|
Choose
your popcorn wisely
Oct. 12, 2006
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Nothing beats a hot, buttery
bowl of popcorn when you sit down to a movie on Saturday night.
And these days, when most of us eat popcorn, we make it in
a microwave oven.
Only a year ago, microwave popcorn was notoriously rich in
artery-clogging trans fat. But now that the federal government
requires manufacturers to reveal the trans fat content of
packaged foods, food companies have been busy removing partially
hydrogenated oils and filling supermarket shelves with healthier
alternatives.
The range of choices can seem overwhelming, and the bad is
mixed with the good. Varieties include Pour Over Movie Theater
Butter, Mini Bags Kettle Korn, Shakeables Real Cheddar, Tender
White, Blastobutter Ultimate Theater Style Butter Popcorn
and dozens more.
When choosing among popcorn varieties, be aware that label
claims of “No Trans Fat” can be deceiving. Products
may be free of trans fat but high in saturated fat. Both “bad
fats” elevate blood levels of LDL or bad cholesterol
and raise the risk of coronary artery disease.
And the government allows products with less than a half gram
of trans fat per serving to be labeled “trans fat free.”
That means if you eat more than one serving at a sitting,
small amounts of trans fat could add up to significant doses.
Figuring out what to buy doesn’t have to be difficult,
though. When you shop for microwave popcorn, size up three
items on the nutrition fact label, in this order:
* Trans fat. Nothing short of zero is acceptable. There are
plenty of trans fat-free choices now, so don’t settle
for any product containing trans fat.
* Saturated fat. Get as close to zero as you can and don’t
go higher than 2 grams per 3 cup popped serving. It’s
easy to find brands with less than 1 gram of saturated fat.
If you break down and buy a product that contains trans fat,
make sure the combined trans fat and saturated fat content
does not exceed 2 grams.
* Sodium. Once you’ve found a couple of choices that
are low in trans fat and saturated fat, compare them for sodium
content and take the one with the least. You’re doing
well if you find a product with less than 200 milligrams of
sodium per 3 cup popped serving.
Natural food stores are a good place to find brands low in
sodium. Bearitos and Newman’s Own Pop’s Corn are
two examples that are very low in sodium and free of bad fats.
Other good choices: Newman’s Own Light Butter, Jolly
Time Healthy Pop, Healthy Choice, Pop-Secret 94% Fat Free,
and Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop! and Light varieties.
Consider portion sizes, too.
A serving of unpopped kernels can make 3 to 6 cups of popped
corn, depending on the brand. The package will say how many
cups of popcorn one serving yields, as well as how many servings
are in a bag. Think about how much you’d eat and factor
that in when you calculate the amount of bad fat and sodium
in your snack.
And don’t rule out the option of making popcorn the
old-fashioned way: Add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil
to the bottom of a heavy 4-quart pan. Heat on high until the
oil and skillet are hot, then add a half cup of popping corn.
Cover and shake the pot over the heat until the corn starts
popping in a minute or so. In another minute, you’ll
have a heaping pan of popcorn, low in sodium and free of bad
fats. (No worries about chemicals possibly migrating out of
coated microwave paper bags into your snack, either.)
Popcorn – a whole grain – is a rich source of
fiber. Choose wisely, and there aren’t many guilt-free
snacks that are as much fun to eat and as good for your health.
|
