3Popcorn
You may have heard that popcorn is a healthy alternative to junk food and chips. It is a whole grain and therefore rich in fiber. All of this is true. But only if you’re eating popcorn made at home. This is because the microwaveable popcorn sold in supermarkets by most brands has some sort of artificial flavoring, the most popular being butter.
The rich buttery flavor in microwave popcorn is derived mainly from diacetyl and acetoin. Even though both chemicals occur naturally due to fermentation, they are noted to be possible causes of cancer and toxic to the respiratory system. Poisonous diacetyl fumes are released into the air when you pop such corn in the microwave.
What’s more, the bags in which the popcorn is sold are lined with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as a substance which is possibly carcinogenic to humans, with links to testicular and kidney cancer. Although PFOA is banned in several countries, it still finds its way to shelves through imports.
Alternative: Buy a bag of corn kernels. Pop it on your stove-top in a nonstick pan covered with a lid that has a hole. Make sure to turn on the highest heat setting and keep shaking the covered vessel until all the kernels have popped. You can add butter, salt and seasoning, or eat it plain. It’s cheaper and safer than store-bought microwave popcorn.