In a report that will shock anyone that doesn't go to the movies, an advocacy group claims that movie theater popcorn is not a very good nutritional snack. In a press release, the Center for Science in the Public Interest says they commissioned laboratory analyses indicating a medium-size popcorn and medium-size soda purchased at a Regal theater, the country's largest movie theater chain, contains the nutritional equivalent of three McDonald's Quarter Pounders with 12 pats of butter. "Sitting through a two-hour movie isn't exactly like climbing Mt. Everest," a senior nutritionist for the Center said. "Why do theaters think they need to feed us like it is?"
Ah, but that comment betrays an ignorance of the current cinema. When I caught 2012 on opening day, for example, I watched it with a tub of popcorn by my side, as our reviewer Peter Hall suggested ($7.50 for a large popcorn at AMC). It gave me something to do during the non-disaster scenes. On a more serious note, the Center points out the high amount of saturated fat results from movie theater chains Regal and AMC using coconut oil to pop their popcorn. The Cinemark chain uses canola oil, which results in much less "artery-clogging" saturated fat.
For their part, the chains aren't talking, reports The Los Angeles Times, though Regal falls back on the MPAA's statistic that says the average American only attends six movies a year and thus: "Theater popcorn and movie snacks are viewed as a treat and not intended to be part of a regular diet." I know our readers watch up to six movies in a single weekend, so I ask you: Do you skip popcorn entirely? Do you buy anything from movie concession stands? If theaters offered healthier fare, would you buy it?
Movie Popcorn is Bad for You? Who Knew?
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(Page 1)2. The worst part of this treat is not the coconut oil or butter flavor canola oil but the blood sugar spike from the corn and attendant insulin rush that send these fats right to your mid section. Especially if you follow this indulgence with a sugary soda and a two hour session of sitting. Couple that with fight or flite hormones surging in your blood from response to the movie action and violence....it's a wonder more people don't just up and drop dead in the local multiplex.
Posted at 9:07AM on Nov 23rd 2009 by Ropetrick
3. Everything will kill you.
Posted at 12:32PM on Nov 22nd 2009 by Tristan
4. I asked the guy behind the counter to read me the ingredients on the popcorn box and it had some kind of super sodium as the first ingredient. Now I don't mind the butter (fat), or even the corn (sugar), but the sodium is out of this world.
Do you know how important that is? Your body has a survival system based on measuring salt levels. That whole internal feedback system is connected to your hormone-secretion glands and it gets complicated after that, but that regulates salt and water. These salt imbalances are designed to make you drink sugar drinks.
So I would be careful about eating the popcorn with the fake super salt and eat something more nutritious -- like a hotdog or a chocolate bar. Even a pint of Hagen-Daas (ice cream) would do less harm.
If you actually LIKE the salty popcorn, just drink a lot of water when you get out of the theater and avoid salt for the rest of the week.
Some independent theaters make salt-free popcorn.
Posted at 2:59PM on Nov 22nd 2009 by Cinemanita
5. Here comes the stupid food police again. PEOPLE! You don't go to the movies every day and eat popcorn! Go. See a flick. Eat popcorn. Have fun! and tell the food police to suck off!
Posted at 3:43PM on Nov 22nd 2009 by Liam
6. The person who takes the utmost care of themselves is still as vulnerable to getting killed in a car crash as is the person who weighs 400 pounds and eats junk food.
It's an occasional, guilty pleasure, but you will NEVER catch me in a theatre, watching a movie without a big bag of popcorn by my side.
To those who make sure a big deal about popcorn, the salt or the genuine-artificial-imitation-butter-flavoring, just remember that life is a zero sum game. Get over yourselves.
7. I would definitely buy healthier popcorn over that they serve now. Popcorn is actually good for you if it's air popped, and even if you add butter or flavours to it afterwards, at least the calories wouldn't be astronomical.
