Popcorn is one of the most popular pastimes that are preferred by moviegoers, theme parks, and even children in amusement parks. There are those who prefer to eat popcorn as a type of snack, but did you know that popcorn is not like any other snack? It has many benefits:
1. Popcorn is a type of whole grain: Popcorn contains a large amount of antioxidants, such as the antioxidants composed of folic acid, which help the body absorb nutrients better. Since popcorn is a whole grain, it also contains some healthy oils, vitamin E, vitamin B, and some minerals 2. Fiber: Popcorn contains a lot of healthy dietary fiber that the body needs. One cup of popcorn contains 1.3 grams of fiber. There is a specific amount of fiber that the body must have daily. Women need 25 grams of fiber daily, while men need 38 grams. I believe that popcorn provides part of our needs. Eating an appropriate amount of healthy fiber reduces the incidence of heart and arterial diseases, reduces cholesterol in the blood, and reduces the incidence of diabetes because it helps regulate blood sugar.
3. Polyphenols: Polyphenols are antioxidants. Studies have discovered that popcorn contains polyphenols in greater quantities than vegetables and fruits. Polyphenols are essential for the body as they protect against many diseases such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, nerve diseases and diabetes.
4. It helps in losing weight: If you are looking to lose weight, you can use popcorn as a snack within your daily diet. The method of preparing air-popped popcorn without butter gives you popcorn without calories, which you can eat in an amount that allows you to feel full for long periods.
5. Healthy snack: If you feel hungry between meals, steamed popcorn is one of the best snacks you can eat. It is completely healthy and gives you a quick feeling of satiety.
6. Preventing modern diseases: Studies have shown that popcorn protects against cancer, Alzheimer’s, joint diseases, obesity, psoriasis, and skin cancer.
7. Stay away from popcorn prepared in the microwave: Some modern commercial methods encourage putting a bag of corn from company products in the microwave to produce attractive shiny popcorn with some artificial flavorings so that it is delicious and quick to prepare, but unfortunately this popcorn , unlike regular popcorn, is full of toxic substances. And the calories that may turn popcorn from a healthy snack into a meal that is harmful to the body, so you should avoid popcorn prepared in the microwave.
8. Beneficial for diabetics: There is something called the glycemic index (GI). It is an indicator that expresses the extent to which the food we eat affects blood sugar levels. The lower this GI, the healthier the food is. The glycemic index in popcorn is 55, which is a small number compared to other foods, which means that popcorn does not cause many shocks to the blood sugar level. It also helps control the sugar level and does not cause a lot of stress to the pancreas, which reduces the possibility of developing diabetes.
