Healthy eating at the movies

What does a night out at the movies normally involve for you? Are you tempted by the oversized bags of chocolate? Do you aim for a low calorie option and pick up a bag of popcorn instead? Well, it’s time to clear up a few common misconceptions about the choices you make at the movie theater.

Really, neither of those choices is healthy. In fact, nothing you buy at the cinema is going to do your diet any favors, so I’ll take you through a few ways to enjoy your night out without piling on the pounds.

Popcorn

The movie version
Popcorn can be a great, low calorie snack. In fact I’ve even mentioned it as one of my favorite low calorie snacks on this site. But there is a world of difference between popping your own kernels at home, and eating the stuff they serve in movie theaters.

A large tub of popcorn in an American cinema (where the portions tend to be largest) will typically contain at least 1200 calories. That’s an enormous amount! As a reference, check out some of our model diet plans, all of which contain 1200-1400 calories per day. That’s the comparison – one bag of popcorn or a whole day’s worth of nutritious food.

It’s not just the calories though. That large bag of popcorn also contains up to 1000 grams of sodium, which can cause water retention and bloating. It also increases your thirst, which means you’ll probably need a large, sugary soda on the side.

The healthy version
So what’s the best way to eat popcorn? Most theater chains pop their corn in coconut oil, which is good for you in small portions but very high in saturated fats. Buy your own popcorn and pop it at home using a little vegetable oil, then add salt or syrup to taste. Don’t buy microwave popcorn unless you really need to – nasty chemicals can leach from the inner lining of the bag on to the kernels.

Chocolate

The movie version
If you have to buy something at the concession stand, it’s definitely healthier to go for the chocolate snack rather than popcorn. However, portion sizes have grown so much in recent years that you can easily consume 600 calories just from one of these supersized treats.

The healthy version
Why not smuggle in a couple of nut bars in your bag? At least that way you get some nutritional benefit too. Or, if you really need chocolate, go for a dark chocolate brand with at least 70% cocoa. This type of chocolate is low in calories and full of antioxidants, and is a much better option than the milk chocolate snacks normally found in cinemas.

Drinks

The movie version
The oversized sodas at the movie theater can contain up to 500 calories. Even worse, they have very little nutritional content, in other words they are ‘empty’ calories and your body is much better off without them.

The healthy version
Choosing one of the diet drinks is probably better for you, although they contain large amount of sweeteners that really have unknown effects on your health. Even better, mix some fruit juice with sparkling water at home and just take it in with you.

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