Movie Theater Goodies: The Good & The Bad

(BlackDoctor.org) — Movie popcorn and other snacks play essential supporting roles in the theater-going experience. But many of your favorite cinema munchies could win Worst Food Oscars for their high levels of calories, fat, and salt.

 

No one goes to the movies expecting a salad bar, but you may be shocked to learn just how fat-loaded typical theater fare is. And although AMC Theatres recently announced its new healthier snack packs with items such as trail mix and bottled water, most movie offerings are decidedly less wholesome. Get ready to cringe: A medium popcorn and medium regular soda at Regal Theaters can pack as many as 1,600 calories, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a non-profit watchdog group. That’s about the amount recommended for an average woman … for an entire day.

Although many large restaurant chains and other places that sell prepared food will be required to display calorie counts under new federal regulations, movie theaters are exempt — making it even more important to get the facts before you go. Granted, an occasional movie splurge is unlikely to hurt anyone, but frequent theatergoers would be smart to seek out less sinful swaps.

Popcorn

Plain air-popped popcorn is actually a healthy snack: It provides a serving of whole grains and some fiber, with only 31 calories per cup. But enter oil, in which most movie theaters pop their corn, and that “buttery” topping, and the calorie, fat, and sodium content skyrocket. A large container at Regal (20 cups!) provides a whopping 1,200 calories, 60 grams of saturated fat (the American Heart Association recommends people consume no more than 7 percent of their daily calories from saturated fat, or about 16 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet), and 980 milligrams of sodium (government guidelines recommend 2300 milligrams or less daily).

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