Butter Popcorn Calories

The Native Americans first discovered popcorn thousands of years ago. Popcorn or Zea mays everta meaning 'corn turned inside out' is made from a special type of corn which bursts from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Popcorn is a popular snack in theaters and stadiums. You can enjoy eating popcorn at home too. These days, 'calorie' has become the buzzword of the society. People are more inquisitive about butter popcorn calories as they are more conscious about their weight and overall health. Let us first see what makes popcorn pop.

Popping Corn: Popcorn

Corn kernels are packed with starch and they have a hard moisture-sealed hull. This condition helps build sufficient pressure inside the kernel until an explosive 'pop' occurs. Researches and studies have helped to develop special strains of corn which are now cultivated specifically as popping corns.

Many techniques have also been developed for popping corn. To meet the increasing demand for popcorn, commercial large-scale popcorn machines were invented by Charles Cretors in the late 19th Century. Using prepackaged microwavable popcorn is the most popular method of making popcorn at home. Most microwave ovens come with a popcorn button which proves how much people like popcorn.

Popcorn Calories

Type of Popcorn	Quantity	Calories
Air popped popcorn	1 cup (approx. 8 gm)	31
Caramel popcorn	1 cup (approx. 8 gm)	122.5
Buttered popcorn	1 cup (approx. 8 gm)	85
Butter light microwave popcorn	2 tbsp unpopped (approx. 31 gm)	110
Oil popped popcorn	1 cup (approx. 8 gm)	55
Cheese popcorn	1 cup (approx. 8 gm)	58
Caramel popcorn with peanuts	1 cup (approx. 8 gm)	230
Movie theater butter popcorn extra butter	2 tbsp unpopped (approx. 35 gm)	170

Let us now take a look at butter popcorn nutrition.

Butter Popcorn Nutrition Facts

Movie Theater Butter Popcorn Extra Butter: 2 tbsp unpopped (35.0 gm)

• Calories - 170
• Total fat - 12 gm
• Saturated fat - 2.5 gm
• Sodium - 360 mg
• Total carbohydrates - 16 gm
• Dietary fiber - 4 gm
• Protein - 2 gm
• Iron - 2%

Butter Light Microwave Popcorn: 2 tbsp unpopped (31.0 gm)

• Calories - 110
• Total fat - 5 gm
• Saturated fat - 1 gm
• Sodium - 330 mg
• Total carbohydrates - 19 gm
• Dietary fiber - 4 gm
• Protein - 3 gm
• Iron - 4%

Air Popped Popcorn

If you find that calories obtained from butter popcorn are not suitable for a weight loss diet, you may opt for air popped popcorn without butter. A 24 gm serving of air popped popcorn has 93 calories which can keep you satiated. So, it can be a healthy option for your evening snack. Air popped popcorn are also known for a low-fat and saturated fat content - 1.1 g and 0.1 g respectively. Air popped popcorn contain 0.5 g polyunsaturated fats and 0.3 g monounsaturated fats. They are rich in dietary fiber (3.5 g) and protein (3.1 g). Air popped popcorn are healthy as they contain a low amount of sugar, about 0.2 g.

Popcorn contain more phosphorous than potato chips and more protein than cereal grains. One of the interesting popcorn nutrition facts is that you can have one-fifth of the daily dose of thiamine with three ounces of popcorn. Calories obtained from butter popcorn can be burnt with a little bit of extra physical activity. In fact, diet and exercise should go hand in hand. If you exercise regularly, popcorn calories should not be a cause for concern.