This wiki page organizes 23 exact USDA Survey Foods records labeled “Popcorn.” It shows the median and central spread of reported nutrients per 100 grams, explains the portion and preparation language present in the records, and keeps every underlying profile and citation available for inspection.
What is included?
USDA places these records in the “Popcorn” survey-food category. Within Feast’s broader navigation, they appear under Snacks & desserts (23 records). The category label is useful for discovery, but it does not mean every record uses the same recipe, brand, cooking method, or portion.
The current collection includes Popcorn, microwave, flavored, light; Popcorn, microwave, low sodium; Popcorn, ready-to-eat, kettle; Popcorn, air-popped, no butter added; Popcorn, microwave, plain, light; Popcorn, ready-to-eat, plain, light. Those examples show why the exact wording matters. The complete alphabetical catalog farther down the page preserves all 23 descriptions instead of replacing them with one generic average.
A robust view of the data
The central range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile of the records on this page. The observed minimum and maximum are included for transparency, but the middle interval is generally more useful for seeing the collection without letting one extreme record dominate.
| Nutrient | Median | Central 80% | Observed span | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caloriesper 100 g | 496 kcal | 406 kcal–531 kcal | 385 kcal–656 kcal | 23 |
| Proteinper 100 g | 9.1 g | 5.4 g–11.7 g | 3.8 g–12.9 g | 23 |
| Carbohydrateper 100 g | 61 g | 49.6 g–77.3 g | 31.6 g–80.1 g | 23 |
| Total fatper 100 g | 27.5 g | 10 g–34.8 g | 4.5 g–58.8 g | 23 |
| Dietary fiberper 100 g | 10.2 g | 5.5 g–13.2 g | 3.8 g–14.4 g | 23 |
| Total sugarsper 100 g | 0.8 g | 0.5 g–41.7 g | 0.3 g–52.8 g | 23 |
| Sodiumper 100 g | 601 mg | 224 mg–864 mg | 157 mg–1,030 mg | 23 |
| Potassiumper 100 g | 238 mg | 143 mg–303 mg | 108 mg–352 mg | 23 |
| Calciumper 100 g | 7 mg | 6 mg–49 mg | 4 mg–113 mg | 23 |
| Ironper 100 g | 2.5 mg | 1.8 mg–2.9 mg | 1.4 mg–3.9 mg | 23 |
All rows use the same 100-gram denominator and values from the cited records. The interval is descriptive, not a recommended intake range or statistical confidence interval.
Calories context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported calories value is 496 kcal per 100 grams. The central records run from 406 kcal to 531 kcal, while the complete observed span is 385 kcal to 656 kcal.
Popcorn, microwave, flavored, light is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, ready-to-eat, kettle is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Protein context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported protein value is 9.1 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 5.4 g to 11.7 g, while the complete observed span is 3.8 g to 12.9 g.
Popcorn, chocolate coated is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, microwave, flavored, light is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Carbohydrate context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported carbohydrate value is 61 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 49.6 g to 77.3 g, while the complete observed span is 31.6 g to 80.1 g.
Popcorn, popped in oil, with added butter is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, air-popped, no butter added is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Total fat context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported total fat value is 27.5 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 10 g to 34.8 g, while the complete observed span is 4.5 g to 58.8 g.
Popcorn, microwave, flavored, light is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, popped in oil, with added butter is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Dietary fiber context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported dietary fiber value is 10.2 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 5.5 g to 13.2 g, while the complete observed span is 3.8 g to 14.4 g.
Popcorn, movie theater, with added butter is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, microwave, flavored, light is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Total sugars context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported total sugars value is 0.8 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.5 g to 41.7 g, while the complete observed span is 0.3 g to 52.8 g.
Popcorn, popped in oil, with added butter is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, caramel coated, with nuts is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Sodium context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported sodium value is 601 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 224 mg to 864 mg, while the complete observed span is 157 mg to 1,030 mg.
Popcorn, popped in oil, with added butter is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, ready-to-eat, cheese flavored is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Potassium context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported potassium value is 238 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 143 mg to 303 mg, while the complete observed span is 108 mg to 352 mg.
