Popcorn

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Popcorn are a favorite of many, and going to the movies without them is unthinkable for most people. Although very tasty, salty popcorn can be extremely harmful to health.

It is believed that the first popcorn was made in the distant 1630. It is then that people learn that at high temperatures, corn kernels crack. Thus begins the story of one of our favorite temptations.

Composition of popcorn

100 g popcorn contain about 520 g of calories, 30 g of fat, 57% carbohydrates, 9 g of protein and 5.7 ml of water. The fiber content in popcorn is about 10%.

Harm from popcorn

They can be very tasty, but popcorn is definitely not one of the most useful foods, on the contrary. They contain up to 60% complex carbohydrates, 30% fat and 100 g contain 500 kcal.

Just a small package popcorn contains more salt than the recommended daily allowance for adolescents, and the large packet of popcorn contains twice as much salt as should be taken per day.

Regular consumption of popcorn and other foods high in salt increases the risk of high blood pressure and a number of diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Consumption of too much salt increases the amount of calcium excreted in the urine, which in turn leads to weakening of the bones.

Another negative aspect is that you get used to salt - the more it is consumed, the more the need for it increases.

According to some experts, regular consumption of popcorn in childhood significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure. The recommended daily salt intake should not exceed 3 g for children and 6 g for adults.

In addition to the high salt content, popcorn also contains trans fats. Frequent intake of trans fats is a serious risk factor for developing diabetes.

Last but not least, popcorn and a number of other semi-finished products in stores come in packages containing dangerous chemicals that can cause reproductive problems and even cancer.

Benefits of popcorn

According to some studies, popcorn can also be useful. This is due to the fact that they contain large doses of antioxidants. Fiber and polyphenols are also found in popcorn.

They protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Studies show that polyphenols have 10 times stronger antioxidant action than vitamins E and C.

Some researchers find that portion popcorn can contain up to 300 mg of antioxidants - almost twice as much as fruits. However, they point out that eating popcorn cannot and should not replace the intake of fruits and vegetables, which contain a number of important vitamins and nutrients.

Popcorn itself is healthy, but only if prepared at home. Packaged and those in cinemas are rich in fat and salt, which increases the risk of heart health.

Although popcorn are prepared from corn, and it can be said that it does not contain cholesterol, is low in fat, is an excellent source of vitamin C and low in sodium.

Preparation of homemade popcorn

The corn is plowed and the seeds are left to dry and the residual moisture to evaporate, which would worsen the cracking of the popcorn. The best for cooking popcorn corn is the so-called popcorn or also known as popcorn.

This type of corn has small round or pointed grains which, when exposed to higher temperatures, crack and form a white starchy mass that is several times larger than the size of the first nut.

Choose a dry container that has handles, a lid and thin walls. Use no more than 1 tbsp. fat. Once it heats up, pour the corn kernels, salt and cover with a lid. Using the handles, shake the container back and forth until the noise of cracking of the nipples stops completely.

If you want to get sweets popcorn add a spoonful of honey or a little brown sugar to the fat. Homemade popcorn is not as harmful as those in theaters, because the amount of salt is less.

By making your own popcorn, you can taste them as you wish. In addition to the constant salt, they go very well with butter, caramel, dill, ketchup, chocolate, mayonnaise or mustard.