9 Healthiest Microwave Popcorn Brands

Microwave popcorn is the perfect low-calorie snack that's crunchy, salty, and sometimes sweet, making it a perfect movie night treat. While popcorn on its own is a healthy, whole-grain, low-calorie, high-fiber snack, not all microwave popcorn is created equal. The ingredients, oils, and seasonings added by some brands can turn this nutritious snack into something far less healthy, leading many to wonder if microwave popcorn is bad for you.

When choosing the healthiest microwave popcorn, pay attention to ingredients and nutrition labels to avoid excessive oils, sodium, and saturated fat. Luckily, you don't have to figure it out alone. We asked dietitians for their top tips on selecting healthy microwave popcorn, and we've compiled a list of the best and worst options on the market.

Read on for dietitian-recommended picks for the healthiest microwave popcorn brands and which ones to avoid. And for more, check out 23 High-Protein Snacks To Stay Full & Energized All Day.

In This Article

• Meet the Experts
• 9 Healthiest Microwave Popcorns You Can Buy
• How To Choose a Healthy Microwave Popcorn

Meet the Experts

From key nutritional standards to potential red flags, we consulted the following experts to break down the criteria for choosing healthy microwave popcorn brands:

• Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, at Balance One Supplements,
• Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and author of The First Time Mom's Pregnancy Cookbook and Fueling Male Fertility, 
• Erika Fox, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist
• Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CDN, a registered dietitian and author of The Small Change Diet

9 Healthiest Microwave Popcorns You Can Buy

Angie's BoomChickaPop Sea Salt Microwave Popcorn

"This popcorn is made with non-GMO popcorn kernels, sea salt, and sunflower oil," says Best. "It has only 35 milligrams of sodium and 1.5 grams of saturated fat per serving. It also contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives."

365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic No Oil or Salt Microwave Popcorn

"This is my top pick for healthiest microwave popcorn because it only contains popcorn and/or sea salt!" says Fox. "With minimal ingredients and nothing crazy processed, 365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic No Oil or Salt Microwave Popcorn is a great low-sodium popcorn treat. [Popcorn] doesn't have to be flavorless to be healthy! Get creative and dress up your popcorn by adding some toppings like extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil, your favorite seasonings, etc!"6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Newman's Own Touch of Butter Microwave Popcorn

"Newman's Own Touch of Butter has half the total AND saturated fat content than most leading microwave popcorn brands and no artificial flavors," says Martin.

Black Jewell No Salt No Oil Microwave Hulless Popcorn

"If you can't deal with 'no salt', definitely try Black Jewell No Salt No Oil Microwave Hulless Popcorn as it has some sodium, but not enough to be of any health concerns," says registered dietitian Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDN, owner of Genki Nutrition and spokesperson for New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

SkinnyPop Microwave Sea Salt Popcorn

SkinnyPop Microwave Sea Salt Popcorn contains just four ingredients: popcorn, sunflower oil, palm oil, and sea salt, earing this option a place on our list of healthy microwave popcorns. It's low in sodium, fat, and saturated fat, and is entirely non-GMO and gluten free.

365 Everyday Value Organic Popcorn, Light Butter

"For butter lovers, 365 Everyday Value Organic Popcorn, Light Butter should hit the spot with its natural butter flavor. And it has less than 200 mg of sodium," says Gans.

Angie's BoomChickaPop Real Butter Microwave Popcorn

"Angie's BoomChickaPop Real Butter Microwave Popcorn has just 4 simple ingredients and is one of the few brands that has actual butter in it, instead of butter flavor," says Charlotte Martin, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CPT, owner of Shaped By Charlotte.

Healthy Heart Market Popcorn No Salt

If you need a low-calorie popcorn, opt for Healthy Heart Market Popcorn No Salt. "This popcorn has zero grams of saturated fat and is very low in calories," says Valdez.

Angie's BoomChickaPop Lightly Sweet Kettle Corn

"Although this option has the normal 5 grams of saturated fat you see with a lot of other brands, I wanted to include this as a top option for kettle corn fanatics, as it is a great alternative option for sweet & salty flavor," says Fox. "It contains minimal ingredients, and the main benefit is that it doesn't use artificial sweeteners as a source of sugar. Although it does have a little bit of sugar, it's very minimal at 1 gram per serving."

How To Choose a Healthy Microwave Popcorn

Choosing the healthiest microwave popcorn that you also enjoy boils down to a few key factors.

• Ingredients: Choose popcorn with simple, whole-food ingredients like non-GMO corn, sea salt, and healthy oils such as coconut or avocado oil. "Avoid brands that contain artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives," advises Best.
• Sodium: Look for brands that have no more than 150 milligrams of sodium per serving.
• Sugar: "Some brands are adding sugar to their popcorn, especially if they are making a kettle corn variety," says Manaker. "Watch out for too many added sugars."
• Saturated fat: Saturated fat, also known as "bad" fat, can have negative effects on the body when consumed in excess. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of your total calories. "Unfortunately, microwave popcorn is often a big culprit [of saturated fat intake]," Fox says, with some popcorn brands containing over 25% of your daily value of saturated fat in a small serving.
• Polyfluorinated substances (PFAS): Some microwave popcorn bags are lined with PFAS, chemicals used to repel water and grease. "High exposure of these chemicals are linked to outcomes like high cholesterol, higher risk of certain cancers, and pregnant people birthing babies with a lower birthweight," says Manaker. To avoid these chemicals, choose popcorn brands that don't use PFAS-lined bags, or try popping your own for a healthier and more economical option.
• Serving size: The entire bag is not one serving. "You need to read the nutrition facts label and see how many servings are in one bag to avoid an excess of calories," says Fox.

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