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A possibly healthy and delicious way to lose weight – ask your doctor or dietician
A while ago I decided to address the issue of my overweight in serious. I had become annoyed of various diets, their empty promises, and the considerable effect to my wallet.
There must be something else, I thought. Often when solutions from the outside world fail, a good solution might be at hand – the answer is there already, we only have to find it. Hence I decided to do my own research, with the following criteria expressed:
• It must be healthy;
• It must be cheap;
• It must be fast to prepare;
• It should conserve itself;
• It should be easy to prepare.
With this in mind I looked around and found popcorn. The calorific value of popcorn is, according to Wikipedia, 385 kcal/100 g. It is rich in fibre, vegetable protein, Riboflavin (vitamin B2) , Thiamine (vitamins B1) as well a as in iron. Hence, when prepared with caution it can be considered a health food.
Rather than immersing it in poly-saturated oil, I choose virgin olive oil: One of the few substances that are proven to reduce high cholesterol levels; some research has also shown that olive oil (particularly from Italy) seem to contain ingredients that pacify extensive appetite.
I went to the grocer and bought a little bag, perhaps 200 g, for some 40 cent. This amount of corn, when cooked diligently, can provide 3 popcorn meals for one person for two - three days, and the calorific value may be in the order of 780 kcal only – less than a few pieces of dry bread.
You also need to add the calorific value of the oil, which is in the order of 880 kcal per 100g, hence per serving you might use some 30 g in the order of 50 - 265 kcal per serving (estimate).
Green olive oil is expensive, but you don't use much, and one 0.25 gallon bottle may last perhaps 2 months.
Before you cook, assemble your gear: Find a large cooking pan with glass lid; and put olive oil and salt on stand-by.
Procedure:
• Put a handful of grains in the cooking pot, and immerse it in green virgin olive oil such that all grains are just about covered by the oil. Add a sniff of salt (be careful not to over-salting it – could be bad for your high blood pressure);
• Turn on the heat (gas fire is best) and heat the pan on very low fire for some 4 minutes. You will see vapor rising, and the first corns popping;
• Increase the flame to maximum and keep it for one minute – corns explode now one after the other. When the popcorn rises, reduce the flame to the bare minimum and wait for another minute.
If you have followed the procedure correctly, all corns will be fully converted without a single one remaining un-popped or burnt.
Bon appetit, enjoy
Franz L Kessler © 2013
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For thirty years, from 20 to 50, I made myself a popper full of popcorn and ate it every evening––three or four bowls full. I used the small rice popcorn, and only put salt on it. I didn't drink beer, so never developed a beer belly like my brothers, and ate everything I wanted except no dairy products because I had become lactose intolerant. I still ate cheese, lots of it.
I maintained a 30.5 inch waist through all those years. My primary care physician one time asked me if I ate enough. I usually ate about a pound of meat every evening with vegetables and potatoes and/or rice. I ate three big meals a day and only ate out during lunch because I had to at work––later I took my lunch.
After I heard about cholesterol when I was in my twenties, I started using cottonseed oil for my popcorn. My cholesterol levels never exceeded normal.
From 50 to 60, my helper made my popcorn because I could no longer make it myself. I cut back on all my food intake and gradually reduced the amount of popcorn I ate. My helper is such a good cook she kept creeping up my portions until I would have to tell her to stop, and then she would come up with a new food I had to try. My weight gradually crept up, but not seriously.
For the last ten years I've had to cut back on eating anything in the evening and popcorn was one of them because I started to experience reflux. I am still lower than normal weight for my height and all my health stats are normal even though I've been paralyzed for 50 years and unable to exercise in an electric wheelchair for the last 20.
I would advise everyone to eat popcorn that is made with a cholesterol fighting oil and only salt or butter flavored salt for seasoning.
To your good health!
Ron