Popcorn, ready-to-eat, kettle is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, microwave, plain, light is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Calcium context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported calcium value is 7 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 6 mg to 49 mg, while the complete observed span is 4 mg to 113 mg.
Popcorn, microwave, butter flavored is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, chocolate coated is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Iron context
Across 23 “Popcorn” records, the middle reported iron value is 2.5 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 1.8 mg to 2.9 mg, while the complete observed span is 1.4 mg to 3.9 mg.
Popcorn, caramel coated is nearest the lower central boundary, and Popcorn, microwave, plain, light is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Preparation language in the records
The counts below report words and phrases that appear explicitly in the 23 USDA descriptions. They can help narrow a search to a closer record. They do not prove that the named preparation caused a nutrient difference, because these survey-food records are not controlled experiments.
No preparation phrase from the wiki’s controlled vocabulary appears consistently enough to summarize this topic. Use the exact record catalog instead of inferring a shared method.
Portion context
23 of 23 records (100%) include at least one named measure in the source data. Together those records provide 126 usable named measures.
Across the pooled named measures, the midpoint gram weight is 30 g. The central 10th-to-90th-percentile interval runs from 0 g to 100 g, while the complete observed span is 0–280 g. This pooled summary mixes different measure types, so it is a navigation aid rather than a suggested portion.
A cup, slice, piece, sandwich, fillet, or fluid ounce can represent a different amount of food. Even two measures with the same label may have different gram weights across records. Open the closest profile and use its listed weight instead of transferring a measure from another record.
USDA’s representative source amount is also not necessarily what a visitor ate. For equal-weight comparison, use the 100-gram table. For meal estimation, match the exact description first, then match the amount, and finally account for additions or preparation details absent from the selected record.
Choosing a closer record
Look for the closest food name, preparation, additions, and context. “Popcorn” is the collection label; the individual description is the actual reference.
Use the per-100-gram values when comparing two records. This keeps the denominator fixed and prevents different source-serving weights from masquerading as a food difference.
Open the profile, select a named household measure when one fits, or enter a gram estimate. Treat scaled decimals as arithmetic from the source—not greater certainty about the plate.
Brand, recipe, cooking fat, sauce, toppings, substitutions, and edible portion can move the result. A current package label or weighed recipe may be more specific than a generic survey-food record.
Complete source catalog
Records are alphabetical, not ranked. Every row links to a complete Feast profile with household measures, all reported nutrients, estimate factors, and methodology, plus the exact USDA FoodData Central source where available.
| Exact USDA description | Calories | Protein | Fiber | Sodium | Source amount | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Popcorn, air-popped, no butter addedFDC 2708219 | 385 kcalper 100 g | 12.9 gper 100 g | 14.4 gper 100 g | 162 mgper 100 g | 20 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, air-popped, with added butterFDC 2708220 | 430 kcalper 100 g | 11 gper 100 g | 12.2 gper 100 g | 227 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, caramel coatedFDC 2708239 | 428 kcalper 100 g | 3.8 gper 100 g | 5.2 gper 100 g | 512 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, caramel coated, with nutsFDC 2708240 | 397 kcalper 100 g | 6.4 gper 100 g | 3.8 gper 100 g | 483 mgper 100 g | 42 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, chocolate coatedFDC 2708241 | 407 kcalper 100 g | 5.3 gper 100 g | 8.3 gper 100 g | 493 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, microwave, butter flavoredFDC 2708227 | 518 kcalper 100 g | 9.1 gper 100 g | 10.2 gper 100 g | 764 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, microwave, cheese flavoredFDC 2708229 | 516 kcalper 100 g | 9.1 gper 100 g | 10.2 gper 100 g | 916 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, microwave, flavored, lightFDC 2708228 | 406 kcalper 100 g | 11.8 gper 100 g | 13.3 gper 100 g | 1,030 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, microwave, kettleFDC 2708230 | 504 kcalper 100 g | 9.4 gper 100 g | 10.5 gper 100 g | 601 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, microwave, low sodiumFDC 2708226 | 496 kcalper 100 g | 8.9 gper 100 g | 9.9 gper 100 g | 310 