Popcorn poundage | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Thanks for the heads-up on movie popcorn ("The good, the bad, and the corny," Tribune, July 25). I don't mind seeing an X-rated movie (now NC-17) at the Broadway Centre Cinemas, but I'm sure going to boycott its X-rated popcorn! The article only told which theaters pop with what oil, so I went online to get the real-life, more-detailed meaning.

A large, 20-cup bucket of movie popcorn popped with coconut oil has 1,160 calories, and with butter it contains 1,650 calories, 1,134 of which are from fat. According to Dietbites.com: "Let's say that you eat as 'normal' throughout the day that you go to the movies. And let's say you indulge in a large container of popcorn, one large drink and one box of Milk Duds. You can expect to gain one pound. Yes, it's going to take you about one week to pull that off if you cut 500 calories per day from your 'normal' daily diet." CalorieKing.com says a large tub of movie theater popcorn packs 76 fat grams, "the equivalent of five full size Snickers bars . . . or more than six McDonald's cheeseburgers."

Now that's news you can use. And it's a good example why people go to the Internet instead of newspapers.

Geoff Jones

Salt Lake City