Where does popcorn come from?
Wonder of my day
Have you ever wondered...
- Where popcorn comes from?
- How it changes form in the microwave?
- How you can make different flavors of popcorn?
Find it out:
Popcorn is a delicious food that can be eaten as a snack or in some people's case, dinner or lunch or maybe even breakfast. But why has no one talked about where it came from? Some people do not think about it and just mindlessly eat it but I want to find out where it came from and how it changes from being a kernel to the form we usually eat it as. One factor that make popcorn so popular is its nutritional value that it has before the flavors are added to it for a better taste. It is also a consumer product for all ages to enjoy.
Popcorn has been enjoyed since 1492 when the Indians used it for food and decoration in the West Indies. Popcorn, or zea mays everta, is a type of maize product and is the only type of corn that can pop. This product is primarily grown in the United States, mostly in the Corn belt region then shipped to other places. Popcorn specifically is a cereal grain and originates from wild grass.
In order for popcorn to pop, it needs heat ranging from 400-460 degrees Fahrenheit. When the kernel is heated, all the moisture leaves and turns to steam and it literally turns inside out. The starch which was inside the shell is now the outside white part, and the hull which was the outside or brown part of the kernel is the flaky bit on the center of the popcorn piece.
Everyone likes popcorn for different reasons, it is a versatile snack that is easily shareable. Adults like it for its nutritional value and kids like it because it all around tastes good. Some people like it plain and some like it with salt or with caramel or with MnM's added to it. The amount of flavors popcorn has are endless, it is up to you to find out which flavor you like the best, and how to make it.
Popcorn is an easy snack that is enjoyed by everyone. It is fun to eat at the movies, in between sports games, or even as just a hearty snack. It is one of the most popular snacks in the United States and has been around since the beginning. Now you know what you are eating when you eat popcorn!
Who doesn't enjoy a nice bag of freshly popped popcorn?
Try it out:
- Make your own popcorn in the classroom the old fashioned way. Explore and watch the reaction take place right there in your own room! Have students right down everything they see- from beginning to end and not excluding any detail.
- How can you pop popcorn in another way? Brainstorm ideas on how to do so, and then try them out! See which ones work and which ones didn't work and discuss how/why it did or did not.