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, microwave, plainFDC 2708224 | 518 kcalper 100 g | 9.1 gper 100 g | 10.2 gper 100 g | 764 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, microwave, plain, lightFDC 2708225 | 409 kcalper 100 g | 11.9 gper 100 g | 13.4 gper 100 g | 766 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, movie theater, no butter addedFDC 2708218 | 603 kcalper 100 g | 6.2 gper 100 g | 6.9 gper 100 g | 762 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, movie theater, with added butterFDC 2708217 | 656 kcalper 100 g | 5 gper 100 g | 5.4 gper 100 g | 756 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, popped in oil, no butter addedFDC 2708221 | 498 kcalper 100 g | 9 gper 100 g | 10 gper 100 g | 157 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, popped in oil, with added butterFDC 2708222 | 525 kcalper 100 g | 7.7 gper 100 g | 8.4 gper 100 g | 223 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, ready-to-eat, butter flavoredFDC 2708235 | 530 kcalper 100 g | 8.9 gper 100 g | 10 gper 100 g | 764 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, ready-to-eat, cheese flavoredFDC 2708236 | 526 kcalper 100 g | 9.3 gper 100 g | 9.9 gper 100 g | 889 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, ready-to-eat, flavored, lightFDC 2708237 | 435 kcalper 100 g | 11.3 gper 100 g | 12.6 gper 100 g | 766 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, ready-to-eat, kettleFDC 2708238 | 531 kcalper 100 g | 5.5 gper 100 g | 6.1 gper 100 g | 495 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, ready-to-eat, low sodiumFDC 2708234 | 486 kcalper 100 g | 10.3 gper 100 g | 11.5 gper 100 g | 313 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, ready-to-eat, plainFDC 2708232 | 482 kcalper 100 g | 10.2 gper 100 g | 11.4 gper 100 g | 616 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Popcorn, ready-to-eat, plain, lightFDC 2708233 | 437 kcalper 100 g | 11.3 gper 100 g | 12.7 gper 100 g | 600 mgper 100 g | 28 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
Boundaries and provenance
This page summarizes USDA FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS) records from 2021–2023, published 2024-10-31. FNDDS supplies standardized reference descriptions used to represent foods reported in dietary surveys. Each value on this page remains tied to one exact FDC record; the complete catalog provides direct links so the source can be checked rather than taken on trust.
The records are not laboratory measurements of every possible “Popcorn” preparation. Restaurant recipes change, packaged products are reformulated, homemade ingredient ratios vary, and cooking can change water weight. A photo also cannot reliably reveal every hidden ingredient or gram weight. The robust range describes variation among the records selected for this topic, not uncertainty around a single meal.
The median is not a default calorie count. The 10th and 90th percentiles are not lower and upper recommendations. The minimum and maximum are not promises that every real version falls inside the observed span. These statistics are tools for navigating a source collection while keeping the denominator, record name, and normal recipe variation visible.
Nutrient values do not establish whether a food is appropriate for a particular person or condition. This wiki does not diagnose deficiencies, prescribe targets, or replace advice from a qualified professional. If accuracy matters for an allergy, medical diet, or clinician-directed limit, use verified ingredient information and the guidance relevant to that situation.
A record can report more protein and also differ in sodium, fiber, energy, fat, portion weight, or ingredients. Choosing one metric as a universal score would hide those tradeoffs and imply a value judgment the data cannot support. The alphabetical catalog and side-by-side statistics are intentionally descriptive.
For the full import, filtering, portion-scaling, Daily Value, and uncertainty rules, read Feast’s nutrition-page methodology. For an exact item, use its profile and FoodData Central link rather than citing this collection-level summary alone.
Common questions
No. It is the middle value among these 23 source records on a 100-gram basis. Your recipe, brand, preparation, and portion may align more closely with one specific record or may fall outside this collection.
Source servings can have different gram weights and measure labels. Holding weight at 100 grams makes concentration comparable. After choosing a record, its household measures are more useful for estimating the amount actually eaten.
No. The position only describes that nutrient within this source collection. It does not evaluate the whole food, determine an appropriate portion, or account for an individual’s needs.
Start with the record whose exact wording most closely matches the food. Use a listed measure or gram estimate, then add missing recipe or preparation context. Keep the result as an estimate unless you have a current label or weighed recipe.