Why you shouldn't eat popcorn, especially for children: an expert's answer

Popcorn is a tasty but unhealthy product based on corn kernels. It is very easy to prepare – just heat the kernels well, add oil, spices, and caramel.

It's worth noting that popcorn has been made for thousands of years by ancient Native Americans, who discovered a type of maize that could swell when heated.

Nutritionist Yana Leguza shared on Instagram why you shouldn't eat popcorn, especially for children.

What is the harm of popcorn?

"Only home-made popcorn can be harmless, i.e. buy special corn kernels and fry them in a saucepan with pure butter and salt. When you buy it at the point of sale, you get saturated with trans fats and "lose" healthy cells in your body. The oil used in production machines is the cheapest and is rarely changed," the expert explained.

Harmful dressings

"Salt and sugar, caramel, cheese – these flavors cause stomach ulcers and gastritis when abused," the nutritionist said.

Popcorn is addictive

"It's addictive and buying it becomes a pattern in the movie theater! The brain remembers that fatty and high-calorie foods are pleasurable. In response to its receipt, it produces extremely "pleasant" hormones and sensations that you want to crave again and again," says Yana.

The biggest danger of eating popcorn

"Trans fats from oil become catalysts for the development of cancerous tumors and provoke diseases of the respiratory system, which is especially dangerous for asthmatics. When exposed to high temperatures, fat from popcorn begins to release the toxic substance diacetyl, which leads to pulmonary fibrosis and Alzheimer's disease," the expert summarized.