Popcorn: which kernels are king?(Product/service evaluation)

Popcorn is one of those rare snacks that's not only beloved (on average, Americans eat about a quart a week) but also healthful. It's whole grain, high in fiber, low in calories and fat, and bulky, so it may fill you up faster than other snacks.

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Unfortunately, plain kernels popped without oil or butter can be tough, and taste bland and dry. The trick is to add enough fat and salt to make popcorn tasty but not so much that it becomes a nutritional no-no.

Our experts tried 11 microwavable popcorns, the kind bagged with oil and salt, that aim to strike that compromise. Some have about half the calories and less than one-fifth the fat of other popcorns.

WHAT WE FOUND

Most of the popcorns were crispy, crunchy and nicely salted. They tasted quite similar, with only subtle differences in flavor intensity and saltiness. However, their "butter" flavor was unmistakably artificial. They lacked a strong corn flavor and the intense toasted-grain character and tenderness that comes from corn popped in plenty of oil. The two lowest-rated products, Newman's Own 94% Fat Free Butter and Light Butter, also had an unexpected cheese-like flavor.

Nutrition of the tested popcorns varies slightly from product to product. A half-bag of popped corn-a more sensible serving size than the 2 to 4 tablespoons of uncooked kernels that's cited on nutrition labels-contains 105 to 199 calories, 126 to 355 milligrams of sodium, and 1.8 to 6.6 grams of total fat. Many of the products provide 20 percent or more of the government's recommended daily amount of fiber: 25 grams.