As popular as cinema , popcorn is a food appreciated by many people around the world. Its simple preparation and the taste of corn arouse interest in the consumption of this source of energy and lots of carbs . In general, we see popcorn being offered at amusement parks, children's parties and events. In a way, the consumption of this delicacy is often related to festive and relaxed situations.
Seeing how simple it is to obtain, many have wondered who initially came up with the idea for heat dry corn kernels and thus discover the food in question. In fact, there is no record that specifies the year or who was responsible for the invention of popcorn . However, the closest evidence about the origin of this food indicates that American populations would have been the first to experience it , since corn was part of their diet in many different ways.
Some research indicates that the first popcorn appeared from cooking whole corn, left next to the heat of campfires. Only after the grains began to be separated for the exclusive manufacture of popcorn. Even there, we cannot imagine that “pre-Columbian popcorn” was seasoned with the salt and butter that are usually used in our preparation method. Native Americans used to use herbs along with corn.
In some American cultures, corn was such an important food source that they believed it was strongly linked to the deities who organized their world . According to ancient traditions, the grain of corn stored a spirit within itself . With that, as soon as the grain was heated in the fire, this spirit was irritated until it burst. This would be a mythical explanation for the process of turning corn into popcorn.
In fact, every kernel of corn stores a tiny amount of water inside. Thus, when heated, this water turns into steam and exerts a pressure that causes the corn to burst. From a nutritional point of view, popcorn, when it doesn't contain a lot of salt and butter, can be a low calorie food source. and rich in protein , iron and fibers.