Movie actress turned television host Drew Barrymore is like a lot of us,
she struggles with between-meal snacking and calorie counting, and
unlike a lot of us, Ms. Barrymore uses a low-cost and tasty snack to combat it.

The snack:
Popcorn.

Yes, some plain air-popped popcorn is the go-to snack Ms. Barrymore uses to
control her hunger and keep calorie counts low.

Eating 2 to 3 cups of air-popped popcorn each day fills you with more weight-regulating
polyphenols than many fruits and vegetables, and their abundance of insoluble fiber
is proven to keep you feeling full for hours.

And for those who don’t have issues with between meal hunger, you can also benefit
from a cup or two of popcorn in other ways and they are…

* Less Inflammation-
Health experts say that far too many Americans have too much inflammation
inside our bodies and to get rid of it, you can eat more popcorn.
That’s right, eating popcorn (and other whole grains) cuts inflammation throughout
the body by 40%.
* A Longer Life-
Even Ms. Barrymore may not be aware of this, but the low-calorie and low-cost snack
known as popcorn may actually help you live a few years longer.
Popcorn (and other whole grains) deliver a ton of antioxidants and fiber to your system,
and together they help your body shields itself from some cancers, heart disease,
inflammation and other major health issues slashing your risk of dying by 20%.

So, if that green smoothie or big green apple or 2 glasses of water (before a big meal)
or bowl of soup is doing little to tame your appetite, just follow in the steps of
Ms. Barrymore and reach for the movie theater snack known as popcorn.

And lastly, if you plan on having popcorn once a week or five times a week,
remember these helpful tips:
* Make It Air-Popped.
Making it in a deep pot with loads of oil only increases the calorie count.
* Add Some Fat-
A little butter or coconut or olive oil is actually helpful, eating some popcorn with
fat means you’ll absorb more of the nutrients and antioxidants.
* Add Spices and Herbs-
To counter the boredom and monotony of eating it (your popcorn) the same way,
day after day, add some onion or garlic powder or if like it sweet, add cinnamon
or all spice and if like it cheesy, add some nutritional yeast.
* Mix and Match-
You can also make your own form of “good-for-you” granola by mixing air-popped
popcorn with some nuts, seeds, raisins, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Eat this in moderation, as it can be a high-calorie snack.

That’s it for today and here’s to healthy snacking.

Sources:
* Journal of Alternative Health
* The Drew Barrymore Show
* University of Connecticut, Research Dept.