News: Can popcorn cause Alzheimer’s?

If your movie-watching snack of choice is popcorn, you may want to start popping it at home.

While unprocessed popcorn may be healthy, the butter flavoring it’s topped with at movie theatres and in microwavable bags definitely isn’t.

A new study published in Chemical Research in Toxicology found that diacetyl (aka: that oily butter-like topping that makes movie popcorn so tempting) can increase Alzheimer’s risk.

‘Diacetyl, an ubiquitous butter-flavoring agent, was found to influence several aspects of amyloid-β aggregation’one of the two primary pathologies associated with Alzheimer’s disease,’ the study’s authors wrote.

I can’t say I’m surprised to learn that ‘butter-like flavouring agent’ isn’t healthy (given that it’s not actually food) but it’s too bad popcorn is getting blamed too.

Popcorn made with an air-popper is unprocessed and packed with antioxidants, provided you don’t load it up with butter. Instead, spritz it with olive oil and sprinkle on a little sea salt with your favourite spice(s).

If that doesn’t taste diacetyl-y enough for you, try these healthier crunchy snack ideas, minus the artificial flavours (and Alzheimer’s).

-Katharine Watts, Associate Web Editor

Related:
‘ 6 healthier crunchy snack ideas
‘ Healthy snacks to eat on the go
‘ Popcorn power: Why whole grains are healthier than we thought