Jan. 19 is National Popcorn Day

Here are some corny facts from popcorn.org.:

1. Most U.S. popcorn is grown in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri.

2. Many people believe the acres of corn they see in the Midwest during growing season could be picked and eaten for dinner, or dried and popped. In fact, those acres are typically field corn, which is used largely for livestock feed, and differs from both sweet corn and popcorn.

3. The peak period for popcorn sales for home consumption is in the fall.

4. Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn has only 30 calories per cup. Oil-popped is only 35 per cup.

5. Americans consume some 13 billion quarts of this whole grain, good-for-you treat. That’s 42 quarts per man, woman, and child.

6. Popcorn is a type of maize (or corn), a member of the grass family, and is scientifically known as Zea mays everta.

Popcorn differs from other types of maize/corn in that it has a thicker pericarp/hull. The hull allows pressure from the heated water to build and eventually bursts open. The inside starch becomes gelatinous while being heated; when the hull bursts, the gelatinized starch spills out and cools, giving it its familiar popcorn shape.