Kara Swanson is a certified nutritionist and the founder of Life Well Lived. She is married to her best friend and the proud mother of three. Her passion is to make nutrition simple, easy, and delicious! You can find her amazing nutrition plans and learn tips and tricks to staying healthy on her website, Instagram, or Facebook.
※Please note that these products were not picked by Kara Swanson, but chosen through extensive research and by combing through customer reviews by our staff at mybest.
Himalayan Pink Salt, 12 pack
$35.76
Main ingredients | Organic non-GMO popcorn, organic coconut oil, Himalayan salt |
---|---|
Official certifications | Organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, kosher |
Available flavors | 8 |
12 pack
$31.80
Main ingredients | Organic popcorn, organic extra virgin olive oil, sea salt |
---|---|
Official certifications | Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free |
Available flavors | 4 |
9 pack
$34.99
Main ingredients | Air popped popcorn, algae oil, evaporated cane juice, whole algae flour, cinnamon |
---|---|
Official certifications | Non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan |
Available flavors | 4 |
4.4 oz
$2.96
Main ingredients | All natural popcorn, sunflower oil, salt |
---|---|
Official certifications | Non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher |
Available flavors | 3 |
$44.32
Main ingredients | Popcorn, sunflower oil, whey, cheddar cheese |
---|---|
Official certifications | Non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher |
Available flavors | 14 |
Image | 1 ![]() LesserEvil | 2 ![]() G.H. Cretors | 3 ![]() Pop Zero | 4 ![]() SkinnyPop | 5 ![]() Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Organic Popcorn | Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Popcorn | Cinnamon Toast Healthy Popcorn | Original Popcorn | White Cheddar Popcorn |
Features | Three Simple Ingredients for a Healthy Snack | Heart-Healthy Olive Oil and Sea Salt for Great Taste | Sweet but Healthy Popcorn to Satisfy Cravings | Low on Calories, Sodium, Sugar, and More | Cheese Popcorn That You Can Enjoy Healthily |
Price | $35.76 | $31.80 | $34.99 | $2.96 | $44.32 |
Main ingredients | Organic non-GMO popcorn, organic coconut oil, Himalayan salt | Organic popcorn, organic extra virgin olive oil, sea salt | Air popped popcorn, algae oil, evaporated cane juice, whole algae flour, cinnamon | All natural popcorn, sunflower oil, salt | Popcorn, sunflower oil, whey, cheddar cheese |
Official certifications | Organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, kosher | Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free | Non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan | Non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher | Non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher |
Available flavors | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 14 |
Link |
3 pack
$25.27
Main ingredients | Organic popcorn kernels, salt |
---|---|
Official certifications | Organic, non-GMO |
Available flavors | 6 |
6 pack
$24.99
Main ingredients | Popcorn |
---|---|
Official certifications | Non-GMO, kosher |
Available flavors | 1 |
$6.89
Main ingredients | Popcorn, sunflower oil, salt |
---|---|
Official certifications | Non-GMO, gluten-free |
Available flavors | 1 |
12 pack
$37.34
Main ingredients | Organic popcorn, organic palm oil, sea salt, natural flavor |
---|---|
Official certifications | Organic, non-GMO |
Available flavors | 2 |
Butter, 4 pack
$18.98
Main ingredients | Non-GMO popcorn, palm oil, clarified butter, sea salt, rosemary extract |
---|---|
Official certifications | Non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher |
Available flavors | 2 |
Image | 1 ![]() Quinn Snacks | 2 ![]() Black Jewell | 3 ![]() Smude's | 4 ![]() Newman's Own | 5 ![]() Jolly Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Just Sea Salt Microwave Popcorn | No Salt No Oil Microwave Popcorn | Brand Microwave Popcorn | Touch of Butter Organics | Simply Popped |
Features | Microwave Popcorn Without the Bag Coating | Plain, Air-Popped Popcorn for a Pure Corn Flavor | Healthy Microwave Bags Made by a Small Business | Organic and Non-GMO Popcorn With Real Butter Flavor | All-Natural Ingredients Big on Health |
Price | $25.27 | $24.99 | $6.89 | $37.34 | $18.98 |
Main ingredients | Organic popcorn kernels, salt | Popcorn | Popcorn, sunflower oil, salt | Organic popcorn, organic palm oil, sea salt, natural flavor | Non-GMO popcorn, palm oil, clarified butter, sea salt, rosemary extract |
Official certifications | Organic, non-GMO | Non-GMO, kosher | Non-GMO, gluten-free | Organic, non-GMO | Non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher |
Available flavors | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Link |
Popcorn - even packaged popcorn - should be little more than corn, salt, oil, and maybe some spices or cheese as seasoning. If you want the healthiest popcorn, avoid products with additional ingredients like artificial flavors or dyes.
