Superfoods have recently taken the nutritional world by storm. Anyone looking for the most efficient way to build a healthy meal plan will eventually discover a few superfoods. Why? Because superfoods are simply the most efficient way to get all your nutrients with a natural and reasonably low-calorie diet.
Each bite of a superfood provides a greater density of vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and other fantastic food features like antioxidants and inflammation control. Superfoods are those foods that pack a punch in a small amount - that can fuel your day with just a handful - or eaten by the bowlful without negatively impacting your nutrition. That is where we stand with popcorn, perhaps the best superfood of them all.
Is popcorn a superfood? You bet your buttery britches. We're about to tell you why.
Popcorn May be the Perfect Snack Food
Popcorn is delicious, light, salty, and crunchy. It fulfills so many of our snack cravings at once, and it's one of the few snack foods that is 100% unprocessed whole grain. Even things that call themselves whole-grain like crackers or rolls are still crushed, processed, diluted with filler ingredients. But when it comes to your daily serving, just one bowl of popcorn provides more than 70 percent of your daily whole grain requirement in fiber.
Of course, the fun doesn't stop there. There is a surprising density of other elements that are good for your nutrition. That's what makes popcorn a superfood.
Whole-Grain Benefits
The whole grain nature of popcorn puts it on par with lentils, barley, and oats for your daily fiber and nutrients. Like all whole grains, you will find that popcorn contains a powerful supply of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial fats.
Boisterous Fiber Source
We all need dietary fiber for good digestive function, and popcorn has precisely the kind of fiber we crave.
Whole grains include the husk, the rough part around the tasty carb-filled kernel. Popcorn deals neatly with that hard outer shell of the corn kernel by popping entirely inside out - providing that delightful bit of crunch with the soft, salty puff. Popcorn is good for digestive health and regular movement. Three cups of air-popped popcorn contain 3.5 grams of dietary fiber, helping you reach that challenging goal of 25 grams of fiber per day.
Energetic Protein Source
Did you know there is protein in popcorn? Protein being present is why we find it so satiating when eating popcorn at the movie theater or refueling at the arcade. One popcorn serving contains three grams of protein out of the 50 grams of protein you need daily. For a snack that gives you all the satisfaction of empty carbs, that's a lot of amino acids ready to energize you for the day.
The Vitamins and Minerals
The shocking thing about popcorn as a superfood is how many vitamins and minerals you'll find in each puffed kernel. The big hitters for popcorn nutrients are Calcium, Potassium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K. Popcorn also includes other vitamins and minerals in the mix. Check out this great list of nutrients found in every delicious handful of popcorn.
Popcorn Vitamins
- Thiamin
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Vitamin B6
- Folate
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
Popcorn Minerals
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Zinc
Convenient Superfood at Home
Of course, the best thing about the superfood popcorn is that it's a super handy snack at home. A little microwave action in the right bowl is all you need for a lightweight, filling, and somehow nutrient-packed tasty snack. With so many vitamins and minerals, a bowl of air-popped popcorn can work wonders on your daily diet - especially if you crave salty snacks.
Check out the Opopop Pop Cups Discovery Kit to make your superfood snacking a breeze. These sustainable, non-GMO popcorn cups have a unique silicone popping bowl designed for the perfect oil-free pop.
Snack on Superfoods, Not Junk
Snack cravings are the single most challenging part of building a healthy diet for yourself. But why snack on junk food when you could have delicious, lightly popped flavor-packed popcorn. Is popcorn a superfood? Absolutely, but it doesn't stop there. Popcorn is the ultimate super-snack.
If you're looking for a quick and easy snack at home that is also a lightweight superfood, you've come to the right place. Opopop can help you find the perfect combination of flavor, nutrition, and price for the ideal solution to snack cravings at home.