Calories in Popcorn, microwave, plain, light
Generic food Snacks
Popcorn, microwave, plain, light contains 409 kcal per 100 g. A typical serving of 1 cup, popped (8 g) provides about 33 kcal.
Roughly 67% of its calories come from carbohydrates, with 21% from fat and 11% from protein (estimated with general energy factors).
That is less energy than the typical item in popcorn on FoodFactly, where the median is 501 kcal per 100 g across 26 foods.
100 g provides 32% of the Daily Value for magnesium, 27% of the Daily Value for copper and 26% of the Daily Value for phosphorus.
The data comes from the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS), which calculates values from recipes of the ingredients.
Nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories C | 409 kcal | |
| Total fat C | 10.1 g | 13% |
| Saturated fat C | 2.5 g | 13% |
| Cholesterol C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium C | 766 mg | 33% |
| Total carbohydrates C | 71.7 g | 26% |
| Dietary fiber C | 13.4 g | 48% |
| Total sugars C | 0.8 g | |
| Protein C | 11.9 g | 24% |
| Vitamin A C | 9 µg | 1% |
| Vitamin C C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin D C | 0 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin E C | 0.88 mg | 6% |
| Vitamin K C | 10.3 µg | 9% |
| Thiamin (B1) C | 0.096 mg | 8% |
| Riboflavin (B2) C | 0.076 mg | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) C | 2.1 mg | 13% |
| Vitamin B6 C | 0.15 mg | 9% |
| Folate (B9) C | 29 µg | 7% |
| Vitamin B12 C | 0 µg | 0% |
| Choline C | 19.5 mg | 4% |
| Calcium C | 7 mg | 0.5% |
| Iron C | 2.9 mg | 16% |
| Magnesium C | 133 mg | 32% |
| Phosphorus C | 330 mg | 26% |
| Potassium C | 303 mg | 6% |
| Zinc C | 2.8 mg | 26% |
| Copper C | 0.24 mg | 27% |
| Selenium C | 0 µg | 0% |
% DV: percent of the FDA Daily Value for adults (reference amounts). Letters show how each value was obtained: M measured, C calculated, L label, Z assumed zero, I imputed. Vitamins and minerals not listed were not reported by the source.
Nutritional breakdown
- Protein 11%
- Carbohydrates 67%
- Fat 21%
Approximate share of calories, using general energy factors (4 kcal/g protein and carbohydrate, 9 kcal/g fat, 7 kcal/g alcohol).
Vitamins and minerals, % Daily Value per 100 g
Nutritional insights
- Protein11.9 gin the top quarter of popcorn (median 9.1 g)
- Fiber13.4 gin the top quarter of popcorn (median 10.2 g)
- Sugars0.8 gin the top quarter of popcorn (median 0.69 g)
- Fat10.1 gin the lowest quarter of popcorn (median 28 g)
- Saturated fat2.5 gin the lowest quarter of popcorn (median 4.5 g)
- Sodium766 mgin the top quarter of popcorn (median 686 mg)
- Protein per 100 kcal2.9 gprotein density, useful for comparing foods with different calorie levels
- Water3.1 gwater per 100 g, which largely explains differences between raw, cooked and dried forms
Full nutrient profile
Fats and cholesterol (2)
| Monounsaturated fat C | 2.7 g |
|---|---|
| Polyunsaturated fat C | 4 g |
Individual fatty acids (19)
| EPA (omega-3, 20:5 n-3) C | 0 g |
|---|---|
| DHA (omega-3, 22:6 n-3) C | 0 g |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6, 18:2) C | 3.9 g |
| SFA 4:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 6:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 8:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 10:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 12:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 14:0 C | 0.003 g |
| SFA 16:0 C | 0.99 g |
| SFA 18:0 C | 1.4 g |
| MUFA 18:1 C | 2.7 g |
| PUFA 18:3 C | 0.15 g |
| PUFA 20:4 C | 0 g |
| MUFA 16:1 C | 0.009 g |
| PUFA 18:4 C | 0 g |
| MUFA 20:1 C | 0.032 g |
| MUFA 22:1 C | 0.001 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) C | 0 g |
Carotenoids (6)
| Beta-carotene C | 82 µg |
|---|---|
| Lycopene C | 0 µg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin C | 1,340 µg |
| Retinol C | 0 µg |
| Carotene, alpha C | 53 µg |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta C | 0 µg |
Other components (8)
| Water C | 3.1 g |
|---|---|
| Alcohol C | 0 g |
| Caffeine C | 0 mg |
| Theobromine C | 0 mg |
| Folic acid C | 0 µg |
| Folate, food C | 29 µg |
| Vitamin E, added C | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B-12, added C | 0 µg |
Other forms of Popcorn
Raw, cooked, dried and processed versions are separate records with their own measured values.
