Beware of the Movie Popcorn

Who needs horror movies. eDiets.com article "Fright Night: Attack of the Giant Movie Snacks!" is enough to give you nightmares. I had heard rumors of the horrific calorie content of movie theater popcorn, but I had tried to ignore them. Ignorance is bliss. But this article brought home again the unhealthy nature of movie snacks.

That large tub of popcorn has been growing for years. Now they even offer a free refill if 20 cups of popcorn isn't enough. (I have to admit, when the first "Lord of the Rings" movie came out, my family and I shared that large tub and got the refill. Evidently, the urge to cram our bodies with several days' worth of calories and fat is primarily psychological.

Susan Burke, eDiets’ chief nutritionist, explains this movie of the week — inspired by a true story — as a force of habit. According to Susan, people associate popcorn and candy with movies and may feel deprived without it, even if they just came from dinner. “Movie popcorn is full of hydrogenated fat and salt and can add more than a thousand calories to your daily intake,” explains Susan, who recommends you ask yourself, “Do you buy popcorn because you're hungry or because it's the movies?”

Because it's the movies, of course! But take a look at these frightening stats:

• Small Buttered (7 cups), 630 calories, 50g fat (Unbuttered: 400 cal, 27g fat)
  
• Medium Buttered (16 cups), 1,220 calories, 97g fat (Unbuttered: 900 cal, 60g fat)
  
• Large Buttered (20 cups), 1,640 calories, 126g fat (Unbuttered: 1,160 cal, 77g fat)

If you're a movie popcorn junkie, don't lose heart. When I'm dying for a snack, I usually get the "Ultimate Movie Meal" (a steal at $4.75.) It's a reduced amount of popcorn (probably 2 cups), a kiddie drink and a fun-sized candy. It's still a splurge, but the caloric damage is considerably less.