Sitting in a cozy theater and eating popcorn is every movie buffs favorite pastime. You can have this delightful snack buttered, with caramel, or with cheese, and somehow even when you are full, you always want one more mouthful of it! Many people who are on a diet, stay away from these scrumptious delights because of their reputation of being fattening. However, popcorn is ideal for weight watchers, as they are high in fiber and roughage. Popped Vs. Unpopped: Calorie Comparison Many people wonder why unpopped popcorn has more calories in comparison to popped ones. The answer lies in the kernels, popped ones have less kernels, therefore less calories. What we mean to say is, a cup of unpopped popcorn will have more calories because of the large number of kernels that are present. On the other hand, popped popcorn of the same measure will have less calories because of the absence of kernels. Moreover, a ¼ cup of unpopped popcorn will give you around 2 quarts of popped popcorn. Therefore, the former has more calories. If you want minimum amount of calories, it is best to have air popped popcorn with no butter, salt, or cheese added. Whether you have it buttered, or like it with cheese, there is one thing that remains constant aside from the extra fat you add in, which is the basic fat in unpopped popcorn is healthy and good fat. List of Popcorn Calories

• Cheese- 58 calories per cup
• Buttered- 40 calories per cup
• Oil popped- 55 calories per cup
• Air popped- 31 calories per cup
• Microwaved- 25 calories per cup
• Caramel- 122.5 calories per cup
• Caramel with peanuts - 230 calories per cup

Popcorn for Weight Loss But, even if you are an ardent weight watcher, you can try different recipes, and we are pretty sure that you can negotiate a little increase in calories here and there. Popcorn is the healthiest snack, as it is whole grain, which makes it high in fiber. The above mentioned calorie count is a basic estimate, though one of the many astounding popcorn facts is that it has one of the least amount of fat as compared to other snacks. So, if you are on a healthy low fat diet, munch away on as much popcorn as you want. The calorie issue also depends on how one wants to have their popcorn. If one has a combination of say, oil popped ones with butter and a dash of salt, the calorie count will of course jump up to 155 calories a cup. It is common knowledge that one shouldn't completely eliminate fat from their diet plan, so if you love your popcorn, remember, the fat present in them is good fat, with no cholesterol. All said and done, when it comes to popcorn calories, it doesn't matter if you are an avid fan of munching on them. Once in a while, it is okay to treat our taste buds and give in to our inner glutton. One cup of these popping mouth-waterers will not be responsible for those much dreaded extra pounds!