5 Reasons Popcorn is Healthy for Weight Loss

A picture containing yellow, indoor, food, orange

Description automatically generated

If you’re looking for an easy way to lose some extra weight, popcorn might be a healthy option for you.

Although touted as an unhealthy snack, popcorn itself is actually very healthy for you.

Popcorn, considered a “superfood” by many, is low on calories, high on fiber, is a good source of antioxidants, promotes satiety, is packed with B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese, and may aid in weight loss.

The “key” to weight loss with popcorn lies in your ability to resist the need to add unhealthy toppings like butter and salt.

Let’s dig into this a little further with:

5 Reasons Why Popcorn Is Healthy for Weight Loss

#1 Plain Popcorn is Low on Calories

Plain or air-popped popcorn only contains 30 calories per cup. If you fall for the butter, the calories in the buttery popcorn can triple or quadruple to upwards of 150 calories per cup. Be strong and stick with the plain version or your weight loss efforts will become impossible, especially if you eat popcorn daily.

#2 Popcorn Is High in Fiber

Fiber is key for weight loss efforts, and popcorn is full of it. One study indicates that consumption of fiber was associated with a 10% reduction of energy intake Obese individuals had a greater loss with an average energy intake reduction by 18%. 3.5 ounces of popcorn will get you 15 grams of fiber resulting in almost half of you recommended daily intake of 38 grams a day for men. This is over half of the recommended daily intake of 25 grams for women.

#3 Popcorn Promotes Satiety

Anytime you can put less calories into your body, the more weight you will lose. Homemade popcorn promotes satiety and reduces the urge to continue eating. According to one study, the amount of popcorn it took to reach a certain level of fullness was only 15 calories as compared to that of 150 calories worth of potato chips. This makes perfect sense because the chip industry would love you to eat a bag of chips as fast as possible, so you must run back to the store and buy more.

#4 Popcorn Is High in Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants

A body that has properly nutrition is more likely to function properly that a body that doesn’t, especially if you are trying to lose weight. The polyphenols, or antioxidants in popcorn will help with blood circulation, improve digestion, and reduce the risk of many diseases. The vitamins and minerals in popcorn will boost your energy, allowing you to burn calories faster, aiding in weight loss.

#5 Popcorn Is a Quick and Healthy Snack for Weight Loss

If you have an air-popper, making popcorn is easy. Eat this as a snack throughout the day with some fruit and nuts and your calories will remain low and your nutrients high. Try to stay away from things like the Act 2, Smartfood or any microwavable popcorn that are loaded with empty calories, preservatives and unnecessary ingredients and stick to a simple bowl of fresh popcorn.

Instead of getting the bagged popcorn, grab the whole grain, gluten free, Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popcorn Kernels. This 8 pound tub is perfect for popping premium, delicious, and crispy popcorn.

Check on Amazon

Popcorn Diet Weight Loss Results

If you’re set on eating popcorn as an aid for weight loss, you will get good results if you are consistent with your snacking habits. Remember, calories in vs. calories out will determine how much weight you lose over time. If only 30 calories per day are being attributed to your popcorn and snacking intake, then you will have no problem balancing your total calorie consumption for the day.

Eat fresh and frozen foods for the other 3 meals and you should be able to easily keep your calories at about 1500 per day. Add a little bit of exercise to the mix and you should have no problem losing weight.

Calories in Popcorn with Butter

Although I don’t recommend it, sometimes your popcorn could use a little bit of flavor. Popcorn with butter adds at least 50 calories to your snack food, and more than likely 75 to 100 more calories. This could take your popcorn snack from a healthy 30 calories/cup to 150 calories per cup. Add a small amount of natural butter and try to keep your popcorn as healthy as possible.

Try to avoid butters with a lot of sugars, salts, flavorings and preservatives. If the butter is hard to spread, says ‘light’ or has a strange color, than it’s probably not a very healthy type of butter. Use butter sparingly if you must.

Is Microwave Popcorn Healthy?

Anytime your popcorn is premade, contains artificial flavors, sweeteners and preservatives, it probably isn’t very healthy for you. Microwave popcorn could be better than some snacks but is generally not very healthy for you and will not help you lose weight.

Is Salted Popcorn Healthy?

Lightly salted plain or air-popped popcorn is generally ok. Try to limit the amount of sodium you put on your popcorn. Many of the other things you eat during the day are probably loaded with salt. The less you can eat the better.

Is Popcorn Healthy for Diabetics?

Popcorn gives people with diabetes a low-calorie snack option that will not increase a person’s blood sugar levels by a significant amount, making it a safe snack option.

Is Popcorn Healthy for Weight Loss?

Yes!! Popcorn, if prepared and eaten in moderation is a great weight loss option. Eat plain or air-popped!!

Best Popcorn Air-Popper

The Original Hotpop

One popcorn air-popper I love is the The Original Hotpop Microwave Popcorn Popper. This silicone popcorn maker can make 15 cups of popcorn in under 4 minutes. It’s simple to use, BPA and PVC free, and comes in a collapsible design. Just add kernels.