If you are a popcorn lover, you must have heard of popping corn with the use of hot air. But, you may not know, that this results in one of the healthiest, yet tastiest snacks ever! Popcorn popped with revolving hot air in an air popper will contain practically no fat, cholestorol or sodium, and is a good source of dietary fibers. Air popped popcorn can be seasoned at the end, so your popcorn snack can be unique each time you pop a new batch.

How do you make the snack you never have to feel guilty about?

Hot air popped popcorn is naturally popped corn kernels popped in a hot air popper. An air popcorn maker is a standing popcorn machine about 30 centimeters tall, which has a kettle with an opening on its top, where the popcorn is added.

After adding the kernels, you place the hot air popper under power. This is where the chilrden start having fun, as the unit circullarly revolves hot air in the kettle, which propels the kernels round and round the side wall of the kettle. All of this can be watched, as the spout of the popper is usually see-though. The kernels pop due to the intense hot air they are being circulated in, and as the kettle starts to fill, the popped pieces of corn pour out through the spout of the hot air popper into a bowl.

Once all the kernels have popped, you can decide and eat it as is, or mix things up with some seasoning. There are numerous quick recipes downloadable on the Internet, some of the most popular and easiest to prepare are the following:

- nutritional yeast for a cheese popcorn flavor

- chili powder

- chili powder

- onion powder

- sugar and cinnamon (2 teaspoons cinnamon per 1/3 cup sugar)

Hot air poppers are very efficient kitchen appliances, since they will leave almost no kernels unpopped. The popping cycle is around 3 minutes, which means that they are very quick and easy to use. If you are on the market shopping for a hot air popper, you will find that they are inexpensive. A reliable Presto hot air popper’s pricetag will be around $20, while vintage style designer air poppers cost as low as $39.

But how much do natural corn kernels cost? Probably more than microwave popcorn, since its a healthy food, right? Wrong! Natural corn will cost much less than microwave popcorn bags, so the initial expense of having to purchase the hot air popper will be returned in a very short while. You’ll find natural popping corn at any supermarket or grocery store, sometimes in the same aisle as the microwave popcorn bags.

Nutrition facts on air popped popcorn (1 serving = 1 cup or 8 g)

- 31 calories

- ZERO saturated fat

- NO cholesterol

- less than 1 mg sodium

How to use your air popper machine safely:

- Vertical space saving poppers propell the popcorn through a spout and sometimes hot unpopped kernels can fly out. It is advisable not to stand directly in front of the hot air popper during operation.

- The spout will emit hot air during operation, which can cause skin burn if you’re not careful.

- Don’t use metal bowls to collect the popped popcorn in, as the hot air emitted during popping will heat up metal bowls rapidly.