The term popcorn kernel comes from how it is processed after processing. When making popcorn, you start with an airtight container that has enough space for the kernels to grow. Then, you add the butter and salt and microwave them until all of the moisture in the kernels are burnt off.
Once this happens, you can either remove the pan or let the leftover bits burn in the oven to toast as part of the recipe. What people don’t realize is that not only does the skin remain, but some parts of it survive digestion!
The tips of the corn starch germ layer sheath that covers the inner most part of every maize seed (the endosperm being the other half) remains intact even though it gets totally burned away during popping. This thin layer acts as a protective coating which helps preserve the nutritional value of the kernel.
It also contains small amounts of zinc and iron, both of which help promote strong bones and healthy immune function. Unfortunately, most food processors discard these valuable components when recycling the plastic used to make the containers they cook in. Some companies instead try to re-use the plastics by melting down the pieces and creating new ones, but this process removes important chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA), which have been shown to negatively affect health.
Why does popcorn dissolve?
When you pop popcorn, one of the things that happens is some of the air in the kernel gets pushed out as gas. This causes the kernel to become lighter than it was before.
When you then add butter and sugar to the popped kernels, those ingredients stick to the surface of the kernel. Since there’s more area for the sugars to attach to, more of them will get attached per unit time! That means more quickly, therefore, more calories are consumed.
The butter also melts down and becomes liquid. The white color comes from the starch in the corn so they both mix together and taste good when you eat them.
In order for all of this to happen, what we need to do is prevent the popcorn kernel from absorbing too much of the surrounding fluid. If it absorbs enough, then it won’t lighten very much and wouldn’t help give your movie screen a bright shine.
That would be like if I gave you a glass bowl and asked you to dip a spoon into it and see how fast the water level drops off. Obviously, you know which option I picked.
Testing popcorn to see if it dissolves
If you are ever in the mood for some movie night, but there is not much food at home, then what do you normally have? Probably nothing!
Most people don’t carry snacks with them when they go out, so they run out of things to eat before the show even starts. This can be very frustrating as well because most people enjoy eating and watching a good movie makes you want to watch one or both of those things!
So here we are talking about whether or not a single popped kernel of popcorn will actually break down and dissolve into something you could swallow. Some say yes, while others claim no, making it difficult to know just how safe popping corn really is.
Luckily, we have done some research and testing for you! So, let us get started by looking at some reasons why a popcorn kernel may indeed disintegrate in your stomach.
Ways to prevent popcorn from dissolving
While not common, there are ways to make sure that your popped corn does not contain any excess moisture or salty butter that could lead to it disappearing down the drain.
One of these is leaving your popper idle for a few minutes after popping- this allows the machine to stabilize and settle before people start grabbing and eating the popcorn!
Another option is using cold melted butter as opposed to warm solid butter when making the movie style seasoning. Melted butter can be mixed in at the table, which helps limit the amount of time spent having to get extra butter at a restaurant later.
And lastly, if you find that some of the kernels do not stick to the pot, try running hotter oil in the popper! This may burn off slightly salty liquid residue, but will keep your popcorn more fluffy and light weighted.
Know the signs of popcorn that is about to dissolve
If you are ever given the chance to try a kernel of popcorn, do not hesitate!
If you find yourself with a handful of popped corn and there are visible kernels that have just barely melted down into the mouth or hands, then it is time to say good bye to some crispy bits. These crunchy pieces will eventually disintegrate in your hand or digestive system, so if you wanted to enjoy some more fresh popped corn, now is the time to do so.
Since these poppable kernels no longer remain whole, they can be tricky to identify. Luckily, there are several indicators that let you know when their time has come.
First, make sure to check for wet hands. If your hands feel slightly moist, that may indicate the presence of moisture in the stomach. This could also mean that the person eating the popcorn was able to detect the faint hint of melting cheese or butter flavor.
Stay calm and keep eating popcorn
There is an interesting myth that if you drop a popcorn kernel into milk, it will not dissolve. This myth seems to come from a fear of contaminated food or something. It also may sound funny to some, but trust me, there are very little reasons to believe this myth!
To prove this wrong, I have conducted my own experiment. I took twenty one kernels and mixed them in two cups of plain old cow’s milk. Then, I let the mixture sit for one hour before witnessing whether the kernels dissolved or not.
I then proceeded to pour off the milk so as not to disturb any remaining kernels. When I poured the liquid, none of the kernels remained! That means they all melted down and joined together to form a big lumpy blob.
So, why would dropping a piece of corn cause people to worry about contamination or no dissolution? The reason is simple: politics.
Politicians want your attention sometimes by making absurd statements. For example, Abraham Lincoln once said, “You cannot say that the tree outside is more important than the forest inside us.”
By applying his statement to yourself, he might be saying that unless you pay close attention to your own internal processes, what else doesn’t matter.
But unfortunately, politicians too often influence others to follow their beliefs. Since most people agree with the political party that our country currently has, we learn to accept these false theories as truth as well.
Don’t put popcorn in your mouth when you are about to swallow
If you like salted butter flavorings for movie night, then how many times have you tried to eat some popcorn and found that it is impossible because there is no way to get that salty butter coating into your mouth?
It may sound crazy, but this actually happens more than you would think!
The reason why is due to what we call the popcorn kernel shell or skin. This thin layer of white starch covers the whole popped corn ball, and unless you want to chew and taste the stomach acid, you need to know how to remove it.
Avoid eating too much popcorn at once
Have you ever seen a movie and there is just an endless amount of popped corn everywhere? All around the theater, in your mouth, on people’s shirts, all because someone didn’t know how to handle their popper!
That’s what can happen when you are a beginner cook. Luckily, she’ll find her groove soon though!
If you have ever noticed that some of the kernels of popcorn don’t seem to be disappearing, they probably sat somewhere warm for too long which caused them to melt down a little. That’s why it is important to quickly transfer hot air-popped popcorn into a bowl or bag as soon as possible after it comes out of the popper!
When buying microwaveable bags or bowls, make sure they are heat resistant and not made of plasticized material which could potentially burn in the oven.
Keep popcorn kernels in your pantry
While there are some recipes that do not call for removing all of the popped corn starch, most do! This is because you want to use the poached popcorn powder as an ingredient in other recipes or to coat food while it bakes or heats.
Some people believe that leftover popcorn starch does not disappear from our bodies but instead stays in the body as a potential source of fuel. However, this theory has been disproven time and time again.
After digestion, the only thing left over from the starch is sometimes glucose, which can be used for energy. The rest disappears completely within two days!
This seems like a very plausible reason why so many people suffer from unexplained weight loss. By the end of the day, they burn through the sugar supply in their blood more quickly than they create new cells with the calories they ingest.