My Popcorn Has How Many Calories?!

Movie theatre owners are supposedly outraged about proposed federal rules that could be finalized as easy as this week.  The new FDA guidelines could require movie theatres to disclose the calories in all of their concession food.  I am assuming they are afraid people won't buy their over-priced snacks if they see the nutritional facts posted on all of them.  Just how many calories in the average popcorn?

"Ordering a medium popcorn and soda combo from a major national movie theater chain is the equivalent of eating three McDonald's Quarter Pounders with 12 pats of butter, according to a new study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest."

The research from CSPI showed that a large popcorn from Regal (the country's biggest movie chain) has 1,160 calories and 60 grams of fat. AMC, the second-largest chain, had similar calorie and fat counts.

"Adding the butter-flavored oil topping piles on an additional 240 calories."

Cinemark, the third-largest movie chain had far less saturated fat in their corn (2 grams) it did have the highest amount of sodium at 1,500 milligrams, which is a day's allowance for most people.

Read more about the study from CBS News.

Those are some scary number, but I think I might side with the theatre owners on this one.  When I go to a movie and guy a gallon tub of salty popcorn drenched in butter and oil...I know it's bad for me.  I don't need big brother stepping in and making sure I see that there are 1,200 calories in my tub.

I can't imagine there is anyone out there who actually believes they are buying healthy snacks in a movie theatre concession line.  But, I see people all the time who order salads at restaurants (to be healthy) and then pour 2 cups of creamy ranch dressing on top.  Maybe we all need a lesson in what is actually good/bad for us instead of simple calorie counters.