Pop That Habbit

The Oscars are schedule to appear this Sunday, March 7. Whether you are hurrying to the movie theater to catch the Best Picture nominee or renting the last big flick, think twice before ordering or popping the popcorn.

The popcorn aisle of the supermarket is one of the easiest places to find partially hydrogenated oils, otherwise known as trans fats. Food manufacturers are not required to post trans fat on nutrition labels if there is less than 0.5 grams per serving. You can bet they will adjust serving sizes to make sure there is no trans fat on the label!

To avoid this marketing trap, double check the ingredient list and look for any oils that have been “partially hydrogenated.” The hydrogenation process starts with a fat that normally is unsaturated, meaning it is not saturated with hydrogens because it contains some double bonds. These fats are liquid or semi-liquid at room temperature. By adding the hydrogens to the carbon chain, the fat has less risk of becoming oxidized, or damaged, but changes shape as well. The new shape, categorized as trans instead of cis, does not fit nicely into our arteries, causing inflammation leading to heart disease, arthritis, and immune problems.

Even worse is the popcorn you can purchase at the theater. Not only do you end up spending more money than you might on an entire meal, but your calorie intake exceeds a meal as well. A small popcorn packs in 600 calories and 34 grams of saturated fat where as a large popcorn equals some people's entire days worth of calories, 1200 calories plus 60 grams of saturated fat. Even if you are sharing the small popcorn, you will eat two to three times the recommended intake of saturated fat for the whole day!

Not enough reasons to avoid popcorn while watching movies? Popcorn can be a “trigger food” for many people and eating out of a bag sets us up for failure. The hand to mouth motion associated with eating popcorn is very soothing, and very difficult to stop. Basically, once you pop you can't stop. Practice mindful eating by picking healthful foods that will not set you up for overeating. Place an appropriate portion on a bowl or a plate; smaller bowls and plates help you stick with the right serving size. Having a hard time thinking of other snacks to munch on during the Academy Awards? Hurry now and get your personalized suggestions and meal plan from Melissa or Elizabeth at EB Nutrition!