Popcorn has 15 grams of fiber per 100g. A serving provides up to 22% of the recommended daily intake! It’s one of the richest foods in fiber.
How much fiber do we need a day?
The minimum recommended daily intake of fiber is 28 grams on a 2,000 calorie diet. But, most people who follow the standard Western diet fail to consume adequate amounts of fiber. They consume less than half of the recommended daily intake!
That’s because animal and refined foods don’t contribute to the daily fiber intake.
On the other hand, there hasn’t been established a maximum safe dose of fiber.
How much fiber in a cup of popcorn?
Popcorn is a healthy, whole grain snack. It’s one of the highly recommended foods in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.[1]
Air-popped popcorn contains 15.1 grams of fiber per 100g. This dose is more than 50% of the Daily Value. Popcorn is considered a fiber-rich food. The regular consumption of popcorn can increase fiber intake by 22%:[2]
- a cup of popcorn has 1.2 grams of fiber, or 4% of the DV
- a serving of 5 cups contains 6 grams of fiber, or 22% of the DV
Can I depend on popcorn for fiber?
Certainly, popcorn is pretty high in fiber. But, we can’t depend on it to meet our daily needs.
You should eat only reasonable amounts of homemade air-popped popcorn if you want to lose or maintain a healthy body weight. In fact, popcorn is good for weight loss because fiber in popcorn promotes satiety. Other types of popcorn have too many calories. They can make you fat.
Furthermore, popcorn is pretty rich in polyphenols, which have powerful antioxidant properties. They’re necessary for good health.[3]
Either way, we have to consume a wide variety of foods high in fiber to meet our daily needs.
As plants are the only foods containing fiber, following a well-balanced, whole-food, plant-based diet is the easiest way to boost our daily intake of fiber. Eat beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, mushrooms, seeds, and nuts to meet your daily needs of fiber.
Why is fiber essential for health?
High fiber intake has been linked to a significantly lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, certain gastrointestinal diseases, high blood pressure and high serum cholesterol levels.[4]
Moreover, fiber contributes to healthy gut microbiota, which is crucial for good health. Gut microbiota protects the body from chronic inflammations, improves metabolic processes, and promotes weight loss, due to regulation of appetite![5]
