Eating popcorn is an age-old tradition that has been followed for many years by the people. Mainly, we search for popcorn while watching movies, and shows with family, and friends. Popcorn is a trendy snack that is made from hard corn seeds. Nowadays, we have multiple methods to make popcorn, and making popcorn in the microwave is one of them. But have you questioned yourself, Is microwave popcorn bad for you?’
We can’t say that microwave popcorn is completely wrong however there are some disadvantages of eating microwave popcorn which are given below in this article.
6 reasons for not having microwave popcorn
Here we’ll discuss the reasons for not having microwave popcorn:
Popcorn Lung Disease
This type of disease is caused by the artificial butter flavor and color that is used in making microwave popcorn.
This causes lung inflammation and problems with breathing. Popcorn lung is also called bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). It can’t be cured however, treatment can help manage the symptoms.
The workers become sick and suffer from popcorn lung disease, the researcher first identified the disease in the workers who work in the factory of microwave popcorn.
The Bag’s Inner Coat is with Chemical
The chemicals in the bag leak with the popcorn and also enter your body when you eat it, the chemicals easily spread in your blood.
The chemical Makers use perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says that this chemical can cause cancer and several health problems.
Environmental Health Perspectives found that microwave popcorn contains some amount of PFAs. Regularly eating microwave popcorn can affect your health condition easily.
Artificial Flavours
Most of the brands use artificial flavors like butter and other types of flavors. Using this artificial flavor can cause health issues like lung disease, respiratory issues, and so on.
The chemicals in artificial flavor are methyl cyclopentenone, diacetyl, methyl methoxy pyrazine, and benzaldehyde.
When the body takes artificial chemicals then can create a bad impact on the health. So, focus on avoiding artificial flavors, and eating natural and healthy foods.
Using Bad Oil
Many brands use hydrogenated oils which are trans fat which is not good for your health. Some microwave popcorn has soybean oil and canola oil instead of hydrogenated oil these oils are also bad for heart and cholesterol and other issues.
The healthiest oils which are used to make healthy popcorn are avocado oil, coconut oil, and ghee.
Unhealthy Fat
If you avoid artificial flavor and chemicals you can’t get all over the fact that almost all microwave popcorn has saturated fats like palm oil.
Saturated fat is not good for health because it increases your bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level and also increases the risk of heart disease and other health conditions. It is one of the unhealthy fats.
Too Much Sodium
Microwave popcorn is high in Sodium, a large amount of sodium increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Eating too much sodium can cause high blood pressure and calcium loss, the body requires a small amount of sodium to conduct nerve impulses and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals, too much salt can damage the heart, and kidneys. It is also bad for bones.
How to Prepare Healthy Popcorn?
Make healthy popcorn yourself it is safe and prevents you from chemicals, add your own flavor which gives you fiber that keeps you away from diseases as well as lower high blood pressure. It is an important part of a balanced diet and controls the amount of sodium and saturated fat.
All you need is vegetable oil, and non-popped kernels, put in the pan, and shake the shake for 2-3 minutes until the popping stops add your flavour now transfer it to a bowl your healthy popcorn is ready.
To eat healthy popcorn choose always plane popcorn without adding salt and butter.
Conclusion
Many people think that popcorn is junk food but it is not because, it is a whole grain that is rich in fiber, low in calories, and antioxidants. Popcorn has a high nutrient value that helps us from hypertension and maintain our weight. Thus, individuals should prepare popcorn by methods that are not unhealthy.