And actually really healthy.
Medically reviewed by Erin Kenney, R.D
IF YOU’VE RECENTLY embarked on the ketogenic diet, you might be struggling to find the ideal snack. After all, you don’t want to lose out on all your favorite foods, like your movie theater favorite, popcorn. Is this salty, crunchy classic considered keto-friendly?
Most of your traditional snack options—like chips, crackers, and fruits—include too many of the keto-killing carbohydrates.The keto diet involves eating a small amount of carbs in an effort to lose weight by pushing the body into a process called ketosis. Our bodies burn carbs as our first-line fuel source. When carb intake is restricted, the body turns quickly to its second option: fat.
The strategy has seen success since its beginnings as a treatment option for epilepsy in the 1920s. The only issue is, to maintain a state of ketosis, you need to be intaking only around 25 grams, or less, of carbohydrates per day. The specific cutoff is different for everyone, but regardless, it's a small amount of carbs. For reference, there’s 45 grams of carbs in a single cup of rice. To adhere to that extreme restriction (to which there’s lots of conversation about), you need the right snack tools in your arsenal.
We know just as well as you do that there’s nothing like posting up with a tub of popcorn. Corn in itself is considered pretty carb-heavy. But, believe it or not, popcorn isn’t that high in carbs: One cup of air-popped popcorn has 6 grams of carbs, and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 5 grams of net carbs, says Natalie Rizzo, M.S, R.D. Unless you’re eating some kind of wacky sugary caramel-coated popcorn, that’s not too bad.
But still, popcorn is, by nature of its source, a carb-heavy snack. So what to do?
Is Popcorn Keto?
Because 5 grams of net carbs is pretty low, popcorn can definitely fit into a keto diet, says Rizzo. “It’s a healthy whole-grain snack that is low in carbs,” she says.
Plus, it has nutritious carbs and fiber, which contribute to energy production and digestion, so you’re getting in some nice sources of fiber to promote gut health and keep you regular—something that is actually of concern to those on keto due to the lack of naturally high fiber sources.
What's a Good Keto Popcorn Recipe?
Now, if you go ahead and drizzle your popcorn with chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, or another high-sugar topping, then your popcorn, though now more delicious, is likely not keto.
To bump up the fats (and flavor) in your popcorn snack: "Pair a cup of air popped popcorn with nuts and top with cinnamon and salt to make a trail mix. Or drizzle 1 cup of air popped popcorn with nut butter,” says Rizzo.
Medically reviewed byErin Kenney, R.D
Erin Kenney is a Registered Dietitian, personal trainer, and CEO of Nutrition Rewired, a virtual private practice where she helps individuals achieve optimal levels of health and human performance. She takes a holistic approach and helps clients address health concerns from a root cause perspective. She works with athletes, CEO's, fortune 100 companies, and everyday individuals looking to achieve optimal health.
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