Inexpensive and Healthy Snack Food: Popcorn

We are all trying to save money these days and one of the cheapest and healthiest snack foods is popcorn. Popcorn dates back to the colonists' first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Native American tribes used popcorn to make soup, beer, and headdresses. Archeologists have even found evidence that "cave people" ate popcorn.

Snowflake and mushroom are the two basic shapes of popcorn and the average American consumes nearly 70 quarts of popcorn each year. But, who would have imagined that yummy popcorn contains cancer fighting antioxidants. Dr.Oz reported that the polyphenols in popcorn can fight off cancer four times better than fruit can and he suggests air-popped popcorn to be the healthiest to eat. Popcorn eaters can also gain up to 250% more whole grains than people who do not eat popcorn, according to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association). Eating just three cups of popcorn gives you one of your three recommended daily servings of whole grains.

What is your favorite brand of popcorn? I enjoy plain freshly popped popcorn with few unpopped kernels remaining. Several brands I have tried leave many unpopped kernels and like you, I do not want to have to visit the dentist before my next cleaning. My dentist said he sees at least one patient a month with tooth damage due to eating out, popcorn and bagels. Also, corn allergies are on the raise, so make sure your family fully enjoys eating popcorn with smiles and laughter as the only side effects.

So, tell us what brand of popcorn you prefer. Come fair time, I will race you to the kettle corn!