Byline: Craig McQueen
IT'S the film fans' favourite that turns out to be an unlikely health food. Popcorn, it seems, is better for you than porridge.
The cinema snack is getting its shot in the spotlight after research showed it had 'surprisingly large' amounts of healthy antioxidant plant chemicals called polyphenols.
Tests showed the compounds account for 2.5 per cent of popcorn kernels by weight - higher levels than were seen in a range of other cereal products.
Polyphenols - also found in fruits, vegetables, chocolate, wine, coffee and tea - are known to protect the heart and reduce the risk of cancer.
US chemist Dr Joe Vinson, who made the discovery, said: 'We really were surprised by the levels of polyphenols we found in popcorn.
'I guess it's because it's not processed. You get the wonderful ingredients of the corn undiluted and protected by the skin. In my opinion, it's a good health food.'
Dr Vinson's research supports the idea that polyphenols in whole grains, rather than their fibre content, is what makes them healthy.
His team at the University of Scanton in Pennsylvania analysed a range of wholegrain breakfast cereals and snacks.
The researchers found the products contained similar levels of antioxidants per gram as fruits and vegetables.
Popcorn was one of the richest sources. In comparison, breakfast cereals had polyphenol levels ranging from 0.03 per cent to 0.5 per cent by weight.
Huge variations were also seen between different brands of the same cereal products due to processing. Dr Vinson said: 'If you made your own muesli cereal from grains, nuts and dried fruit, that would be the optimum.'
Hot breakfast foods such as porridge oats had disappointingly low levels of polyphenols.
So is popcorn really the new health food we should all be reaching for? Here's our guide ...
Popcorn itself is a nutritious snack, containing more fibre than snacks made with refined flour.
A standard three-cup servingof air-popped popcorn has just 93 calories and less than 1.5 grams of fat. But don't be fooled by pre-popped products labelled 'air-popped'. Although they aren't cooked with fat, they may be sprayed with fat afterwards, bumping up a three-cup serving to about 170 calories and more than 10g of fat.
Microwave popcorn can also be confusing. Some healthy choice varieties can have just 45 to 60 calories and up to 2g of fat in a three-cup serving. But one serving of butter popcorn contains 120 to 135 calories and eight to 12 grams of fat.
The news gets worse if you go for popcorn that's sugar or toffeecoated. You could be looking at 400 calories per three-cup serving - a fifth of the recommended daily intake for a woman.
Remember that the popcorn you're buying at your local multiplex may not be as healthy as you might like - take into account the large portion sizes you're always tempted to go for.
One American study found that large buckets contained 80g of fat, or almost 130g if served with added butter - comparable to three to five Big Macs.
All of this means it's wise to be careful. Your best bet is a with a plain low-fat version, limit your portion ... and seal the rest in the bag for later.
Plain Popcorn
93 calories - less than 1.5g of fat
CAPTION(S):
Porridge can have more calories
