Carnival Duty

  Thursday turned out to be a pretty full day.  I managed to get in a decent workout before I had to head to the school.  I upped my weights today.  It was time.  The smaller dumbbells were getting too easy.  Anyway, my arms have been sore all day.  I've been told that sore is good.
  I had popcorn duty at the school's carnival today.  For two tickets, you bought a small bag of popcorn.  By the time my shift came around, they had run out of the normal pre-printed popcorn bags.  We made an assembly line of parents/volunteers.  Some created new bags by tearing and folding those brown paper lunch bags.  Some filled them.  Some took tickets.
  It felt a lot like what we go through every year with the holiday luminaries,  the ones that light up our neighborhood on Christmas Eve.  One person folds bags, one fills with sand, one positions along the sidewalk, and the last goes around lighting the candles,
  No one seemed to mind the odd homemade popcorn bags at bit.  One thing is for sure, that popcorn must have been tasty.  By the end of the day, even after we had completely run out, kids were still coming around tickets in hand, saying "May I please have a popcorn?"  Yes, they were that polite.  Amazing isn't it?
  Surrounded by the fluffy treat for two hours, I began to wonder...just how nutritious is popcorn?  Its just corn, right?  Maybe with some salty butter flavored seasoning sprinkled on.  How many calories are we really talking about?  Well, today we used those oil poppers like the ones they have in the movie theater.  I'd say each bag was approximately 2 to 3 cups filled (they were small bags).
  What I discovered is...that whole grain popcorn I look for in the grocery store?  As it turns out, its not really special.  Popcorn is traditionally a whole grain food.   Its a high-quality carbohydrate source that is not only low in calories, but also a good source of fiber.  And popcorn is low in calories.  Air-popped popcorn averages only 30 calories per cup. When oil-popped, it averages 55 calories. Three cups of popcorn counts as 1 ounce equivalent whole grains.

  Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel (the bran, the germ, and the endosperm).  Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ.  Milling does improves shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins.  Whole grains, like popcorn, keep their dietary fiber.  

   Whole grains, according to studies, may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease, cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and certain cancers.  They are low glycemic carbohydrates, which means lower blood sugar and less insulin production.  What does fiber do?  What you notice at first is that it makes you feel fuller faster.  What you don't see is that fiber actually grabs onto toxins as it makes its way through the digestive system.  

   So, the bottom line of all this is popcorn is a good healthy treat for the whole family as long as you stay natural and keep away from all that butter and salt.  Don't worry.  You can do it...with just a little bit of willpower.  Before long...you won't want to add all that extra stuff.  You will learn to enjoy the flavor of this naturally healthy snack food.