Microwave Popcorn

[Tyria]

Does anyone regularly eat, or know if any mainstream brands of microwave popcorn (Act II, Orville Redenbacher, Pop Secret, ect.) are safe? They all look ok, but list "natural flavoring" in the ingredients, and I'm always wary about that. None of their websites have any gluten-free or allergen information. I know air popped is healthier than microwave popcorn, and that's how I've been eating popcorn for the last year and a half, but I grew up eating microwave popcorn and I'm really craving it. Help?

[tarnalberry]

you can use regular popcorn in a brown paper bag, staple it twice (at least three inches apart) and microwave until you hear the popping die down (depends on the microwave... play with it...).

[GlutenGalAZ]

I use Act II microwave popcorn. We also have a air popper and use Orville Redenbacher's popping corn (made by ConAgra Foods -- they are good about labling).

I believe Newman's Own and Pop Secret have some that are gluten free.

Here is a website that shows companies that will list gluten if present in the ingredients:

Open Original Shared Link

[larry mac]

I regularly eat Pop Weaver Extra Butter. It's very inexpensive at Walmart. I only pop it about

[Tyria]

Thanks for the responses. I used to eat Pop Weaver and Act II before going gluten-free so maybe I'll try those again.

[RiceGuy]

I like making popcorn on the stove, so the corn is just corn, and no chemicals or other junk. As I understand it, the bags used for microwave popcorn have some sort of chemical coating the inside, and it is known to be unhealthy (I don't recall what the health effects are). I'd suggest you Google "popcorn lung" before you decide to eat microwave popcorn. Supposedly the manufacturers are changing to some other chemical or something, but if history tells us anything, it is likely to backfire in some way.

Incidentally, rice bran oil or coconut oil are really wonderful for making popcorn. Macadamia nut oil is yummy too, but expensive.