suitable treat.

Is popcorn good for dieting?

Popcorn is high in fibre, making you feel fuller for longer. Finding low-calorie foods that do this is a well-known dieting technique, and it applies to popcorn too. It can stave off hunger and give you a much-needed boost if you are dieting. Moderation is your friend, so popcorn is the perfect treat.

Is popcorn bad for your digestive system?

A common misconception. The popcorn fibre content is so plentiful that it can have direct benefits to your digestive health and (*TMI alert*) ‘regularity’.

Is popcorn a good or bad carb?

Popcorn is a great example of a high-volume, low-calorie wholegrain food. It contains carbs of course, but this isn’t a bad thing! The majority of carbohydrate content in popcorn is dietary fibre, which we’ve covered already.

Because it’s made from wholegrains, popcorn is certainly on the good side of the neverending carbs-debate.

If you have any other popcorn nutrition queries, get in touch!

We can answer any questions you might have! We do have an FAQs page with plenty of information, and if you can’t see the information you’re looking for there, then simply get in touch.

In the meantime, you can find more resources like this on our blog. Why not POP over there to see what the fuss is about! Click the links below to get a taste.