Popcorn- nutritionally upgraded
Its weekend and rainy season. We are surely going to watch a movie and have popcorn. Popcorn is definitely included in my concept of nutritionally upgrading food.
Why?
Popcorn is low in fat and high in fiber, the perfect snack combination. Its easily done at home. That is when you make it yourself. No, I don’t mean the microwave version that is ready to go within a minute. That kind of stuff is banned from our house. Besides a bag of kernels cost less than those environmentally disastrous microwave bags.
Have you ever thought what you really eat when you have that bag of microwave popcorn?
The concerning part isn’t popcorn itself. Being in good faith its non GMO.
There are chemicals used in that popcorn bag known to be carcinogenic and endocrine disruptors. PFCs perfluorinated compounds are grease resistant and prevent the grease from seeping through the bag. While being heated in the microwave it breaks down into PFOA, perfluorooctanoic acid. Diatecyl gives your popcorn the buttery flavour.
Is it just me or, does anyone find it disgusting that the actual flavour doesn’t come from butter itself.
Workers from manufacturing plants using diatecyl have been reported at an increased risk for the so called popcorn lung disease.
The popcorn would scorch in the microwave therefore you have a metal film in the bag. It serves as susceptor and distributes heat evenly. There is a possible dangers of the microwave radiation itself.
Then the ingredients you actually find on the label: -transfat, the worst possible kind of fat for your body -artificial flavours -preservatives -emulsifier
You digest all of those ingredients and most will enter your bloodstream.
We said, no thanks, to all of that a long time ago.
Here is what we do instead : - use a pan or pot with tight fitting lid, ideally non-sticky, not Teflon - add coconut oil -add the kernels -heat up -when kernels begin to pop, shake the pot a bit to make sure nothing burns. - add topping of your choice