Air-popped or lightly oil-popped popcorn is a good snack for high cholesterol. Butter-flavour microwave popcorn and buttered cinema popcorn are not.
Popcorn is a whole grain. Three cups of air-popped popcorn have 0.2 g of saturated fat, 3.5 g of fibre and about 90 calories, and whole grains lower LDL a little in trials. But a whole bag of butter-flavour microwave popcorn made with palm oil has about 13 g of saturated fat, a full day's worth. Pop it yourself, in a little olive or rapeseed oil or none at all, and season it without butter.
Popcorn: nutrition per serving
| Food and serving | Sat fat | Cholesterol | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air-popped popcorn3 cups (24 g) · FDC 167959 | 0.2 g | 0 mg | 3.5 g | 93 |
| Home-popped in oil3 cups (24 g) · FDC 169861 | 1.2 g | 0 mg | 2.4 g | 120 |
| Microwave popcorn, regular24 g (about 2 cups) · FDC 167549 | 1.6 g | 0 mg | 1.9 g | 140 |
| Microwave popcorn, butter flavour, palm oil24 g (about 3 cups) · FDC 173141 | 3.5 g | 0 mg | 2.4 g | 128 |
| Microwave popcorn, butter flavour, whole bag1 bag (87 g) · FDC 173141 | 12.7 g | 0 mg | 8.7 g | 465 |
| Cheese-flavour popcorn1 oz (28 g) · FDC 167960 | 1.8 g | 3 mg | 2.8 g | 147 |
| Caramel popcorn1 oz (28 g) · FDC 167552 | 1 g | 0 mg | 1.5 g | 121 |
USDA weighs air-popped popcorn at about 8 g a cup, so 24 g is about 3 cups; oil-popped microwave popcorn is heavier per cup. Caramel popcorn has about 15 g of sugar per ounce. A tablespoon of melted butter on top adds 7.2 g of saturated fat (FDC 173410). Source: USDA FoodData Central (public domain); search the FDC number to see the full record. Values are rounded and vary by brand and recipe.
The bag, not the bowl, is the problem
A bowl of air-popped popcorn hardly registers against a 13 g day. Microwave popcorn made with palm oil uses about a quarter per 3 cups, and the whole bag, which is how most people eat it, uses all of it.
Bars show each serving against about 13 g a day, the American Heart Association's target (under 6% of 2,000 calories) for people lowering LDL. Work out your own number with the saturated fat calculator.
Popcorn as a whole grain
Popcorn is the whole corn kernel, bran and germ included, so it counts as a whole grain. The Whole Grains Council lists it alongside polenta and corn tortillas.
A 2015 meta-analysis of 24 randomised trials found that whole-grain foods lowered LDL by about 0.09 mmol/L (3.5 mg/dL) and total cholesterol by 0.12 mmol/L compared with refined-grain versions. Oats had the biggest effect. None of the trials tested popcorn specifically, so treat it as a better snack choice, not a treatment.
The bigger win is what popcorn replaces. Swapped for crisps, cheese crackers or a chocolate bar, a bowl of air-popped popcorn cuts the saturated fat of your snack to almost nothing.
How to make better popcorn
- Air-pop it in a hot-air popper, or in a covered bowl in the microwave with plain kernels.
- Or pop on the hob with a teaspoon or two of olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil per half cup of kernels.
- Season without butter: smoked paprika, chilli, cinnamon, garlic powder, nutritional yeast for a "cheesy" taste, or a light spray of olive oil so seasonings stick.
- Read microwave popcorn labels. Look for "light" or plain versions and check the saturated fat per bag, not per serving. Avoid palm oil and "butter flavour" types high in saturated fat.
- At the cinema, ask for a small with no butter topping, or bring your own.
How much is sensible?
Three to four cups of air-popped or lightly oil-popped popcorn is a good snack portion, at about 90 to 160 calories. Pre-portion microwave popcorn into bowls rather than eating from the bag, or share it.
General information, not medical advice
This page is for education and doesn't diagnose or treat anything. If you have high cholesterol, take medication or have another health condition, check changes to your diet with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Frequently asked questions
Is popcorn good for high cholesterol?
Air-popped or lightly oil-popped popcorn is a good snack: 3 cups have about 0.2 to 1.2 g of saturated fat and 2 to 3.5 g of fibre. Butter-flavour microwave popcorn made with palm oil and buttered cinema popcorn are high in saturated fat.
Is microwave popcorn bad for cholesterol?
It depends on the brand. USDA's butter-flavour microwave popcorn made with palm oil has about 12.7 g of saturated fat per 87 g bag, about a full day's target. Plain or light versions are much lower. Check the saturated fat per bag on the label.
Is popcorn a whole grain?
Yes. Popcorn is the whole corn kernel, so it counts as a whole grain. In trials, whole grains lowered LDL slightly (about 0.09 mmol/L) compared with refined grains.
What can I put on popcorn instead of butter?
Spices like smoked paprika, chilli or cinnamon, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, or a light spray of olive oil to help seasonings stick. A tablespoon of butter adds about 7 g of saturated fat.
Is caramel or kettle corn OK?
Caramel popcorn is fairly low in saturated fat (about 1 g per ounce), but it has about 15 g of sugar per ounce, so keep it occasional.
Scan or log popcorn in Heart Tracker
Scan the bag of microwave popcorn to see its saturated fat per bag, or search for air-popped popcorn and log your bowl. Heart Tracker adds the fibre and saturated fat to your day.
Download Heart Tracker FreeRelated guides
Sources
- Hollænder PL, et al. Whole-grain and blood lipid changes in apparently healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(3):556–72.
- Whole Grains Council: Whole grains A to Z (corn, including popcorn).
- USDA FoodData Central: popcorn, air-popped (FDC 167959); home-prepared, oil-popped (169861); microwave, regular (167549); microwave, butter flavour, palm oil (173141); cheese-flavour (167960); caramel-coated (167552); butter, salted (173410).
- American Heart Association: Saturated fat.