Pop quiz: What’s an affordable, popular and delicious snack that could help you live to be 100?
Hint — it’s not kale chips.
In a recent Instagram video, longevity expert Dan Buettner shared a “centenarian-approved” treat that you probably already have in your pantry.
“Air-popped popcorn,” he reveals. “It’s very high in fiber, it’s very high in complex carbohydrates, it even has more polyphenols than a lot of vegetables.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, eating whole grains — such as brown rice, oatmeal and, yes, popcorn — can lower your blood pressure and LDL “bad cholesterol” levels, thereby reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and colon cancer.
Research has also shown that incorporating more whole grains — like popcorn — into your diet can reduce your risk of dementia.
Meanwhile, the high polyphenol content of this movie-theater favorite can help protect the body from inflammation and oxidative stress, shielding you from chronic diseases.
Since it’s low calorie and high in fiber, popcorn can also aid in weight management by promoting a feeling of fullness.
However, to maximize its health benefits, it’s important to enjoy popcorn air-popped instead of laden with butter, so as to avoid excessive calories and fat.
Contrary to what most people think — you don’t need an air fryer to make air-popped popcorn. In fact, some experts advise against this option as it can burn the popcorn and create a fire hazard.
The most common method of making air-popped popcorn involves placing the kernels in a brown paper bag and putting it into the microwave on high heat for a couple of minutes.
You can also drop the kernels into a pot, add a little oil and cover it with a lid to trap the steam while the kernels pop.
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