Cool Information About Popcorn
While the Popcorn Board estimates that Americans eat 16 billion quarts of popcorn per year, there is much more to know about popcorn than its popularity, including some interesting historical facts and notable features. Does this Spark an idea?
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Healthy Snack
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Popcorn is a healthy whole grain snack that is low in calories, sugar-free and has no artificial preservatives. It contains iron, fiber and it is estimated that a 1.5 ounce serving has the same amount of protein found in 2 eggs.
Features
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Each popcorn kernel contains enough water to cause the starch inside of it to explode when it is heated (at about 464 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit). It takes a fraction of a second for each kernel to explode, cool off and form.
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History
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During the 16th century, the Aztecs used popcorn to make jewelry, garlands and ornaments. Native Americans turned popcorn kernels into corn meal, beer and soup. During the 1890s and throughout the Great Depression, it was sold as a popular snack by street vendors.
The First Microwave Food
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Percy Spencer, a Raytheon engineer, used popcorn kernels in his experiments with magnetrons, which helped him invent the first microwave oven.
Types
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There are three types of popcorn kernels: Old maids, mushrooms and butterflies. Old maids are popcorn kernels that don't pop, mushrooms are shaped like white circles and butterflies look like they have wings.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Rosana Prada
