# Is popcorn cooked with a Hot Air Popper really the healthiest method? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774 "2011-03-07T13:19:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/21 "2011-03-07T18:22:14Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > If this is the case, why does commercial microwave popcorn contain oil? Besides the difference in taste, the commerical microwave popcorn is also considerably softer than popcorn popped without oil in a brown paper bag. You might consider it being softer a plus, but I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Level3Navigator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Level3Navigator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Level3Navigator)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/22 "2011-03-07T23:35:09Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Why is that? Honey from China can be tainted with antibiotics or adulterated with sugar. [Here is a news clip.](http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=42270) Buy local! ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/23 "2011-03-08T00:34:22Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Besides the difference in taste, the commerical microwave popcorn is also considerably softer than popcorn popped without oil in a brown paper bag. You might consider it being softer a plus, but I don’t. That \*\*\*crunch \*\*\*is very satisfying, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/24 "2011-03-08T00:59:36Z")
> [@Level3Navigator](#): > > Honey from China can be tainted with antibiotics or adulterated with sugar. > > [Here is a news clip.](http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=42270) > > Buy local! Well, damn, Chinese honey is about to _become_ local for me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/25 "2011-03-08T03:06:13Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > If this is the case, why does commercial microwave popcorn contain oil? Flavor. We like oily stuff. The more the better. We like oils. We like salt. We like sweets. In the old hunter/gatherer days, it was hard to get fats, oils, and salt. Fiber, on the other hand, was plentiful. Therefore, we seek out fats, salts, and sweets, and don’t really care all that much for fiber. Many people find air-popped popcorn to be very dry. I make my popcorn the old fashion way: You put a few drops of oil in the bottom of a pot, then add in a layer of popcorn and shake. It isn’t overly greasy like most microwave popcorn, and it’s actually faster than air popping or even microwaving. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/26 "2011-03-08T06:08:49Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > Don’t have to buy an air-popper. You can air-pop in your microwave; I put 2 handfuls of plain popping corn in a brown paper lunch bag, fold the top over 3 times, lay it flat and hit the Popcorn button. Same results as the pre-bagged stuff w/ a world of taste difference and a blank slate for you to season as you like. Costs pennies compared to the pre-bagged as well. > You can re-pop the few that didn’t pop the first time. I use Glad bowls. I think they are family size. 2:15 in my microwave. Sometimes I will spray it with Parkay vegetable oil spray. 0 calories. I buy the 50lb bags of popcorn from Samsclub. It is pretty hard to beat 33 cents a pound. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/27 "2011-03-08T07:41:13Z")
Eating plain popcorn from a hot air popper sans salt, butter etc is like eating packing peanuts. It’s filling but not really a snack of choice without condiments. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/28 "2011-03-08T15:11:05Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > No one has mentioned my method yet… > > Use a hot air popper. After done, spray the popcorn with Pam, then salt. Pam has almost no calories, and it makes the salt stick to the kernels just like oil does. > > (More detail: I usually end up using 6 - 8 sprays of Pam of about 1 second each. Spray the popcorn in the bowl. Shake the bowl for 5 - 10 seconds at a small angle to rearrange the kernels. Repeat.) > > J. Many sprays have about 4 calories per 1 second spray. You might know this, but before everyone thinks they can drench their popcorn with buttery goodness from a can/bottle, you can easily add 50-100 calories or more. Why? Anything under 5 calories per serving can be rounded to 0 on labels. . ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/29 "2011-03-08T16:29:12Z")
I’ve had several of [these](http://www.gopresto.com/products/products.php?stock=04830) poppers, once you adjust popping times to your microwave, they work well. For some reason, Orville’s popcorn can burn the cardboard dish, so I use cheaper corn. If you want to avoid salt and oil, grated parmesan is tasty on pop corn. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/30 "2011-03-08T17:22:10Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > If you want to avoid salt and oil, grated parmesan is tasty on pop corn. [I dunno 'bout that](http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/31/2). ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/31 "2011-03-08T18:24:31Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > [I dunno 'bout that](http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/31/2). It wouldn’t be my first choice either, but you’re only using a tiny amount compared to the 100g listed there as a serving size. Personally, I just use some [Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Salt](http://www.janeskrazy.com/products.asp) and call it a day. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/32 "2011-03-09T01:56:08Z")
How do you manage to pop popcorn in your microwave without adding anything? When I tried, they didn’t absorb enough heat to pop. A recipe said you had to add oil. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/33 "2011-03-09T13:39:07Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > How do you manage to pop popcorn in your microwave without adding anything? When I tried, they didn’t absorb enough heat to pop. A recipe said you had to add oil. Maybe you had old popcorn? Popcorn has moisture, and microwaves always end up going somewhere, and that somewhere is inevitably the popcorn kernels. I always have some unpopped ones at the end, and as the source bag gets older, the quantity of unpopped kernels increases. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/34 "2011-03-09T15:00:54Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Eating plain popcorn from a hot air popper sans salt, butter etc is like eating packing peanuts. It’s filling but not really a snack of choice without condiments. If you use seasoned or garlic salt, it’s actually pretty good without oil. Plain salt is OK, but the extra flavor is better. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/35 "2011-03-09T15:25:10Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > If you use seasoned or garlic salt, it’s actually pretty good without oil. Plain salt is OK, but the extra flavor is better. Wouldn’t Bacon Salt be even better? 🙂 I haven’t tried this, actually, but I _want_ to, soon. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/36 "2011-03-09T19:29:01Z")
My bad, the thread got ahead of me. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/37 "2011-03-09T22:59:44Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > How do you manage to pop popcorn in your microwave without adding anything? When I tried, they didn’t absorb enough heat to pop. A recipe said you had to add oil. What was your process? Show your work, please. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/38 "2011-03-10T09:10:19Z")
My popcorn was pretty fresh, since I bought it just to try. I got a new microwave container which had a recipe book, with a recipe for popcorn, so I tried it. It didn’t work. I read in other recipes you have to add oil. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/39 "2011-03-10T15:05:50Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Wouldn’t Bacon Salt be even better? 🙂 I haven’t tried this, actually, but I _want_ to, soon. Ah, yes. Bacon Salt. I haven’t tried it yet, either, but it does sound good. I like flavored salts because they add flavor without adding anything else. (On Weight Watchers, fat and carbs add points, and I don’t want that.) ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774/40 "2011-03-10T17:31:21Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > My popcorn was pretty fresh, since I bought it just to try. I got a new microwave container which had a recipe book, with a recipe for popcorn, so I tried it. It didn’t work. I read in other recipes you have to add oil. If you have a clean lunch size paper bag laying around, toss 2 handfuls of plain popcorn in, fold the top over by an inch 3 times and lay it flat in the microwave. Hit the popcorn button. Lemme know how that works for you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-popcorn-cooked-with-a-hot-air-popper-really-the-healthiest-method/573774.md?page=3)