Popcorn Facts

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Almost everyone loves POPCORN. For many of us even the smell of fresh POPCORN can get our taste buds excited. 

In fact, POPCORN is so popular that more than 17 billion quarts of it are consumed by Americans every year. This equates to about 58 quarts eaten annually by each person in the US. 

Despite the popularity of POPCORN, few people will know all of the answers to the following POPCORN QUIZ.

1. How high can a kernel pop?
2. Where and when did popcorn originate?
3. What is the average temperature needed to pop a kernel?
4. Why is popcorn considered a healthy food?
5. What are the two basic shapes of popcorn?
6. When was the first commercial popcorn machine invented?
7. How much popcorn is consumed by Americans each year?
8. What is the term used to refer to the percentage of kernels that pop?
9. How many calories are in a cup of air-popped popcorn?
10. What is the best way to "Smell the Popcorn"?

ANSWERS BELOW

1. A: A kernel can pop up to 3 feet in the air.
2. A: It is believed that popcorn originated in west central Mexico as far back as 2,500 B.C. when the Cachise Indians are thought to have grown and prepared it for consumption and use as ornamentation.
3. A: The average temperature needed to pop a kernel is 347 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. A: Popcorn is a healthy food since it is high in fiber; low in calories; and sodium-free, sugar-free and fat-free.
5. A: The two basic shapes of popcorn are "snowflake" and "mushroom".
6. A: The first commercial popcorn machine was invented in 1885 by Charles Cretor of Chicago.
7. A: Americans consume about 17 billion quarts of popcorn each year (about 58 quarts per person).
8. A: The term for the percentage of kernels that pop is "popability".
9. A: A cup of air-popped popcorn has 31 calories.
10. A: The best way to "Smell the Popcorn" is to partner with Jerry LePre as a speaker, trainer and coach while reading his books.