Eating popcorn is often associated with watching movies.
Popcorn is created by drying pieces of a specific type of corn and heating them until they explode into fluffy, white kernels. The origins of popcorn dates back to about 2,500 B.C. when Aztec medicine men threw popcorn kernels into the fire to tell fortunes based on the direction the kernel flew. Today, popcorn is a popular snack at home and movie theaters.
Nutritional Facts
Popcorn is considered a whole grain, making it a healthy choice when you are looking for a snack. When it is air-popped, it contains only 31 calories per cup. Oil-popped popcorn contains 55 calories per cup. Popcorn is also a good source of vitamins and nutrients, such as B vitamins, vitamin E, protein, iron and fiber. The snack is also recommended by the American Dental Association, National Cancer Institute and American Diabetes Association as a preferred snack.
Consumption Facts
About 70 percent of the approximately 17 billion quarts of popcorn consumed in the United States each year (as of the publication date of this article) is eaten in the home. The other 30 percent is consumed in public places, such as movie theaters, stadiums and school events. The food people use a microwave for the most is popcorn. More popcorn is consumed in the fall than any other time of the year. Most popcorn comes from the Midwest, particularly Nebraska.
Interesting Facts
Popcorn kernels have a lot of power for such a small object. One kernel of corn can jump up to 3 feet high when popped. Ancient ears of popcorn were found in a cave in New Mexico around 1948. These ears were estimated to be about 4,000 years old. In addition to eating popcorn by itself, some popcorn is made into treats, such as popcorn balls, Weighing about 5,000 lbs., the largest popcorn ball was made in Iowa in 2006 and measured 8 feet tall and 28.8 feet around (as of the publication date of this article).
Historical Facts
While popcorn dates back to the early Aztecs in Mexico, it also has its place in other parts of history. In 1493, Columbus took some of the corn back with him to Europe, spreading popcorn around the world. Charles Cretor developed a corn-popping machine in 1885 to increase the production of the snack. In the early 1900s, popcorn distribution moved to horse-drawn popcorn carts and then to motor vehicles. The decrease of sugar availability during World War II tripled the popcorn consumption of Americans.
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