Each month there are multiple awareness campaigns taking place. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Guess what else takes place in October? It's National Popcorn Poppin' Month! According to The Popcorn Board, October was chosen to celebrate popcorn because new crops are harvested every fall. It wasn't until 1999 when the Secretary of Agriculture at the time, Dan Glickman, proclaimed October as National Popcorn Poppin' Month.

The average American eats an estimated 51 quarts of popcorn per year, which equates to a total 16 billion quarts overall. No wonder this popular snack gets its own month of celebration! Makers of microwave ovens even designated a button for popping popcorn.

Popcorn dates back to the early 16th century, when it was utilized in Aztec Indian ceremonies in addition to their food consumption. Popcorn garlands were used as decorations for necklaces, headdresses, and ornaments on statues of their gods. In more recent times, popcorn became a staple in movie theaters. During the 1920s when theaters started "popping" up, owners felt popcorn was too messy, so they refused to serve it. Those theaters quickly went out of business. During the depression, popcorn sold for 5 to 10 cents a bag, making it a luxurious treat for families.

Not only is popcorn delicious, but it is also nutritious! Popcorn is a whole grain, making it a fiber-rich snack. However, all popcorn is not created equal - it depends how you dress it. Air-popped popcorn only yields an estimated 30 calories and 1.2 grams of fiber per cup while oil-popped contains about 55 calories per cup. This is with nothing additional added. My favorite is air-popped popcorn drizzled with light butter and sprinkled with parmesan cheese, bringing this combination to roughly 60 to 70 calories a cup. Three cups of popcorn is equal to one serving in the grain group, which is the perfect amount for a snack! You don't have to run out and buy a hot air popper to make air-popped popcorn. Your microwave will suffice just fine. All you need are popcorn kernels and brown paper lunch bags. Add 1/2 cup popcorn kernels to the brown paper bag. Fold over twice and place in microwave. Put the microwave on high for 3 minutes. Listen closely as the popcorn will be finished when you hear one to two pops per second. Now you are ready to dress your popcorn! You can use virtually any seasoning combination for a tasty, healthy treat. Here is a recipe that will surely please family and friends this fall. Get poppin'!

Maple pumpkin spice popcorn

Yield: 5 cups

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

5 cups popped popcorn

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan or pot, heat brown sugar, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice mix over medium heat.

2. Cook, stirring, 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbling.

3. Stir in butter until melted and well blended.

4. Add pecans, if desired, and popcorn and stir until well coated.

5. Allow mixture to cool before serving. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

For more popcorn recipes, history and fun facts, visit The Popcorn Board at www.popcorn.org.

While popcorn can be a fun, healthy, and tasty snack for the whole family, beware that popcorn is a choking hazard for young children, especially under the age of four so it is recommended to not serve popcorn to that age group. Even as children get older, it is smart to keep a watchful eye on them when consuming popcorn.

Source: www.popcorn.org

Kimberly Young, MS, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian at Panhandle Health District and a graduate of the University of Idaho Dietetic program.