Cineplex Popcorn Nutrition
Cineplex Theaters are found throughout the country. Given that they specialize in first-run movies, the odds are good that you've already been in one of them. Popcorn in Cineplex Theaters can be tempting, especially if you're in the habit of snacking on popcorn while watching the movie.
Cineplex Theaters are found throughout the country. Given that they specialize in first-run movies, the odds are good that you've already been in one of them. Popcorn in Cineplex Theaters can be tempting, especially if you're in the habit of snacking on popcorn while watching the movie. While homemade popcorn is generally a fairly healthy snack, movie popcorn is a different beast altogether, so you may want to limit your portion size.
Calories and Fat
One small Cineplex popcorn with butter has 580 calories and a whopping 47 g of fat. However, all this fat can be avoided by asking for unbuttered popcorn. One small bag without butter has only 275 calories -- just under half the calories of the buttered kind. The calorie load can be further cut by sharing the popcorn with a friend.
Choosing the unbuttered kind of popcorn does not eliminate fat altogether. While the federal law does not require Cinemark to release information on saturated fats, LA Times writer Mary MacVean reported that the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that a medium-sized Cinemark popcorn without butter had 3 g of saturated fat.
Fiber
A small bag of Cineplex popcorn contains about 7 cups of popcorn. This provides 4 g of fiber. The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that people consume 14 g of fiber for every 1,000 calories they eat. The ratio of fiber to calories in unbuttered Cineplex popcorn far exceeds the recommended level. This means that the popcorn will be filling. Moreover, the excess fiber means that you can enjoy other low fiber foods such yogurt and cheese.
Protein
One small unbuttered Cineplex popcorn provides 8 g of protein.The USDA recommends that people consume 0.8 g of protein for every kg of body weight. This means that a 130 lb woman needs approximately 47 g of protein. An entire small bag of unbuttered popcorn satisfies 17 percent of the daily need for protein. Protein is important because many parts of your body, including hair, muscle, antibodies, enzymes and some hormones are all made from it.
Sodium
Cineplex doesn't provide information on the sodium content of its popcorn. However, if the sodium content is similar to other movie theater popcorn, the sodium content doesn't appear to be prohibitive. For example, a medium popcorn in many movie houses only has 290 mg of sodium, which is far lower than many other snack foods. The American Heart Association recommends that people limit their sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day. You won't be in danger of exceeding this limit by enjoying a small movie popcorn.
Carbohydrates
One small, Cinemark popcorn has 52 g of carbohydrate. The USDA website explains that carbohydrates are long strings are sugar molecules. They are a convenient way for the body to store energy until such time as it is needed. The relative importance of counting carbohydrates has been debated over the years. While some proponents favor a low carbohydrate diet for weight loss, an equal number authorities find this unhelpful.