Who doesn’t crave popcorn while watching a movie? It’s easy to make, you can eat it within minutes, and it’s delicious. Microwave popcorn offers great advantages like variety in flavors and quick preparation. However, it can cause serious health complications. The food site Food Babe indicates that the ingredients in popcorn, as well as the packaging materials, contain elements harmful to health.
Microwave Popcorn: What are the Risks?
The inside of the bag contains perfluorooctanoic acid, which is used in Teflon pans to prevent food from sticking. It has been found that these bags can persist in the environment and in the body for a long time.
Moreover, studies have shown that when the chemical is heated, it can lead to infertility, cancer, and other diseases. And although these studies have been conducted on animals and not humans, the United States Environmental Protection Agency classifies it as highly carcinogenic. It is therefore preferable to consume popcorn prepared with a popcorn machine.
Microwave Popcorn: Harmful Elements
Although not genetically modified, the corn kernel is not organic and may contain pesticides harmful to health. Most brands sold worldwide no longer contain trans fats, which are the most harmful to the body.
However, they use other types of fats like saturated fats which, although present in animal products, are not recommended due to the difficulty of eliminating them.
Microwave Popcorn: Ingredients Not Listed on the Label
Generally added to preserve the oils that make the kernels pop, the chemicals used contain butane. It’s a toxic gas that, when consumed in large quantities, can cause attention deficit and hyperactivity in children, as well as asthma, allergies, dermatitis, and dizziness. Moreover, in laboratory settings, it has caused stomach cancer in animals.
Finally, the artificial coloring used may contain monosodium glutamate, beaver anal glands, and diacetyl. These elements cause complications in the lungs of those who handle them in factories. Therefore, you can imagine how damaging they can be to our bodies if consumed. In conclusion, if you like having popcorn at home, it is better to buy a popcorn machine to make it yourself.
