Can Babies Eat Popcorn?

Popcorn, also known as popped corn is a type of corn kernel, which reacting to heat, expands and puffs up. The most common variety of corn used as popping corn is the Zea mays.

Corn was domesticated on the territory of Mexico, 10000 years ago, while the first archeological popcorn findings date back from 3600BC.

Nowadays popcorn is usually cooked with oil or butter, but in earlier times and in small quantities it can be popped in a stove-top kettle or by holding a wire basket over on open flame. Charles Cretor invented the popcorn machine in 1885, making it possible to get an evenly cooked snack. Popcorn can be prepared also with a “popcorn hammer”, which is a large cast-iron canister, sealed with a heavy lid and moving over an open fire in a rotisserie fashion.

Popcorn is naturally high in dietary fibers and antioxidants, low in fat and calories, and naturally free of sodium and sugar, making it a good choice for people, who would like to lose weight. But attention should be paid to the additional ingredients to make it more flavory. Popcorn also has vitamins B1 and B2, and high levels of iron.

Can Babies Choke On Popcorn?

Popcorn is listed as a choking hazard for children under four, so it is recommended to introduce it only later on. Babies tend to swallow unchewed bits of food, which can lead to choking. Beside the choking factor, there are also risks due to the various flavoring agents with which popcorn is cooked with. These might cause allergic reactions in babies.

Popcorn With Brown Butter & Parmesan

Ingredients: ready plain popcorn, 3 tbsp of unsalted butter, 3 tbsp grated Parmesan, Kosher salt.

Melt the butter in a pan and stir it until it starts to foam. Remove the pan from the heat when it starts to turn brownish and smelling nutty. Pour the butter over the popcorn, then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and salt, and mix everything well.