Popcorn is high in fibre and polyphenols, but its healthiness depends on added salt, sugar, and fat. Longevity expert Dan Buettner called it the best snack for living to 100 due to its fibre and polyphenol content. Humans have consumed popping corn for at least 4,000 years, but its popularity surged after Charles Cretors introduced the first mobile steam-powered popcorn machine at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. At the same event, Cracker Jack, a mix of molasses-coated popcorn and peanuts, was first sold.
Healthy Popcorn Recipes
The British Heart Foundation offers a simple spiced popcorn with smoked paprika and cumin per 50g of kernels. Guardian reader Rachel Kelly suggests a spiced salt with chilli and lime. Nigel Slater's fennel seed and pancetta popcorn uses butter and bacon fat for popping.
Sweet and Savory Variations
Yotam Ottolenghi's spicy popcorn features a caramel made from butter, sugar, salt, chilli, and dried shrimp, baked for an hour. For toffee popcorn, a recipe with butter and muscovado sugar works well. Susanna Booth's dairy-free toffee popcorn can be flavoured margarita (lime and salt) or coffee. Liam Charles's honey-caramel popcorn is inspired by a cinema collision of toffee popcorn and honey-roasted nuts.
Popcorn Snack Bars and Mixes
Popcorn granola snack bars from the Popcorn Board combine popcorn, peanuts, granola, honey, and peanut butter. Bombay popcorn mix includes peanuts, sultanas, and crispy chickpeas. Tom Kerridge's popcorn bars are fused with chocolate and marshmallows.
Indulgent Popcorn Desserts
Salted caramel and popcorn crumble choux buns contain three types of sugar and toffee popcorn cream, far from superfood territory.
Popcorn in Bread and Main Dishes
Popcorn can be ground into powder for bread, as in a recipe from Australian Better Homes and Gardens. Popcorn and mushroom-crusted tilapia uses popcorn as a coating for fish.
Popcorn Salads and Soup
Popcorn salad recipes include a picnic-style version with carrots, celery, spring onions, water chestnuts, cheddar, bacon, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing. Another is a simple rocket and onion salad with vinaigrette, using popcorn as crouton alternative. Popcorn soup, modelled on a dish from a Seattle restaurant, uses fresh corn on the cob and popcorn, resulting in a smooth chowder.
