If you love popcorn and have high cholesterol, you may be wondering if this delicious treat is a healthy choice and if you should even eat it. Luckily, you can enjoy this crunchy snack, as long as it’s prepared appropriately.
Here’s the lowdown on popcorn and cholesterol and how to incorporate these foods into a healthy diet.
The Basics of Cholesterol
It’s helpful to know the basics of cholesterol first when trying to keep yours within a healthy range.
Although you may think of cholesterol as a bad thing, the waxy substance is essential for cell growth and the production of vitamins and hormones, according to the American Heart Association. However, excess cholesterol can cause problems.
There are two types of cholesterol: good (HDL) and bad (LDL). The “good” variety is responsible for absorbing any excess cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream and moving it to your liver, which works to remove it from your body, according to the Mayo Clinic. Having too little HDL can harm this critical process.
On the other hand, too much LDL can clog the arteries, increasing the risk of developing clots that can lead to a stroke or heart attack, according to the Mayo Clinic. Translation: The ideal is to aim for higher HDL levels and lower LDL levels.
According to the American Heart Association, optimal total cholesterol is around 150 mg/dL, while optimal LDL cholesterol is at or below 100 mg/dL.
Popcorn and cholesterol
Is popcorn healthy for you when it comes to your cholesterol levels? When eaten without additives (like salt and butter), popcorn is a winner for heart health, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It’s 100 percent whole grain, a good source of fiber and low in calories.
In fact, a 3-cup serving of air-popped popcorn has fewer than 100 calories, no cholesterol, just one gram of fat and only 2 grams of sodium, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Plus, it contains 3.5 grams of heart-healthy fiber.
Of course, the nutritional content of popcorn can quickly change depending on how it is prepared. An average bucket of movie theater popcorn with butter can contain more than 1,000 calories and contain more than a few days’ worth of unhealthy saturated fat, according to the USDA. And the microwaveable kind you get at the grocery store isn’t so healthy either: It can also be high in fat and calories, thanks to the addition of butter and other flavorings.
But straight out of the bag, popcorn can definitely be a healthy snack. If you stick to the air-popped, butter-free variety, “popcorn is a good snack for people with high cholesterol,” says Lona Sandon, PhD, RDN, associate professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. “It only has cholesterol when you add butter to it.”
If plain popcorn isn’t your thing, try oiling it (and reducing the salt if you add it), making it a low-calorie, low-fat, high-fiber snack. According to the Cleveland Clinic, healthy oil options include walnut, avocado, and extra virgin olive oil.
Other healthier ingredients you can use to jazz up your popcorn instead of butter or salt include:
- Chili powder and lime juice
- Parmesan and fresh rosemary
- Cayenne pepper
- Cajun Seasoning Blend
- Olive oil, garlic and black pepper
- Cinnamon
- Nutritional yeast
Cholesterol and your diet
One of the best ways to maintain healthy cholesterol levels is to determine the amount and type of fats you consume in your diet. Avoid or limit saturated and trans fats, which can be risk factors for increased LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“Dietary cholesterol has only a small effect on blood cholesterol,” says Dr. Sandon. “The type of fat you eat matters more.” So the goal, she says, should be to keep saturated fats low and replace them with healthier unsaturated fats.
According to the Mayo Clinic, following a diet low in salt and high in fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains can help prevent high cholesterol. Popcorn, a whole grain, can fit into this type of diet, as long as you limit the amount of salt and butter.
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