Ever since I was a child, popcorn (to me) came from my mother's garden at the end of the driveway - in between the sweet corn and the sunflowers. Every year, I remember excitedly going out and picking the ears with dried up husks, starting the process of harvesting one of my favorite snacks, never knowing it was "real" food rather than "fake," if there could ever be such a thing. Michael Pollan argues that “real” food must make up the majority of our diets in order to allow for healthiness. Yet, now away from home and in college, I have discovered processed popcorn straight from the supermarket, and dare I say I find it rather delicious!
Pop Secret brand popcorn now holds the top spot when it comes to my favorite snack, extra butter to be exact. It has a more buttery smell, richer taste, and more golden appearance than the popcorn of my past but with the added enrichment comes more calories, a bucket load more. On average, a cup of homegrown popcorn contains 30 calories, add another 100 if drizzled in butter (Mother Earth News). In comparison, a cup of Pop Secret extra butter popcorn contains a whopping 170 calories (The Daily Plate). The processed snack does throw a slight kink into my fairly healthy diet, so I don’t eat it as much as I would like.
Upon returning home this summer, I will return to eating the “real” popcorn I’ve always loved. Although I do enjoy Pop Secret brand popcorn, I would rather eat homegrown popcorn.
Dr. Leslie Van Romer agrees with Michael Pollen thoughts on “real” food in that it must make up the majority of our diets. He says, "Today's modern world affords us many privileges, not the least of which is the privilege of choice.” He goes on to say, “These are the very choices that determine not only the number of your days, but also the quality of your days.” It seems that, indeed, Dr. Romer is right.
Photo Credit:
Popcorn Kernels – www.rareseeds.com
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