Popcorn: The Most Important Dieting Aid

It can be hard to lose weight. With all of those enticing snack foods out there, temptation can often mean the difference between weight loss and weight gain. Often the people who fall of the weight loss wagon are those who couldn't resist those chips, crackers, or tiny cakes. There's something that you can eat that will help keep you on the diet track, though. Popcorn! It's low in calories and high in flavor.

There are certain times throughout the day when people get the urge to munch. Often this involves a rousing game of couch potato, or just a gap between meals. Although it's all well and good to eat things like carrots or broccoli in these instances, it's sometimes better to reach for something a bit less good for you. Although popcorn is technically pretty good for you, it has a snack-food feeling that's unmistakable.

One of the main cravings a person can have is for salt and crunch. These are the things I crave the most, myself. Often things that have a salty taste and a crunchy bite to them are things that are very bad for you, like potato chips. Popcorn is a great substitute for chips. They both have a salty flavor and that unforgettable crunch, but popcorn is light years ahead of chips in the calorie department.

Speaking of calories, I might as well get down to business. One cup of air popped popcorn, lightly salted, has only 31 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and one gram of protein. As an added bonus, there are no grams of fat in popcorn. Granted, if you add a bunch of butter, the calorie and fat count will skyrocket. Keep away from buttered popcorn!

Since one cup of popcorn has only 31 calories, if you crave more, you can eat more. That's one of the best things about popcorn. You'll feel like you overate when in reality, you're probably still on track for your day's calorie intake amount. I suggest no more than two cups of popped popcorn at a time, though. You don't want to seem like a glutton!

Popcorn can be purchased in packets in grocery stores, but there are better and more inexpensive ways to buy popcorn. Most candy stores sell large tin cans full of already popped popcorn. This way you don't have to go through the hassle of cooking it. When you're craving that crunchy, salty food, just dip in a measuring cup and chomp away.

If regular old popcorn sounds a little boring to you, jazz it up by sprinkling low or no calorie spices on it. I like to sprinkle chili powder on my popcorn. Try out different spices to find what works best for you.

If you substitute popcorn for other salty snacks like chips or pizza, you'll have a better chance of keeping up with your weight loss plan. Why fall off the wagon when there's a perfectly good plan right here?