What is the deal with the popcorn?
 

Okay so what is the deal? I LOVE popcorn so not having it for a treat here and there is not an option. We do NOT have an air popper. Maybe next year.

So the only choice is microwave and I am trying to be good here. I bought the Pop Secret 99% ff one. It says 6 cups popped = 110 calories. Then right next to it it says 1 cup popped = 15 calories. (15 x 6 = ) well MY calculator says 15x 6 =90, NOT 110! And if that were the only discrepancy I would NOT care. :lol:

fitday has clocked at 30.56 calories!

3FC has air popped clocked at 31. Close

Okay so my question is this, does anyone else really believe that this microwave popcorn is actually only 15 calories a cup! That is a 20 cal a cup discrepancy! ugghhhhhhhh :mad:

wish I could tell you.. I'd be interested to hear what others have to say. is that pop secret 99% fat free one a regular sized bag? The nutritionals about popcorn are so confusing so I end up just buying the mini ones that are already portioned out but I would rather buy the healthiest popcorn I can and portion it myself, but I don't know which one to buy!

I stopped buying the popcorn bags awhile ago. Even most of the lighter version of thie stuff have some hydrogenated oils in them. I get so annoyed that things can be labeled as transfat free and STILL contain those oils!! :mad:

Anyway, I bought a microwave bowl for about 10 bucks, a sack of popcorn for 2 bucks and get a LOT more for my money and don't have to worry about ingesting things I cannot pronounce.

I've never understood that popcorn thing myself so when I did eat it, I always tended to err on the side of caution and count a higher calorie level when in doubt. As far as Fitday, I go by what is on the label of the bag I am eating, rather than their number.. Either way, Fitday or a label, they are all estimates because then you can get into things like, unpopped kernals.. etc. It's enough to give you a headache!

So much of the goo in the microwave popcorn stays on the side of the bag that the popped nutritional info is different than the unpopped.

There is another option besides microwaving and air popping, both of which I find, well, yucky now. Popcorn on the stove. Three tablespoons unpopped kernels to 1 tablespoon oil (I use canola), in a pot with a lid gets you a real nice snack. Takes maybe 5 minutes, and you have to shake the pan once in a while. Throw salt on and eat. Once in a while I'll use olive oil and put some Parmesan and herbs on for something different. Healthy oils and whole grain, for a reasonably good snack that does not taste like packing material.

Nutritional info: 3 T popcorn, 110 calories, oil 120. So the entire thing comes in under 230, since not all kernels pop, and lots of oil stays in the pan.

Anne

I stopped buying packaged microwave popcorn recently, due to the same concerns Linda mentioned. I started popping plain kernels in a brown paper bag in the microwave. I put a scant 1/3 c. of kernels in a lunch-sized paper bag and loosely fold over the top. I cool it on high for 2 minutes - but YMMV depending on the microwave. I find the popcorn button on my microwave doesn't do as good a job. My kids prefer it this way now. We never really noticed the "package-y" taste to Pop Secret before, but we really noticed it after we switched.

As far as calorie counting goes, I tend to err on the high side..I think I was counting them as 15 cals a cup, air-pop, then my Calorie King said it was 30 cals a cup, so I went with that. Who knows what it is, really. The higher number helps me keep it under control, if that makes any sense.

Rosiekate, you don't put any oil in with the brown bag and it pops up fine? Today I was at whole foods and they have popcorn with no added oils so I bought that for the time being until I find an alternative. At school I plan on having a couple cups of popcorn sprinkled with cinnamon sugar for dessert.

Thanx for all the replies ladies!
Well I am also dead set against trans fat and I do read ingredients like a hawk. I did notice some popcorn has that in it so I avoid those. There was one I was getting that I loved, real butter, popcorn, oil. Simple as.....:D

Right now I am **** bent on keeping the cals cracked in line though. But I LOVE popcorn. 2 years ago my dh got us a popcorn popper for my b~day but it is the stove kind that you add oil too. Now sometimes we do that for a treat and I portion out some real butter.

But for a regular treat, I have to watch it. I don't see how the package can be so far off from what everything else says. ugghhh It is annoying!

You cool it on high? Or you cook it on high? lol Okay. That is a good idea. I have some bags and I still have popcorn kernels left. :D

Anyone else tried that?

Yeah I know unpopped is different but this says popped and like I mentioned even the air popped is clocked at 30 cals per cup so I don't think some miracle happens in the microwave and it becomes 15 cals per cup instead of 30. *sigh* I will just keep counting it at 30.

.

Nope - no oil. Sometimes I will melt a little butter to put over it for the kids. I usually sprinkle a little sea salt on it. Cinnamon sugar sounds really good.

Yes, I cook it, not cool it. I'm a great speller, but not a great typist :P.

I have this:
http://www.amazon.com/Presto-04830-P.../dp/B00005IBXK

and I love it love it love it love it love it love it love it

And it is on sale....

I bought an air-popper last year at Wal-Mart for $15. They are pretty cheap!

We used to do the brown lunch bag method in the microway, but we VERY lightly wet the outside of the bag to keep it from getting too fried....but microwaves now may be more powerful. When I last did it was like over 15 years ago.

Works every time.

I LOVE that presto microwave popper!!! I got it at wal-mart a few years ago and have used it tons. I don't like the flavor of store-bought microwave popcorn now.

I learned something accidentally today. I did not realize that I had water in my measuring cup when I added my butter to melt. When I pulled it out, it was separated, but I don't like to waste food. Instead, I mixed it up and used it. It was great. It held the seasoned salt, which is really all I want from my butter.

So now, I can use half the butter and get the same result. Yippee for me!

I like to put popcorn kernels in a brown lunch bag, fold over the top really well, and stick it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Then I season it with whatever I feel like-grated cheese, black pepper, rosemary, crumbled turkey bacon.....
It's so gooooooooooooooooood
And you have total control over what you're eating (unless you're afraid of microwaved food)

Haha just noticed RosieKate's post. We do pretty much the same thing! It really works!

I measure the kernels by the tablespoon. It's about 40 calories a tablespoon.

Oh yeah, and cinnamon/equal blend on it is good, too, for a sweet treat.