Why is microwave popcorn bad for you

The only difference is the method of making the kernels pop: microwaving instead of pot-popping. In a vacuum, popcorn is actually a surprisingly healthy and nutritionally beneficial snack. Some of them were included in the past, and some are still used today. Once you learn about them, you might think twice before throwing that bag of popcorn into the microwave. Back in the early s, multiple stories came to light about popcorn factory workers experiencing serious health problems. Through research and study, it was found that the chemical, diacetyl , used by most major brands to give popcorn a buttery flavor and aroma, caused a lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as popcorn lung, if inhaled in large quantities.

The story about the factory workers picked up traction. Shortly thereafter, most major popcorn brands removed the chemical from their products. In researchers from the University of Minnesota found that diacetyl could also negatively impact brain health.

Believe it or not, diacetyl is still found in numerous food products, but is largely seen as harmless to consume. However, many major microwave popcorn brands still use another, much more ubiquitous additive in their bags: perfluorinated compounds, also known as PFCs.

PFCs are in a ton of our goods, including non-stick cookware, pizza boxes, electronics, weather-resistant clothes and more. PFCs have a myriad of applications , but generally, are great at making materials resistant to stains and weather.

This simple stovetop popcorn recipe makes a quick snack in just 5 minutes that's better for your health than microwave popcorn. You can change up the flavors with different toppings or seasonings! For this size of popcorn you'll need a medium sized pot around 5 quart size with a fitting lid to leave enough room for the popcorn.

Once they start popping you'll hear it. Melted ghee is a great choice because it's healthy and tastes just like movie theater butter. This article was originally posted in December of , but has been republished in February of to include updated sources and images. Artificial Butter Flavoring Diacetyl Most popcorn brands use an artificial butter flavoring in their microwave popcorn called diacetyl. Perfluorinated Compounds PFCs in The Bag One of the worst things about microwave popcorn are the chemicals in the bag that it comes in.

Preservatives Many brands of microwave popcorn use preservatives that are linked to certain health issues. Bad Oils Many microwave popcorn brands have hydrogenated oils which are a type of trans fat that are dangerous for your health… especially your heart and cholesterol. Can you get microwave popcorn without chemicals?

What kind of popcorn is the healthiest? Make stove-top popcorn in a pot See recipe below! This is a simple 5-minute process that only involves popcorn kernels , oil and a pot!

Buy already-bagged popcorn Many grocery stores and online retailers offer already-popped popcorn in a bag like chips. After all, you can eat a large volume of…. If you enjoy eating popcorn or corn on the cob, you might wonder, is corn a vegetable? Processed foods are convenient and can even be good for you. Sometimes, however, convenience can mean large amounts of hidden sodium, fats, and sugar…. Eating processed meat is linked to increased risk of several diseases, including cancer.

This article explores the health effects of processed meat. Research on whether talcum powder causes cancer is mixed, with some studies demonstrating only a small increase in risk of certain cancers.

Learn more. Galleri is a new blood test that has the ability to detect 50 types of cancer through a single blood draw. Select U. How can antibiotics work against cancer? We take a look at anthracycline drugs.

Experts say new blood tests may dramatically change cancer diagnostics, although more research is needed. The nonprofit, cloud-based network provides games, movies, STEM education, and other programs for children who are isolated with serious illnesses. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Yamini Ranchod, Ph. When you make popcorn at home, you probably use a little bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt; but when you pop a bag of the microwave stuff, you're often choosing a snack with two or three times as many ingredients.

Spoiler alert: more often than not this extra stuff isn't great for you. So which ingredients are the biggest offenders? Here's a breakdown. Brands no longer use trans fats in their popcorn products yay! That's not great for your heart health: one study published in The Journal of Nutrition suggests palm oil increases LDL cholesterol more than vegetable oil thanks to its higher saturated fat content.

But regardless of whether it's palm oil or vegetable oil on the ingredient list of your microwave popcorn, there's a high likelihood that you'll be eating a good amount of saturated fat when you grab a handful.

Have you checked the sodium on your favorite bag of microwave popcorn? Unless your brand says it uses no salt, you could be consuming upwards of milligrams of sodium per serving.