Best Healthy Popcorn Recipes » LeelaLicious (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest popcorn to make? ›

Air popped popcorn uses no oil, meaning it has the fewest calories. “Popping it in oil, however, is a great way to consume a healthy portion of fat to control hunger,” Jeffers says. Not only can you manage serving size, but you can also make it in under 10 minutes in most cases.

Avocado oil boasts the highest smoke point, the healthiest nutrition facts, a great buttery creamy flavor, and overall, the cleanest quality of any oil on the market.

Adding trail mix to your popcorn can introduce a variety of flavors while also providing a healthy alternative to butter. Peanuts, almonds, and dried unsweetened fruit are good options.

Worst: Lance's Movie Theater Butter Popcorn

"With 11 grams of fat 2.5 cups serving, Lance's Movie Theater Butter Popcorn is on the unhealthier side when it comes to bagged popcorn," says Megan Huff, RD, LD, Cardiac ICU Dietitian.

Yes, popcorn is fun, but it's also healthy. Popcorn is a whole grain and a good source of fiber. And 3 cups of plain, air-popped popcorn weighs in at only about 95 calories. For the healthiest results, pop your corn in an air popper or in the microwave.

USED BY MOVIE THEATERS WORLDWIDE

Flavacol salt and coconut oil are the tried and true ingredients that are used my movie theaters worldwide to make delicious movie theater popcorn.

One of the main benefits of air-popped popcorn is that it's a healthy snack — especially compared to movie theater popcorn and microwave popcorn. Most microwave popcorn uses oil to pop kernels. Oil adds a couple of extra calories to the popcorn.

Roasted chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas are sincerely having a moment. Bountiful in protein, low in calories, and high in fibre, these popped pulses are a more wholesome cousin to buttery popcorn and provide a wonderful alternative to healthier types. I really enjoy BRAVE's roasted chickpeas.

The healthiest type of popcorn is air-popped, which only has 30 calories. You can use a hot air popper or try this hack: Put 3-4 tablespoons of kernels in a brown paper bag, fold the top of the bag twice to make sure it's closed, and then microwave for two minutes, or until there's only a few seconds between pops.

Which popcorn is more healthy? ›

“The healthiest way to eat popcorn is typically air-popped with no oil or butter and minimal salt added,” Walsh says. “However, there are numerous bagged popcorn products that come pretty close to matching the nutritional facts of air-popped popcorn such as SkinnyPop or BoomChickaPop.”

In addition to being high in fiber, popcorn also contains phenolic acids, a type of antioxidant. In addition, popcorn is a whole grain, an important food group that may reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension in humans.

Even so, microwave popcorn can be extremely high in saturated fat and sodium, both of which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. To reduce your risk, either choose "light" microwave popcorn or use an air popper. You should also go light on the salt and butter, or skip them altogether. American Cancer Society.

Mushroom popcorn kernels are the healthiest because they are non-GMO, have low cholesterol, are high in fiber and nutrients. With the uncrushable nature of mushroom popcorn, waste is reduced, ensuring that every pack of kernels is intact and ready to deliver all the benefits from each kernel.