The 80s were full of trends: women bleached their hair, used purple eyeshadow, and sometimes, only ate popcorn for dinner.
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Interestingly, popcorn has been making headlines in Israel lately with allegations of Transportation Minister Miri Regev handing out popcorn to fellow lawmakers during a squabble between security cabinet members last week.
In honor of Popcorn Day (Jan. 19), let's revisit the 80s popcorn diet. In 1987, Dr. Joel Herskowitz published the book "The Popcorn Plus Diet" in which he claimed that eating popcorn was superior to having a meal.
Contrary to other diets, which can be complex, the Popcorn Diet seemed easy enough: simply substitute one meal with popcorn. There are no restrictions in terms of time or amount.
Today we know, of course, that popcorn, although a whole-grain snack, does not provide an adequate amount of nutrients and can cause digestive problems. But perhaps a balanced meal and eating popcorn instead of sugar-loaded snacks could lead to weight loss.
According to Lisa Drayer, nutritionist, author, and health journalist for CNN, "In its purest form – that is, plain air-popped kernels – it's a healthy, whole-grain, antioxidant-rich snack food that comes at a pretty low-calorie cost for those who like to mindlessly nibble."
However, she warned, that the kind of popcorn sold in supermarkets that are heated in the microwave, can be high in sodium, saturated fat, and sugar.
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