Healthy Stovetop Popcorn | Healthy Home Economist

Rediscover the simple method for stovetop popcorn cooked in a skillet with healthy fat just like Grandma used to make. No special appliance is necessary!

Popcorn is a healthy treat that delights both young and old!

However, since the kernels are usually not soaked or fermented, be sure not to eat it too often!

Why Organic Popcorn is a Must

If homemade popcorn is something you enjoy frequently, I recommend buying sprouted popcorn (such as this brand). It is a bit more expensive, but definitely worth it as it is easier to digest.

At the very least, insist on organic loose popcorn, as conventional brands will likely be GMO and contain glyphosate residue (GMOs are highly sprayed with Roundup). This chemical herbicide is highly disruptive to the immune system and carcinogenic as well.

If you are fortunate to have heirloom popcorn available in your area, you will be delighted to notice that the softer, smaller kernels don’t get stuck in your teeth once popped!

Avoid All Microwave Brands

In addition to insisting on organic popcorn, it is important to avoid microwave versions.

This is because the packaging is toxic and the unnatural cooking method is denaturing to the molecules of the corn itself as it heats from the inside out (instead of outside in).

I am old enough to remember the time before microwaves became popular and the “microwave version” of commercial popcorn came in a throwaway aluminum pan with the kernels inside foil for popping on the stovetop!

Stovetop Making a Comeback!

Interestingly, as more people reject microwaves due to their denaturing of the food, Jiffy Pop stovetop popcorn is making a comeback (now unfortunately owned by globalist ConAgra Foods).

Sadly, the ingredients are TOTALLY different (and not in a good way) than when I was a kid. Not to mention the toxic packaging (which is most of the $8 cost as there are only 2 tablespoons of popcorn in each throwaway skillet!)

The truth is that the healthiest way to make popcorn IS on the stovetop! But, this does not involve buying a one-use, throwaway brand from the supermarket.

All you need is a large, stainless steel skillet to make popcorn. Source a healthy fat and highly mineralized sea salt and you are ready to go!

Lately, I’ve been using pastured ghee. By using this healthy fat, popcorn becomes a good source of the elusive MK4 form of Vitamin K2.

It is so easy to pop popcorn this way and it reduces the number of appliances that need to be stored in kitchen cabinets.

The DIY stovetop method also avoids aluminum pans and foil from “GMO Jiffy” with its fake butter flavoring, GMO corn and citric acid, toxic synthetic preservatives (TBHQ – tert-Butylhydroquinone), and even fake color!

Many years ago, I filmed a healthy snacks video for the Weston A. Price Foundation. The stovetop popcorn snippet is part of the recipe below.

I continue to make it exactly the same today!

Bonus! If you enjoy this stovetop popcorn method, try this popped sorghum recipe too, which is India’s traditional version.

Caramel Popcorn Variation

For the holidays, you might wish to use organic mushroom popcorn (pops up big and round) and drizzle with homemade butterscotch (spread the cooled popcorn on cookie sheets to do this).

This fun variation makes a delicious gift of healthy caramel popcorn for friends and family!

Easy Stovetop Popcorn

Instructions

1. Add coconut oil and popcorn to a heavy skillet on medium-high heat.

2. Cover with a glass lid and warm on medium heat shaking a few times until popping begins (about 3-5 minutes).

3. Once popping begins, lower the heat to medium-low and continue occasional gentle shaking of the pan while on the heat until popping dies down.

4. Place popcorn in a large bowl and drizzle on melted butter. Sprinkle on sea salt to taste or optional nutritional yeast if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Stovetop Popcorn

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 91
Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Protein 1g2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.