Shocking Reasons Microwave Popcorn Is Toxic

I personally can’t imagine myself watching a movie without a bowl of popcorn. And I guess no human being belonging to the 21st century can.

Once upon a time, I was one of the greatest popcorn lovers. Whether it was watching a movie, reading a book, or simply whiling away time, most things happened with a bag of microwave popcorn in my hands.

But then, all that was once upon a time. And the reason? The host of hazards a small bag of microwave popcorn can bring. If you ask me what the one thing that you need to stop buying from that supermarket right away is, it is this – a bag of microwave popcorn.

Wondering how a simple snack can suddenly turn so dangerous?

Keep reading. And check out for yourself.

History Of Microwave Popcorn

Believe it or not, archaeologists have actually found traces of popcorn in tombs that are over 1,000 years old. And it has been said that popcorn has been a part of the first Thanksgiving feast, organised in Plymouth Colony in 1621.

Coming to microwave popcorn, it became a common snack over 25 years ago. So yes, the popcorn which we so admiringly devour is actually much older than most of us.

Microwave Popcorn – The Reality

I can’t imagine a single instance when microwave popcorn wasn’t advertised as a mouth-watering and light snack.

Well, mouth-watering, yes. But light? I don’t think so.

This is because of the ingredients an average bag of popcorn has, which are:

• Popcorn (obviously)
• Salt
• Partially hydrogenated soybean oil

Err..mm..let’s stop right there. Partially hydrogenated soybean oil, I am telling you, contains Trans Fats that can cause you cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and even bone degeneration (2).  (Frankly speaking, the list doesn’t seem to end any soon)

Microwave popcorn is also generously loaded with artificial flavouring, which can cause severe respiratory ailments.

Is That All?

Not at all.

Ever wondered why the oil inside the microwave popcorn paper bag doesn’t soak in it? Because manufacturers coat the inner lining of the bag with chemicals. And when the popcorn is heated in the microwave oven, these chemicals breakdown into a substance called per..perfl..ahem…per-fluoro-octanoic acid. Well, if you are unable to pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t be eating, right?

This perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as P.F.O.A, is the same toxic substance found in Teflon pans. When this substance enters your body, it’s only going to stay there for a very long time, only to cause kidney and testicular cancer (4). P.F.O.A. has also been linked to infertility.

Scary. Anything Else?

Yeah. The smell.

There was a time when I so used to love the smell of fresh popcorn, that I even checked out deodorants with a similar fragrance on the internet.

*Just kidding*

But, on a serious note, the whiff of hot popcorn we all so love is nothing but another toxic substance, called diacetyl, which is a synthetic butter flavouring added to the popcorn. Diacetyl can cause serious lung diseases (5). And yes, it has been found that the manufacturing process of butter flavourings involves over 2,000 chemicals (6).

Need I say more?

So, Shouldn’t I Ever Have Popcorn?

Nothing like that.

Popcorn is not toxic, if you eat it the right way. How? That’s where I am getting to.

The Homemade Popcorn Recipe

Making your own popcorn is probably one of the easiest things ever. The following recipe might take a minute more to prepare than the microwave popcorn you get outside. But hey, after knowing what all microwave popcorn can bring us, an extra minute or two is more than a better bargain.

This recipe shows you how you can prepare your own homemade popcorn.

What You Need:

• Popcorn kernels, 1/3 cup
• Salt, ½ teaspoon
• Olive oil, 1 teaspoon
• Sugar (if needed, 1 tablespoon)
• A brown paper bag

What You Need To Do:

• Take the teaspoon of olive oil and pour it over the popcorn kernels.
• Let the oil soak down.
• Plop the kernels in the brown paper bag.
• Next, add the salt. You can add sugar too if you want.
• Fold the bag over a couple of times and press it so that it doesn’t open.
• Now place the bag inside your microwave oven over a tissue paper.
• Wait till the popping slows down (this should take around two and half minutes, on an average). Let the bag cool down a bit.
•  Juggle the bag a couple of times to ensure it is evenly seasoned.
• And there you go! Homemade popcorn right for you!

So, the next time you feel like having microwave popcorn, think twice. And then toss the popcorn bag in the garbage bin.

That’s what you are going to do, right?