Homemade Popcorn

Plain air popped corn is an easy, accessible and healthy alternative to processed chips, croutons and crackers. It is considered a whole grain and while it barely has any fat or protein it does have a good amount of fiber and several antioxidants. Popcorn is sturdy enough for thick dips like hummus and guacamole and versatile enough to take on a range of flavors. Since a very large percentage of the corn available has been genetically modified it’s best to go for organic when possible.

Packages of microwavable flavored popcorn or that available in movie theaters is by no means a healthy choice because of the high amounts of artificial flavorings, chemicals and trans fats from hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenation basically involves adding hydrogen to liquid oil, which is more fragile, transforming it into solid fat which is more stable and has a longer shelf life. It is a processing technique that chemically alters the molecular structure of the original product. While this is a highly profitable practice for food manufacturers, it can have very negative effects on us all the way down to a cellular level, and it is on this level where health or disease arises from.

There are a few different ways to make popcorn at home, the easiest and fastest way is in a regular brown paper lunch bag in the microwave, or it can be done traditionally in a covered pot over the stove or a bonfire, or lastly, with a specific electrical appliance. Most air-poppers that can fit in a kitchen cupboard range from $20-100 and they can be bought at kitchen and appliance stores. I have tried several models over the years and found no major differences in quality, though the ones at the lower end of the cost spectrum are significantly louder and leave more unpopped kernels at the end. There are also more and more better quality already popped and bagged versions in the chip sections in health food and grocery stores. The best ones contain organic corn and just a bit of good quality non-hydrogenated oil and salt.

If I am not using pop corn as a dipping tool or to top creamy soups I like to dress it up a bit. Olive oil in a spraying canister is really good for popcorn because it is easy to distribute a moderate amount and adds a nice rich, buttery flavor with the benefit of several vitamins and antioxidants and heart-healthy unsaturated fats. For the purists a bit of melted, real butter is far better than any processed “buttery” spread. From there you can add nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning or any herbs desired. Alternatively, I also like to drizzle hot sauce or tamari on top, it can make the popcorn soggy so sauces like that are best used sparingly then the popcorn needs to be eaten quickly.