Popcorn... the low fat snack... maybe

[Michael_Schaap]

I love popcorn. Glistering with mouth watering butter, salted up to put me back in the hospital I should add (ok folks, stop drooling... keyboards don't like that very much... things start to smoke and all). Well after being told of my cardiac condition with the operation to boot, I can't eat like that anymore. Need to make things healthy now...

Everyone says that popcorn is a very healthy and low fat snack. After careful review of how I made it (after the operation, when I really was trying to be healthy), with just enough oil in the pot to get the stuff to come out and a little on top of the finished product, I discovered that it was not as low fat as I had thought. The Tbs or so of oil in the pot had about 7-8 G (olive oil) then the Tbs or so of margerine had about 6-7 G (no salt margerine)... well this is not much of a low fat snack.

So, I just got a hot air popcorn popper. Well that takes care of the fat from the pot. Just tried it actually. It's good. Dry... but good. I can honestly say I don't think I'll eat much of it if I have to eat it with nothing on it. Kinda taste like paper pulp in a way. So my question to all you healthy snackers is the obvious one

What do you put on your popcorn?

 

[htc]

I like to put a blend of the kraft or Williams Sonoma cheese popcorn topping and then some of my cajun seasoning. I try to be very light on the butter, since I can't afford the calories, but it satisfies my popcorn craving.

 

[DampCharcoal]

I don't eat popcorn anymore, not because I don't like it but because digging the kernal skins out from betwixt my teeth and gums drives me NUTS! Anywho, Michael, I keep hearing about a product called Smart Balance that supposedly tastes just like butter but is very good for you. I'm not sure about the sodium or cholesterol content but it may be worth looking into.

 

[shannon in KS]

Cayenne pepper or tabasco! yi yi yiiiii!

oh, have you thought of that shaky butter flavored, dry stuff? (I know how to sell it, don't I. Don't go buying a whole case of it now)... butter buds, maybe the name?

 

[JMediger]

My sister is a die hard spray butter fan. She is very fat and calorie conscience and talked us into trying it during a recent visit. We tried it on toast and I have to say that it really wasn't that bad. I didn't study the back (and can't honestly tell you who made it - I think it's "I can't believe it's not butter" but not sure) but I'm guessing the scant bit you get by spraying over whatever you are eating doesn't contain much in the way of "bad". Might be worth trying over popcorn.

 

[Michael_Schaap]

The spray butter is not bad actually. I had some dry stuff that I put in it, but since the popcorn was dry to begin with it did not stick. Just put some Pam on it and bingo! Now stuff sticks to it

 

[Constance]

I just use the lowfat microwave popcorn...Act III is great. Orville's is good too, but not worth the extra money it costs. You might also want to try out Popsrite Popcorn Salt...comes in a big shaker at Sam's.
Personally, I don't need it. I just love popcorn, popped in a little oil and lightly salted.

 

[Michael_Schaap]

The great American marketing ploy

I just use the lowfat microwave popcorn...Act III is great. Orville's is good too, but not worth the extra money it costs.

This is the delemia that gets me really frustrated. The words, lowfat, diet, low cal, Healthy and any other word you can think of could mean it's good for you... could.... and from a particular point of view. It's all "The great American marketing ploy" really. The more confused they can make us into buying what they can get us to think of as healthy the better.

For example... low fat, diet (healthy) microwave popcorn. Well the fat content is great, but there is 350 to 500 mg of sodium in the stuff per serving depending on the brand you use! With 2 servings in a bag were talking about 700 to 1000 mg of sodium if you eat the bag. As someone on a Cardiac diet I'm allowed 2000 to 3000 mg a day (lower is always better in this case). So how in blazes can this stuff have the word "Healthy" plastered all over the box is a good question.

 

[shannon in KS]

I TOTALLY agree with your perspective Michael. Just since it says low-fat, does not mean it is good for you. Like low-fat ice cream- it's still ice cream! And has more calories, than say, a piece of fruit. We were given a lot of healthy food straight from the Earth. But also, in moderation also, i.e medicinal herbs. I always have a rule of thumb when I get on a kick to watch what I am eating (can't remember the last time that was... ): if you didn't find it that way, don't eat it. Mainly applies to fruits and vegetables... I am not recommending taking a bite out of fish you just caught! The introduction of commercial foods have caused us to have cravings for crazy things that we think we need. And along with it, we have created a lot of disease and ailments also. Our bodies are made of the same materials of the Earth, and you go throwing a bunch of artificial stuff in there, it doesn't know how to handle it. I am just as guilty as the next, you put a bag of chips in front of me, and poof, they're gone! And I am sure it will catch up with me someday, if not already. my 2 cents!

 

[urmaniac13]

Try spraying some evoo instead of butter on to the air dried popcorn!! It also gives a wonderful flavour to them and so much more heart friendly!!

 

[ribs and steak]

I use a hot air popper for the corn & then melt butter to go on it with a choice of 2-3 different types of salt.

 

[snack_pack85]

I mix plain popcorn with other lower fat snacks like sweetened wheat cereal or lightly salted nuts.

 

[Russellkhan]

I don't eat much popcorn lately myself (similar tooth/gum annoyance to what DampCharcoal described) but some friends used to serve it up in a way that was lowfat and flavorful: a combination of nutritional yeast, tamari (I find San-J brand reduced sodium tamari to be quite flavorful - it's what I buy and I have no need to limit my sodium intake) and cayenne (you can leave out the cayenne if you don't care for spicy stuff).

Give it a try, I found it surprisingly good.

 

[Alix]

WOW, is this a blast from the past! 2005!

I like to put butter and salt on my popcorn, but we also have nacho cheese shake on flavouring and white cheddar flavouring. I doubt they are any healthier than butter and salt though!

 

[Scotch]

We recently got very tired of microwave popcorn and bought one of these:

$29.99 from Target via Amazon. It does a good job, popping 1/3 cup of kernels in about 1 teaspoon of oil. Much better taste than air-popper popcorn, much more healthful than the microwave stuff.

 

[snack_pack85]

WOW, is this a blast from the past! 2005!

I like to put butter and salt on my popcorn, but we also have nacho cheese shake on flavouring and white cheddar flavouring. I doubt they are any healthier than butter and salt though!

Oh My. How did we not notice that. ha ha aha haaa

 

[luvs]

i love old threds; then i get to see old buddies' names.

 

[busyfingers]

Try this

We use an air popper and I have some oilve oil in one of those Pampered chef spray bottles, which I spray the popped corn with.

Then in an other spray bottle, I have balsamic vinegar that I also spray the popped corn with. Its really good and no need for salt either.

 

[snack_pack85]

We use an air popper and I have some oilve oil in one of those Pampered chef spray bottles, which I spray the popped corn with.

Then in an other spray bottle, I have balsamic vinegar that I also spray the popped corn with. Its really good and no need for salt either.

balsamic vinegar?????? wouldn't that wilt the popcorn?

 

[busyfingers]

Hi snackpac, Just spray the pop corn 'lightly" with the balsamic vinegar after the olive oil has been sprayed on.

Shake the container around a bit and apply a bit more of the vinegar until the pop corn is "lightly" coated. Don't put very much.