Popcorn sold at multiplexes is often the richest in calories
Picture for representational purpose
Hyderabad: Popcorn, the go-to healthy snack for people looking for a quick bite, especially at the movies, is apparently not healthy at all. In fact, just two buckets of popcorn a month is more than enough to send your diet plan into a downward spiral. Here’s the breakdown.
A recent study has found that movie popcorn is often the richest in calories in the market, with a large bucket containing at least 700 calories. There are also salt and artificial flavours to worry about.
And if you choose to add a medium non-diet soda to that bag of popcorn, that’s 1,610 calories on a single outing, within three hours the equivalent of four scrambled eggs with cheese, four strips of bacon, and four sausage links, the study claims.
In other words, a single trip to the movies will wipe off all your efforts in the gym and will cause a spike in salt levels, which can later lead to strain on the heart, arteries, kidneys and the brain.
POPCORN DECODED:
Nutritionist Karen Campos Bhatia says having popcorn is one of the quickest ways to gain weight if not consumed in moderation. “It is full of indigestible substances called insoluble fibre which if had in small quantities, are good for you but in large quantities doesn’t process through the digestive system. And anything that doesn’t metabolise eventually turns to fat and is stored in the body.”
“Popcorn is full of starch and thus high in sugar when digested. That results in weight gain. In moderation, it is okay but the way it is consumed in theatres is appalling,” she says.
Dr Prasad Reddy, senior cardiologist at Yashoda Hospital, adds, “The normal salt intake permissible for the human body per day is 5 gm but in India we have up to 12 gm, which leads to high BP and coronary heart diseases. Popcorn also has saturated fatty acids, which aggravates the symptoms.”
Dr Sameer Diwale, chief cardiac surgeon at Sunshine Hospitals, says that excessive salt in popcorn can also result in neurological complications besides hypertension. “It leads to more fluid retention in the body, making one feel bloated.”
He feels that in order to set things right, popcorn tubs, which are sold at theatres, must be put under regulation. “So like any other form of packaged or processed food, information regarding the nutritional value, fat content, cholesterol levels and preservatives should be mentioned on the side of the tub so that people take an informed decision while consuming the product,” he says.
SLOW DOWN:
Clinical dietician at Apollo Hospitals, Syeda Sana Siddiqua, suggests going for smaller servings with no salt and butter. Karen adds that it is crucial for all age groups to not over- indulge while having any kind of food.
“I think in general people are overeating a lot, we are going the American way of upsizing everything for the sake of ‘value for money’; that scares me because the obesity rates in our country are increasing rapidly. While the rest of the world has had a wake up call and is changing its ways, we as usual have to lag behind and not learn from mistakes,” says Karen.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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