Eating air-popped popcorn as a snack not only helps you lose weight because it’s relatively high in fiber, but also because it can replace other higher-calorie snacks. Eight cups of air-popped popcorn contain only 244 calories, yet require a considerable amount of time to eat. Eat just 17 plain potato chips and you’ll consume the same number of calories yet be done in no time, making it more likely that you’ll eat more chips or another snack. Calorie-for-calorie comparisons do air-popped popcorn even more justice if you consider other typical after-supper snacks it can replace. One cup of ice cream, 6 homemade chocolate-chip cookies and even a typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich all have nearly twice the calories of the 8 cups of air-popped popcorn that take far longer to eat.