You can also start with a plain, air-popped popcorn that just contains corn and maybe salt, and then you can add your own flavorings! It's more work, but it can turn into a fun activity.
Some oils that you may want to avoid due to the generally high level of processing that they go through include canola, vegetable (or soy), corn, and grapeseed oil.
In particular, it’s important to keep an eye on the fat and salt content. Generally speaking, you want to keep it under five grams of fat and 100 milligrams of sodium per two-cup serving. This will leave you plenty of wiggle room in terms of the rest of your meals for the day.
When it comes to flavored popcorn, especially sweet varieties, you should also pay attention to the sugar content. Less than six grams is ideal since that would be a quarter of your recommended daily intake of added sugar of 25 grams or less. And of course, always remember to check nutrition labels against serving size!
In terms of health and safety, there isn't a huge difference between pre-popped and microwave popcorn. Harmful chemicals like PFOA that used to be included in the lining of microwave bags have been mostly done away with, so which type you choose depends on effort, space, and preference.
Pre-popped popcorns take up more space but are less effort to prepare. They also might not taste as fresh as microwave popcorn since they've already been popped for a while. On the other hand, you're less likely to end up with unpopped kernels in pre-popped versions.
Microwave popcorns are great if you want snacks that have a longer shelf life and don't take up a lot of space. They do take some time and electricity to prepare, but the end result is a hot and fresh taste.
Turn the heat to medium and give the pot a shake every 15 seconds. It should begin to pop in about 30-45 seconds, and once it does, shake the pot consistently to prevent burning. Once the popping slows, remove the pot from the heat and take the cover off to let the steam out. Empty the popcorn and assess if you need to return any remaining kernels to heat.
Now that you've gotten the basic information about how to choose a healthy popcorn down, expert Kara Swanson has a few more tips to add into the mix about making your own popcorn and flavoring it in a healthy way.
Peanut butter cups are an amazing sweet treat that is hard to keep away from! However, it can be high in calories and fat. Instead of pigging out on the candies, why not try this healthier, popcorn-inspired alternative? Kara Swanson's prepared an amazing, healthified recipe. You can find the exact same recipe on her site, here.
*Please note that the picture provided is not of the completed recipe.
Ingredients:
Directions:
In an air popper, air pop the popcorn kernels. If you can have an air popper, you can make the popcorn on the stove with a little bit of oil.
In a small saucepan, combine honey and coconut sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter. Stir until combined.
In a large bowl, pour peanut butter mixture over popcorn. Gently toss with a wooden spoon until popcorn is coated. Spread popcorn on a sheet of parchment paper. Drizzle popcorn with melted chocolate.
Cool completely and stir in the chopped peanut butter cups.
If you want something else to munch on with your popcorn, consider one of these options!
Author: Jacqueline Oshiro
Household goods
Home electronics, PC, camera
Cosmetics and skincare
Food and drinks
Kitchen supplies
Clothing
Shoes
Accessories
Kids and baby
Interior and furniture
Hobbies
Outdoor
DIY and tools
Sports and fitness
Pets
Books, CDs, DVDs
Games
Cars and motorcycles
Gifts
Housing equipment and renovation
Smartphones and mobile phones
Mobile data
Investment and asset management
Credit cards and loans
Insurance
Music
Smartphone applications