Movie Popcorn Has Shocking Calories, Fat

(CBS)  Ordering a medium popcorn and soda combo from a major national movie theater chain is the equivalent of eating three McDonald's Quarter Pounders with 12 pats of butter, according to a new study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

According to laboratory analysis conducted by the Center for Science and Public Interest (CSPI), the concessions from Regal, the country's biggest movie chain, have 1,160 calories and three days worth - 60 grams - of fat. Regal said that the medium popcorn had 720 calories and the large had 960, but CSPI's tests found those numbers to be understated. A small popcorn at Regal had 670 calories - the same as a Pizza Hut Personal Pepperoni Pan Pizza. Even if you share a small popcorn - it's still about a day's worth of saturated fat per person, according to CSPI.

"It's hard enough for Americans to maintain a healthy weight even when limiting their eating to breakfast, lunch, and dinner," said CSPI senior nutritionist Jayne Hurley. "Who realizes that they might be taking in a meal's worth of calories during a movie? Splitting a medium popcorn with two other people sounds like a reasonable thing to do, but who would think they're getting an entire day's worth of saturated fat?"

The study is published in December's Nutrition Action Healthletter, and updates research CSPI conducted 15 years ago.

George Dunn, the President and COO of Regal Entertainment Group, said that when CSPI released a similar study in 1994, Regal responded by offering healthier choices like air-popped popcorn, but that they weren't popular with customers.

"According to the most recent statistics from the Motion Picture Association of America, the average American attends six movies a year," Dunn said. "Theater popcorn and movie snacks are viewed as a treat and not intended to be part of a regular diet."

AMC, the second-largest chain, had similar calorie and fat counts. Adding the butter-flavored oil topping piles on an additional 240 calories.
Cinemark, the third-largest chain pops their corn in heart-healthy, but similarly caloric, canola oil.

While Cinemark's popcorn had far less saturated fat - 2 grams - it had the highest amount of sodium, 1,500 milligrams, which is a day's allowance for most people. But at some Cinemark locations, the butter topping is made with real butter, adding 18 grams of saturated fat.

CSPI warns not to indulge in sodas or candy either. A 8-ounce bag of Reese's Pieces had 1,160 calories and 35 grams of saturated fat, making it comparable to eating a 16-ounce T-bone steak and a buttered baked potato.

"Sitting in the dark, absorbed by a movie, we pay no attention to what we're eating-and movie theater chains are offering only bad choices at bad prices," said Hurley. "The healthiest snack to buy at the movies is no snack at all."

[a358b]

Honestly, I don't like movie theater popcorn. I'm not big on artificial butter. That said,any time I read an article like this, I want to run out and eat whatever I'm being lectured not to.

No one thinks that movie popcorn is a healthy snack. We're all aware that it's loaded with junk. That doesn't mean that we should all wring our hands and make sad faces at each other. We're adults. We can decide to eat unhealthy food on occasion.

My normal diet is healthy and balanced. Going out and eating something absurd 6 times a year is not going to kill me. I know it doesn't make for a dramatic headline, but it's the truth.

[ilpalazzo-2009]

Now whoa whoa whoa right there, Spinach-chin. I used to work for a Carmike and it isn't that bad unless it's buttered and most of the kids working in movie theaters these days go excess. In fact, I don't know if they ask if you want butter or not these days (the high ticket prices and drought of worthwhile movies has left me no reason to go for the past three to five years), but when I worked, we always asked first.

What's disgusting isn't the popcorn, it's the LARGE number of people who request the butter be 'layered'. I remember one guy kept saying 'More butter!', so I handed it off to a co-worker and told him to just hold it under for a minute or two. I swear, I thought we'd be calling an ambulance before the end of the shift.

The problem isn't the popcorn, it's the butter and the serving size (and the price). 9 times out of 10, the popcorn is never finished and mainly ends up on the floor. Usually only half of the popcorn is eaten, so I guess only half of those calories are taken in. So I guess it's not that bad after all, huh?

[amasimp]

mmmm...fat is flavor!

[barbaram99]

I have not been to the movies in ages. Anyway they won't allow them to bring snanks from home. I perfer popcorn with no better and no sait. Always have. Yet if I was to go to the movies I get popcorn and pass on the pop. I gress toldyouso said something that someone did not like but she is having her say as are we all.
America use to be more free. Nothing surprises me. Why don't they go after the real issues, Stop worrying about what ye ate for yer supper or what ye ate while ye and yers ate while watching a movie. I don't care as it is their business. Their money bought it. toldyouso brought up paying for wars..I hate wars. Nam..It started when I was a kid. They waste more money on that. The founding Fathers could not see today. I am not aware we have a food cop/watch dog. They are worried about our deit .Yet sre thet theirs, I am 55.

[RedWings_ninety_one]

If you lead an active lifestyle, especially from the start, you have no need to watch what you eat. 100 years ago, most of us worked on the farm everyday, we had barely any obesety problems.

[justsane-2009]

shocking? to who?

[robg9000]

my wife and I don't drink the sodas, we just bring in a flask of bourbon and ice in a travel coffee mug and a straw.
and we split the medium popcorn but that ends up as dinner.
good times.
"do you want anything to drink with that popcorn?"
uhh, no thanks

[stillunbanable]

Another good reason why you should just pirate movies and watch them at home. Obviously the movie industry does not care about your health, so why care about theirs? Yeah, I know, I'm stretching it.

[indianaartist]

Your story on popcorn is very misleading. Some saturated fats are good for you, especially the ones found in coconut oil. Shame on you for trying to make it the Godzilla of oils.
Here are the TRUE facts about coconut oil:

Coconut oil has been mistakenly described as not healthy. The fact is, coconut oil is cholesterol-free and rich in medium-chain "good fats" that doctors recommend. Coconut oil is also 50%-55% Lauric Acid, a healthy nutrient that supports the metabolism.

Coconut oil is cold-pressed and not refined, deodorized or bleached. Also, there are NO trans fats or carbohydrates. SO HOW CAN YOU COMPARE COCONUT OIL WITH A McDONALDS QUARTER POUNDER???!!!

Somebody should research something before they report it!

[displeased]

A days worth of saturated fat is still a days worth of saturated fat, regardless if it's from a healthy source. But it doesn't matter since these meals are consumed moderately.

[CompletelyFrustrated]

And this is news why????

Hey CBS you're a little late on this report aren't ya!

This was done years and years ago.

Any idiot that thinks popcorn, which is normally white, that has been turned canary yellow with flavorings and and "butter" flavored oil is healthy is seriously delusional!

This report is as useless as Levi Johnson's playgirl appearance.

[displeased]

Believe it or not, there are people out there that lack common sense and have no clue of nutritional vale. Although this information is obvious to most, there are always some to benefit.