| Food | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Popcorn, microwave, low fat and sodium | 429 | 12.6 g | 73.4 g | 9.5 g |
| Popcorn, sugar syrup/caramel, fat-free | 381 | 2 g | 90.1 g | 1.4 g |
| Popcorn, microwave, regular (butter) flavor, made with palm oil | 535 | 8.4 g | 57.3 g | 30.2 g |
| Popcorn, NFS | 518 | 9.1 g | 55 g | 30.6 g |
| Popcorn, movie theater, with added butter | 656 | 5 g | 31.6 g | 58.8 g |
| Popcorn, movie theater, no butter added | 603 | 6.2 g | 39.9 g | 48.7 g |
| Popcorn, air-popped, no butter added | 385 | 12.9 g | 77.5 g | 4.5 g |
| Popcorn, air-popped, with added butter | 430 | 11 g | 65.8 g | 15.3 g |
| Popcorn, popped in oil, no butter added Canned | 498 | 9 g | 57.9 g | 28 g |
| Popcorn, popped in oil, with added butter Canned | 525 | 7.7 g | 49.1 g | 35.2 g |
| Popcorn, microwave, NFS | 518 | 9.1 g | 55 g | 30.6 g |
| Popcorn, microwave, plain | 518 | 9.1 g | 55 g | 30.6 g |
Per 100 g. Calories in kcal. n/a: not reported by the source.
Foods with a similar nutritional profile
| Food | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snacks, popcorn, microwave, low fat | 424 | 12.6 g | 72 g | 9.5 g |
| Snacks, popcorn, microwave, 94% fat free | 402 | 10.7 g | 76 g | 6.1 g |
| Popcorn, air-popped | 387 | 12.9 g | 77.8 g | 4.5 g |
| Snacks, popcorn, air-popped (Unsalted) | 382 | 12 g | 77.9 g | 4.2 g |
| Snacks, cornnuts, barbecue-flavor | 436 | 9 g | 71.7 g | 14.3 g |
| Snacks, KRAFT, CORNNUTS, plain | 446 | 8.5 g | 71.9 g | 15.6 g |
| Corn nuts | 446 | 8.5 g | 71.9 g | 15.6 g |
| Snacks, pretzels, hard, whole-wheat including both salted and unsalted | 362 | 11.1 g | 81.3 g | 2.6 g |
Per 100 g. Calories in kcal. n/a: not reported by the source.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in popcorn?
100 g of popcorn has 409 kcal. 1 cup, popped (8 g): about 33 kcal. 1 kernel (0.2 g): about 1 kcal. 1 100 calorie package (30 g): about 123 kcal.
Is popcorn high in protein?
Popcorn contains 11.9 g of protein per 100 g (24% of the 50 g Daily Value), or 0.95 g in 1 cup, popped (8 g). About 11% of its calories come from protein. Compared with other popcorn, that is among the highest quarter (median 9.1 g).
How many carbs are in popcorn?
Popcorn has 71.7 g of total carbohydrates per 100 g, including 13.4 g of fiber and 0.8 g of sugars.
How much fat is in popcorn?
Popcorn contains 10.1 g of fat per 100 g, of which 2.5 g is saturated (13% of the Daily Value).
What vitamins and minerals does popcorn contain?
Per 100 g, the most notable amounts relative to the Daily Value are magnesium (32% DV), copper (27% DV), phosphorus (26% DV), zinc (26% DV) and iron (16% DV). The full list is in the vitamins and minerals table above.
How much sodium is in popcorn?
100 g contains 766 mg of sodium, 33% of the 2,300 mg Daily Value.
Does popcorn have the same nutrition not specified and canned?
No. Per 100 g, popcorn, microwave, plain, light has 409 kcal, while popcorn, popped in oil, no butter added has 498 kcal. Processing changes the water content, so always use the record that matches how you weigh the food.
Where does this nutrition data come from?
From USDA FoodData Central: FNDDS (Survey), record dated October 31, 2024. FoodFactly last checked it on November 6, 2026. Each value above shows whether it was measured, calculated or taken from a label.
Source of the nutrition information
- USDA FoodData Central: FNDDS (Survey), record 2708225. License: CC0 1.0 (U.S. public domain). Source record dated October 31, 2024. Imported November 6, 2026.
Last updated: . Data quality score: 100/100 (how it is calculated).
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Individual needs differ; see our disclaimer.