Posted at 6:58PM on Nov 22nd 2009 by wendy.nind
8. I can't imagine anybody is surprised by this. I haven't bought food or drink from the theater in a number of years. Not only does none of it have any nutritional benefit, they sell everything in such huge quantities. It's incredibly wasteful unless you have a bunch of people to share it with. I do feel bad sometimes, because I know the concessions is a big part of how theaters support their business, but until they start offering healthier options or smaller portions the only money they'll make on me will be the ticket sale.
Posted at 8:51AM on Nov 23rd 2009 by Wexler
9. What about if you...
- get a small popcorn every so often
- don't exactly partake in the healthiest diet to begin with
- do some sit-ups every other day
- buy a medium Coke and sneak in some candy
Couldn't be quite as bad, could it?
Posted at 8:52AM on Nov 23rd 2009 by Tor
10. it may be ghetto, but i bring my snacks from home. no way am i shelling out another 12 dollars for movie food.
Posted at 10:45AM on Nov 23rd 2009 by Karina
11. I occasionally will buy a popcorn and soda at the movies, but it's getting to the point where I need to take out financing to buy the snack. AMC Theaters are the worst. They just upsized their whole menu and upsized the prices. Gone are the old small popcorns and sodas. What used to be medium 3 weeks ago is now the small. A large can feed an African Village for a month. It also now costs the equivalent of a decent used car. Isn't $12 a ticket enough anymore?
Posted at 10:59AM on Nov 23rd 2009 by MIke
12. I usually split a medium or large soda with my wife. Sometimes I'll get some Butterfinger Bites or Reece's Pieces, but not usually. Rarely ever get popcorn, but not because of some self-important health crusade, but because I'm just not a big popcorn fan. That and it's usually too much at once (leftover popcorn just doesn't do it for me), too expensive, too greasy/salty, and I'm the kind of guy that likes to get to the theater plenty early to get a good seat so I'm not doing the whole deer in the headlights, stand off to the side while searching for an empty seat in the dark thing. Skipping the consession area, or just getting a drink usually assures a good seat.
Posted at 12:31PM on Nov 23rd 2009 by Mangorilla
13. I am a dedicated cinephile and I spend alot of time at the theatre, and I almost never get popcorn. I'll grab a couple of handfuls out of someone else's bag if they buy it, but the only time I generally buy it myself is when I go to see a kid's movie alone. Because that's the time when the whole theatre smells like buttered popcorn and blue raspberry slushies and I think "Oh yeah, these kids know how to eat" and I feel this strange compulsion to do so as well. I would totally eat the healthier food at the theatre if they offer it, I love when theatres expand their menu and start offering me actual food, I was thrilled when theatres started giving me pizza, so imagine my joy if I could just walk in and order a sandwhich and an ice tea with my movie?
Posted at 12:56PM on Nov 23rd 2009 by Holly
14. "Yes, can I get a medium...actually I'm feeling a little crazy today so why not...make that a xlarge order of steamed carrots with the Nutellla dip."
Posted at 3:44PM on Nov 23rd 2009 by Prhime
15. ...must have popcorn at the movies!
I get the kids meal with water instead of a soft drink. Just enough popcorn to sate the corn beast and a bit of candy, perfect!
Posted at 7:00PM on Nov 23rd 2009 by Holley
16. i think we are missing the point. the theaters are making bad popcorn, what they should do, is give people a choice, why not also sale air make popcorn let the people, pick what they want...
Posted at 6:08PM on Nov 23rd 2009 by s_
17. Going to the movie theater is bad for you. The muchies are laced with all things bad beyond belief. The other patrons seek to annoy as if they were in their own home. The environment is poor, and the presentation even worse.
Glad the wife and I invested wisely in our home theater. A little patience and we see the same movies in much better surroundings and a better experiences overall.
Posted at 6:40AM on Nov 24th 2009 by BarkingGhost
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1. I only get popcorn every once in a while b/c it's expensive and if it's early in the day and I havent eaten yet then the popcorn makes me sick. I go to the movies a lot so normally I bring some sort of candy in my purse and a drink b/c i cant afford what they charge and I have to have a drink while I watch.
Posted at 10:43AM on Nov 22nd 2009 by Nikki