If you suffer sadness or GI issues during the winter months and use fatty food, processed
foods and sugary foods as a way to cope you may want to stop this bad habit
and eat the low-calorie, low-cost snack instead.

What snack is it, you ask?
Popcorn.

If you’re a regular here, then you may have read the post on Drew Barrymore and how she
uses popcorn to stop her from snacking on chocolate chip cookies, donuts and diet soda
during her busy days.

Heartburn and blue moods are prevalent this time of year and the overconsumption
of non-stop food is the culprit and one delicious way to prevent heartburn and the holiday
blues is by snacking on popcorn.

Why popcorn?
Well, you’re usually instructed to eat fatty fish or green salad for most health issues,
but popcorn is the natural remedy for both of these health issues and here’s why…

* Heartburn-
Have some air-popped popcorn at the end of the day an hour or two before bedtime.
Popcorn is loaded with fiber, a type of fiber that soaks up the troublesome chemicals
that relax stomach valve muscles and allow acid to creep up into your esophagus.

* Mood Booster-
Due to shorter days, less sunlight and the non-stop array of goodies available, many
of us suffer from something called SAD, or (seasonal affective disorder) and some of the natural
things you can do to combat it are…
eat healthier, move for 30 mins. or more, visit with friends and family, volunteer and of course
eat popcorn.
Again, give credit to the complex carbs in popcorn, and these special carbs increase your brain’s
production of the antidepressant hormone serotonin.
Important tip:
Eat this popular snack food between meals so dietary protein doesn’t slow the absorption
of the crucial carbs.

So, now that you’re aware of popcorn’s ability to help get you through the stressful holiday season,
here are 2 recipes to liven up that plain ole air popped popcorn.

Recipe No. 1-
Salty-Sweet Caramel Corn!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of melted butter (Kerrygold’s)
2 Tbs.dark honey
1/2 tsp. of sea salt
1/4 tsp. of baking soda
1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract
Fresh Popped Popcorn- 6 to 8 cups
To make:
In a pot over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and honey for 5 to 7 mins.
You must watch it and not let it get too brown.
Slowly and carefully, add the salt, baking soda and vanilla and stir.
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper; spread the popcorn on top
and drizzle with the sugar and honey mixture and bake at 300 degrees until toasted.
Remove from the oven, let cool and enjoy.

Recipe No. 2-
Fall-Spiced Popcorn!
Use the spices you would use to flavor pies, donuts and hot beverages on your
air-popped popcorn.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 tsp. of light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. of ground ginger
1/8 tsp. of ground nutmeg
4 to 6 cups of air-popped popcorn
Sea salt
To make:
In a small pot, melt the butter over low heat, add the rest of the
ingredients, minus the salt. Cook until sugar dissolves.
Spread popcorn on a lined baking sheet and then pour on the sugar
and spice combo, making sure to coat well. And if you like the combination
of salty and sweet, add some sea salt.

One last tip:
If weight is an issue and you want to avoid the extra calories in the two snacks
listed above, then by all means, stick to air-popped popcorn and season it
with garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne or chili pepper or dried basil and chives.

Good Luck and Good Eating!

Sources:
* Journal Phytomedicine
* Andrea Zaccaro, Ph. D.
* Mari Konovalova, M.D.
* University of Washington, Research Dept.
* Taste of Home Magazine, Ultimate Comfort Food
=============================================================================