Corn is grown in more countries than any other crop and is a major source of food for both humans and animals throughout the world.

It is one of the few snacks that is both good for you and tastes good, being a whole grain until popped it keeps its nutritional value. Chewing popcorn sugar free is often recommended by dentists worldwide as it has a cleansing effect. It is ideal for snacks and a great substitute for bread in many diets. The carbohydrates which are easily digestible provide energy and help metabolize fats.

Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN)

Cracked Corn 90 percent TDN
Shelled Corn 88 percent TDN
Ear Corn 78 to 80 percent TDN

Components of Yellow Dent Corn

Starch 61.0 percent
Protein & Fiber 19.2 percent
Corn Oil 3.8 percent
Water 16.0 percent

Popcorn Nutrition

The US Department of Agriculture has found the following nutritive values in one pint of popped popcorn. The figures may vary because of the actual weight or size of the kernels.

weight: ½ to 1 ounce
calories: 50 to 110 calories – refers to unbuttered popcorn
carbohydrates: 10 to 22 grams
protein: 2 to 4 grams
fat: 1 to 2 grams
calcium: 2 milligrams
iron: 0.4 to 0.6 milligrams
niacin: 0.2 to 0.6 milligrams

These figures may not sound like much, but compared ounce for ounce with beef, popcorn provides 67% as much protein, 110% as much iron, and an equal amount of calcium.

A pint of popcorn contains three times as much phosphorus as a pint of milk.

A cup of unbuttered popcorn contains less calories than half a medium grapefruit.

Popcorn is a great dieting aid. Eaten immediately before a meal, it will take the edge of an appetite. The cellulose of the popcorn hull is an indigestible carbohydrate. This cellulose is an excellent dietary roughage and compares to bran flakes. Digestible carbohydrates in the popcorn provide energy and are supposed to help the body metabolize fat.

If you are using popcorn as part of a dieting program, skip the butter and just lightly salt your popped kernels.