Tuesday 27 March 2012

News Brief: Popcorn might not be all bad

Popcorn could prevent diseases and prolong life, Taiwan media report today (Chinese-language article here) picking up on a recent news in the United States (English-language article here).

US researchers claim that popcorn has higher concentrations of polyphenols--substances that might  protect against harmful chemical reactions in the body--than fruits and vegetables, and is a good source of fibre.

They acknowledge, however, that scientists don't know much about how such antioxidants work, and that the way they are normally consumed--cooked in oil with butter and salt added--means they are high in calories, fat and sodium. Nor do they contain the many other nutrients human bodies need, such as the vitamins common in fruit and vegetables.

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