Is popcorn good for you? The puffed up corn kernels are a crunchy, satisfying snack with surprising health benefits. However, what you top popcorn with matters. What is popcorn, what are the health benefits, and which type is healthiest? Dietitians discuss the nutritional value of popcorn, their top picks, and which popcorn to limit or avoid.
Popcorn is a whole-grain snack from the corn plant, also known as maize. Popcorn comes from a specific type of corn kernel that expands and puffs up when heated, Samantha Dieras, registered dietitian and director of ambulatory nutrition services at Mount Sinai Hospital, tells TODAY.com.
Technically, corn is a fruit, vegetable and a whole grain. That's because scientifically is classified as a fruit because the part we eat, the kernels, come from the flower of the plant. But from a culinary perspective, corn is either a vegetable or a whole grain, depending on when it's harvested.
Fresh corn from the cob, harvested early when the kernels are soft and liquid-filled, is a vegetable, according to . But the mature, dry corn kernels harvested later and used for popcorn are a whole grain. Popcorn is actually 100% whole grain, per , and one serving provides one-third the amount of whole grains that most adults need.
Popcorn can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as air-popped in a machine or oil-popped on the stovetop or in the microwave. The nutrition content of popcorn varies based on how it is prepared and the toppings. According to the ,.
