Microwave Popcorn, Home Made

My love of popcorn goes way back to my earliest childhood when my mother would make great bowls full on a weekend night when we lived in a garage… We owe a debt of gratitude to native Americans for this marvelous technological advance they made. I believe popcorn is one of the wonder foods for the following reasons:

The Wonders of Popcorn

  1. It is a whole grain, easily grown in substantial quantities.
  2. It contains the roughage often removed from processed grains. It also contains the same rich protein (though low in lysine, see “complimentary protein”), B complex vitamins and vitamin E of all whole grains.
  3. It is a live food, and sustains itself quite well for long storage periods.
  4. It has a very long storage period which makes it perfect for those who want to have a long-term well stocked pantry, or who are survivalists, or are awaiting the collapse of civilization…
  5. It is embarrassingly inexpensive, especially when bought in bulk (I typically buy a 40 pound bag at a time). I immediately house it in large air-tight containers such as gallon milk jugs, etc. Air-tight is extremely important so that the kernels do not lose moisture and therefore popping ability.
  6. It is DELICIOUS as well as nutritious.
  7. And now, it is SO easy to whip up a bowlful in five minute any or every evening you desire.

Problems with Commercial Microwave Popcorn
Commercial microwave popcorn may be convenient, but you probably know the problems with it:

  1. It contains LARGE amounts of hydrogenated fats. You have noticed the thick grease after you eat a bag… (Look it up if you don’t know the problem with hydrogenated oils.)
  2. It contains artificial flavoring (notably diacetyl: so-called “butter-flavor… This is associated with popcorn workers lung disease) and artificial colors.
  3. It contains much more salt than one might desire (200-355 mg/bag), and you cannot control the quantity.
  4. It costs three to four times what it would cost if you made your own as below. (How much more DOES it cost? I haven’t bought it for so long, I have no idea.)
  5. It generates waste in the form of an oily heavy bag which remains after you have made it.

I am delighted to have devised the following “appropriate technology” for making microwave popcorn at home and believe that many will find it useful. What do you think?