Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Popcorn can be a healthful snack for most people, depending on how it is prepared. With its fairly low calorie and high-fiber content, air popped popcorn is often a go-to snack for dieters.

However, people with diabetes have more to worry about than their waistlines when snacking on popcorn.

People with diabetes can eat popcorn but need to choose carefully the type of popcorn, how it is cooked, and how much they eat, due to popcorn’s high carb content.

Air-popped popcorn offers very few calories per cup. In addition, a cup of air-popped popcorn contains a little over 1 gram (g) in fiber. It also contains about 1 g of protein and about 6 g of carbohydrate.

Additionally, popcorn contains zero cholesterol and is almost fat-free, far less than 0.5 g per cup. The total calories in a 5-cup serving are between 100-150.

Popcorn qualifies as a whole-grain food. One serving can provide about 70 percent of the recommended daily intake of whole grain.

Popcorn is full of vitamins and minerals. A single serving of popcorn contains a number of vitamins and minerals, including:

Popcorn is a whole-grain, low-calorie snack.

• vitamin A
• vitamin E
• vitamin B6
• pantothenic acid
• folate
• thiamin
• niacin
• riboflavin

A serving of popcorn also contains iron and trace amounts of manganese, calcium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.

The popcorn’s hull or shell is the source of much of its nutritional value. The shell contains beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which are important for maintaining eye health.

The shell also contains polyphenols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Researchers have stated that popcorn contains up to 300 milligrams of polyphenols per serving. This high amount of polyphenols is more than 60 percent of the amount provided by fruits and vegetables in the average American diet.

However, popcorn’s benefits are greatest when the popcorn is air-popped. Similar to salads and potatoes, these health benefits are often reduced by adding too much salt, butter, oil, and other condiments or toppings.