Eating popcorn is one of the favorite activities of people, especially when they are watching movies, relaxing, or just enjoying time with their loved ones.
Generally, the grams per serving of popcorn contains is around 77.
But, for those who are on a ketogenic diet, is this food beneficial? In this article, you will find out if it is safe to eat popcorn on a keto.
Is Popcorn Keto? Calorie Analysis, Scientific Evidence
Overview of Keto Diet
If you are on a keto diet, you focus on eating low-carb foods as your main goal is to lose weight.
Having this diet does not necessarily mean avoiding carbs but it means limiting your intake of these foods.
In the United States, around 12.9 million people follow this diet each year.
Those who are on this diet also aim to improve bowel regularity.
In absence of carbs, your body is forced to break down fat into ketones to increase your energy levels.
Is Popcorn Part of the Keto Diet?
One of the snacks individuals on a keto diet eat include popcorn.
This is a keto-friendly, nutritious whole-grain snack that can be consumed cooked or eaten plain.
In the following sections, you will learn more about this food and how it can improve your keto meal plan.
Benefits of Popcorn
Aside from weight loss, popcorn is very beneficial. According to a study from Argentina, this nutritious whole-grain snack is rich in fibers, minerals, vitamins, and plant compounds.
In another study from Boston, whole-grain, keto-friendly popcorn can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems, respiratory diseases, diabetes, and infectious diseases.
Other nutrients found in whole-grain popcorn include calories, fat, protein, carbs, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and zinc.
Other vitamins found in this food also include vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin B12, iron, and copper.
Aside from these, this food also contains antioxidants and polyphenols that can prevent cellular damage.
This means that by eating this food which is high in carbs, you help yourself prevent cancer.
Is Popcorn a Low-Carb Snack: Ways to Eat Popcorn
When we talk about popcorn, we must understand that there are different ways to prepare this nutritious snack.
Although popcorn kernels usually contain 77 grams of carbs per serving, the way how it was prepared can change this nutritional value.
1) Air-popped popcorn
Many individuals on a keto diet usually eat air-popped popcorn as they believe that this is a healthy snack.
Those on a keto diet use an air popper for this cooking method.
Generally, air-popped popcorn contains 6 grams of net carbs per serving. This carb count is suitable for those who are on a keto diet.
Aside from being a snack with low carbs, another great thing about this popcorn type is that it is free of trans fats.
2) Microwave popcorn
Popcorn can also be cooked using a microwave. Many people take this popcorn as one of the alternatives for healthy snack foods.
Generally, this popcorn type contains 20 grams of net carbs per serving.
Although this is higher, consuming a few handfuls or a cup of air-popped can still provide some health benefits.
This method also provides healthy fat levels, around 0.4 grams per serving.
Just keep in mind that this is not a low-calorie snack as it contains high dietary fiber and 110 calories per serving.
For this reason, those who are on a keto diet should also have to monitor their intake of daily calories.
3) Stovetop popcorn
Typically, those who are on a low-carb diet or those who want to lose weight should not consider movie theater popcorn as one of their snacks, especially when this food is cooked via stovetop.
If you wish to use this method of cooking popcorn, you can still produce healthy carbs by using coconut oil as your cooking oil.
You can also add some parmesan cheese or small amounts of cheese cubes to make this snack savory.
When popping slows down, turn off the heat, wait for 3 minutes and pour the popcorn into a large bowl.
As much as possible, consuming a small serving size to achieve the health benefits this food can give.
4) Unpopped popcorn
Aside from popped popcorn, this snack can also be eaten plain.
These unpopped kernels usually contain 22 grams of carbs per serving and around 106 calories per serving.
Again, because of its high-calorie content, you have to monitor your daily calories.
You can use any of these calorie counter apps as one of your best buds on practicing your new diet type.
Take note that a typical serving of this food provides around 30 grams of carbs and this can already prevent you from achieving weight loss and can increase your risk of developing heart disease.
Popcorn Alternatives for a Low-Carb Diet
Aside from choosing popcorn to eat at movie theaters, you can also have some other alternatives. Some of these include the following:
- Celery sticks and radishes
- Hard-boiled or scrambled eggs
- Kale chips
- Small servings of nuts or seeds
- String cheese
- Grilled chicken
- Pork rinds
These alternatives can also help you lose weight and reduce your blood sugar.
Interestingly, because these foods are healthy, they can also reduce your risk of developing heart disease!
Final Thoughts
Popcorn is one of the best snacks that you can eat if you want to have a healthy diet.
Although this food may contain carbs and calories, these values depend on how you cook this food.
Additionally, many people wonder, is popcorn keto? Again, the answer would depend on how much carbs you take.
If you are on a keto, you might want to limit the intake of this food. A single serving or a handful of popcorn would suffice your diet.
Aside from popcorn, there are also some alternatives that you can consider.
If you are on a keto, you should always go for food that is low in carbs but keep in mind that you should not eliminate carbs from your diet.