Healthy Way of Making Popcorn

I've never had a popper, and found out early that those pop-in-a-bag systems are horribly toxic, so I've always just used a little olive oil in a lidded saucepan (NOT a teflon-lined one). It's delicious and quick.

I haven't tried this myself, but my SIL does this all the time for her kids. Put plain popping corn in a brown paper bag and pop it in the microwave! Then you can add whatever you want to the "dry" popped corn.

Air popped is by far the healthiest, but I'm sure if you used the oil approach with a healthier oil (like olive oil), you'd be better than many other methods. However, different oils have different temperature sensitivities, and taste can be altered if it's too hot.

I would think air popped is better because you don't have to use oil. Oil is not unhealthy when used moderately but becomes bad for your body when cooked.

My family has been eating air popped popcorn for years. It's just as fast as microwave popcorn. I got my air popcorn popper for about $20. It's so much easier to use and you don't have to clean up hot oil.

If you want flavor, you can spritz it with oil and sprinkle with salt. Sometimes we add lemon pepper or garlic salt. But we actually prefer it just plain.

Microwave popcorn is NOT healthy for you, in any way at all. lol Most have chemicals and when used in the microwave the paper will actually create a more carcinogenic environment, which you end up eating.

How about an air popper or just using a pan and putting some grapeseed oil (omega 3 oil - very good for you and can handle high temperatures, olive oil becomes toxic at high temperatures though is a good omega 3 as well) and corn kernels. So much more fun to watch and have the kids help with. Another option is using coconut oil (which really is thick like a butter) as it is excellent in the medium chains fats that our brains LOVE.

Please reconsider using any of the nonstick sprays too. Not healthy. For salt, a good mineral salt, such as a Himilayian, is actually good and needed for the body. Using the Mortons table salt variety is the type that is bad for blood pressure and water retention.

just put it in a pot...cover it, be careful not to burn it, timing is sensitive, no oil is necessary. a little sea salt and nutritional yeast (available at whole foods or central market).....wham!.....you have yourself a great , healthy snack.

you know popcorn is good carbs right?

I would worry less about popping in a little healthy oil than I would about the popcorn itself. I would look for non-GMO or organic corn.

I absolutely do not like microwave bagged popcorn. We have a hot air and a hot oil popper - you can make popcorn in the hot oil popper with just a teaspoon of oil...

I do also have a microwave popper - you can use it with our without oil - it like to put a tiny amount of olive oil - mix it with my popcorn kernals - then pop. You can buy the microwave popper at Target/Walmart etc.

I also pop mine on the stove with olive oil. Then I put a little more oil on it and load it with nutritional yeast and a tad salt.....That yeast is loaded with B vitamins and others as well. You have to order it online or get it a a health food store. Might seem a little bit of money, but it lasts awhile. My mom used to use an air popper and then add oil and yeast after it all airpopped, that is a little less fattening. I eat the stuff all the time while I am pregnant and don't feel like I am over doing it on snacks......

Air popping is definitely the healthiest--and for a little extra healthy but tasty "kick," put ghee (clarified butter, available at most health food stores) in the butter compartment. Clarified butter is proven to be much healthier for your arteries.

Enjoy!

HI M.,
My family loves the hot air popper. It allows us to enjoy a healthy snack and we also know all the ingredients. Some fun things you can do with popcorn to add some variety is to take the popcorn once popped and lightly mist it with olive oil. Then you can sprinkle on seasoning, parmesan cheese, or whatever else catches your fancy.

we put 1/4 cup of popcorn kernals into a brown paper lunch bag, fold the top down a couple times, lay it on its side and pop for 2-2.5minutes until the popping slows. Spritz with spray butter and a shake of sea salt and its perfect! We've only eaten popcorn like this for a really long time.

Sounds like alot of smart people here. I agree microwave popcorn is toxic, so are any poppers with a nonstick coating. I found Back to Basics Popcorn Popper which I bought at Amazon for $27.99 ( free shipping) is the best one out there. Its stainless steel which is the best material to cook in. Paragon popcorn is the best popcorn I've found, also bought it through Amazon. I use Canola oil to cook the popcorn in as high heat will destroy the benefits of olive oil. Use sea salt instead of regular salt and you might live to be a 100 !

Air popped corn is far healthier. Especially if you don't douse it with butter afterwards. Air poppers can be purchased for under $20. I let my son have one in his room so he can pop some for snacks. I let him put parmesan cheese or garlic powder on it for flavor.

We pop ours in an air popper, spray it with butter flavored nonstick spray and sprinkle a little bacon salt in it. Oddly, bacon salt has less salt than table salt, but I guess that makes sense because it's not just salt. But this way we get the crunch and flavor of bacon without all the fat and calories. I've also shaken it with taco seasoning or ranch seasoning in lieu of the spray and bacon salt.

Air popping was very popular years ago. I need a little flavor to my popcorn. Air popping does not have any flavor. I still have the machine, but never use it. Air popping is the cleanest way to make the popcorn though.

I have an electric pop corn popper no oil nesisarry takes only a few minutes love ot A. no hills

We do ours in a pan, using organic virgin coconut oil and organic popcorn kernels.

There's a microwave bowl that I buy at Target and I love it for inexpensive healthy popcorn. This is also a recipe we make all the time! http://weelicious.com/2009/09/15/cheesy-popcorn/