Dietitian’s Corner – Popcorn Activity (Try at Home!)

By Joan Bahr, MS RD CDE BC-ADM – Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Board Certified – Advanced Diabetes Management

Each month dietitian Joan Bahr hosts a nutrition activity with residents of Southwest Health’s Epione Pavilion in Cuba City.  One of her recent topics was POPCORN.  Joan and the residents popped four different types of popcorn for comparing and tasting:

• Popcorn on a cob – instructions on how to make this are below
• Regular popcorn kernels in a microwave popper – 1/3 cup of kernels produces 12 cups of popcorn
• Blue kernel popcorn – finished popcorn did have the tiniest hint of blue
• Microwave style popcorn

The group thought the popcorn on the cob tasted amazing!  Although their favorite was the microwave style popcorn, the popcorn on the cob was a close second.

Try popcorn on the cob at home:

• The cob must be a popcorn cob – popcorn is actually a type of corn – the kind Joan used was purchased from Poppin’ Cobs, but you can also find them on Amazon.
• Place the cob in a brown paper bag.
• Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes (according to instructions on packaging).
• Let cool before touching.

Fun facts about popcorn:

• There are four types of corn – sweet, field, flint, and popcorn.
• Only popcorn will pop.
• Americans consume 13 billion quarts of popcorn per year – about 42 quarts per man, woman, and child.
• US popcorn is grown in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri – and some is also grown in Wisconsin.
• A popcorn kernel can pop three feet into the air!!
• One cup of air-popped popcorn has only 30 calories per cup.
• Popcorn is a whole grain and contains good quality fiber – making this popcorn activity not only fun, but also nutritious!