Sarah asks… “My kids LOVE popcorn, but I’ve recently been learning about how bad GMOs are for the body and that we shouldn’t eat them. Do you know of any popcorn brands that aren’t GMO?“
I’ve heard this question over and over from parents who are trying to get away from the majority of the GMO products on the market today, but their kids love popcorn (who doesn’t) and they’re wanting a substitution.
Popcorn is one of those “healthy snacks” anyway, right? Besides, popcorn and movies go together like bread and butter, peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots.
So when this question popped up on my radar… I wasn’t surprised, but you may be with my answer.
When I first heard about this, I had no clue. Plus, I’m in the same boat as many of these parents. I like popcorn… my kids like popcorn… and it can be a great snack. So what did I do? I searched for answers, and here’s what I came up with.
Popcorn Is Not GMO
Elizabeth Yarnell of EffortlessEating.com stated, “At the Seeds of Doubt conference recently, Jeffery Smith, executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology and GMO expert, assured us that even though almost 90% of the corn grown and eaten in this country is GMO corn, popcorn comes from a different seed and has not been genetically modified.” [1]
Seeing as Jeffery Smith, author of Genetic Roulette DVD and Seeds of Deception book, is a GMO expert… I feel comfortable believing this information which is a relief since I’m not a fan of GMO anything, and like I said, my family loves popcorn.
Conventional Popcorn Is A No-Go
Now just because popcorn is not GMO doesn’t mean you should just go out and buy any cheap brand at the grocery store. No, no, no. You see, popcorn is a crop heavily covered in pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers, which means that it’s best eaten as organic. Yes, this includes movie theater popcorn, microwavable popcorn, and popcorn kernels that are not organic.
The amount of chemicals that are added to popcorn will blow your mind. Just check out the 2013 Agri-Chemical Handbook on Popcorn.org to see for yourself!
How To Find Quality Organic Popcorn
I’ll be honest with you here. Organic popcorn can be a bit pricey compared to conventional popcorn, but it’s worth it for me. It’s not like we eat tons of it so buying organic popcorn actually lasts us a while.
The best way to get organic popcorn for a good price is to buy it in bulk at your local health food store or co-op. For some of you, this isn’t an option. When I can’t find organic popcorn in bulk, Amazon is the next best place for me to get it. I’m always ordering things off Amazon anyway (seeing as how they have everything), so adding a bag of organic popcorn to my order is super easy. I’ve included some of the best-known organic brands below to make it easier for you.
- Arrowhead Mills Organic Popcorn
- Eden Organic Popcorn
- Great Northern Organic Popcorn
- NOW Organic Popcorn
As far as actually popping our popcorn, we use an air popper and a stovetop popcorn popper. I love them both, and my kids can even use them. While the air popper seems a bit safer, it can still get hot.
So that’s that… popcorn is not GMO, but it does need to be organic!
Next time you and your family have a movie night, grab your popcorn popper, your organic popcorn, and pop away. Then cover it in some raw butter, coconut oil, and celtic sea salt, and you’re all set! Enjoy!
Sources:
1 – http://www.effortlesseating.com/2012/06/popcorn-is-never-a-gmo/