Calories in popcorn
Air-popped, plain. 387 kcal (1,619 kJ) per 100 g. Choose a portion below and every figure on the page updates.
Air-popped popcorn is a whole grain with almost no water left in it, which is why 100 g carries 387 kcal (1619 kJ). The catch is volume: a cup weighs only about 8 g, so a large bowl holds far less energy than the per-100 g figure suggests. Most calories come from starch, and the fibre content is high for a snack.
Where the energy comes from
Share of total energy contributed by each macronutrient, using the standard 4/4/9 kcal per gram factors:
Full nutrition breakdown
Values shown for 8 g.
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 31 kcal | – |
| Energy | 130 kJ | – |
| Protein | 1 g | 2% |
| Total fat | 0.4 g | <1% |
| Saturated | 0.05 g | <1% |
| Monounsaturated | 0.08 g | – |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.19 g | – |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Total carbohydrate | 6.2 g | 2% |
| Sugars | 0.07 g | – |
| Starch | 4.35 g | – |
| Fibre | 1.2 g | 4% |
| Water | 0.3 g | – |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 0.8 µg | <1% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0.023 mg | <1% |
| Vitamin K | 0.1 µg | <1% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.008 mg | <1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.007 mg | <1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.2 mg | 1% |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.041 mg | <1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.013 mg | <1% |
| Folate | 2.5 µg | <1% |
| Choline | 1.7 mg | <1% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 0.6 mg | <1% |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 1% |
| Magnesium | 11.5 mg | 3% |
| Phosphorus | 28.6 mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 26.3 mg | <1% |
| Sodium | 0.6 mg | <1% |
| Zinc | 0.2 mg | 2% |
| Copper | 0.021 mg | 2% |
| Manganese | 0.1 mg | 4% |
| Selenium | 0 µg | 0% |
Daily Values are the FDA reference intakes for adults and children aged 4 and over, based on a 2,000 kcal diet. They are a labelling standard, not a personal target.
Common portions
| Portion | Grams | kcal | kJ | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup, air-popped | 8 | 31 | 130 | 1 | 6.2 | 0.4 |
| 3 cups, air-popped | 24 | 93 | 389 | 3.1 | 18.7 | 1.1 |
| 1 oz | 28 | 108 | 453 | 3.6 | 21.8 | 1.3 |
Things worth knowing
- One cup of air-popped popcorn is about 31 kcal / 130 kJ, and three cups (24 g) about 93 kcal / 389 kJ with 3.5 g of fibre.
- Popping method matters most. Home oil-popped popcorn lists 500 kcal per 100 g, and regular microwave popcorn 583 kcal per 100 g with about 909 mg of sodium, against 8 mg here.
- Caramel-coated popcorn without peanuts has 431 kcal per 100 g, and more than half its weight is sugar (53 g), against under 1 g in plain popcorn.
- Toppings outweigh the popcorn quickly. A tablespoon of butter (14 g) adds about 102 kcal, more than three cups of air-popped popcorn.
Converting these figures
One 1 cup, air-popped of popcorn is 31 kcal, which is 130 kJ. To convert any other figure, divide kilojoules by 4.184 for calories, or use the converter on the home page.
It takes 62 g of popcorn to reach 1,000 kJ (239 kcal). See how that compares with other foods on the 1000 kJ to calories page.
Similar foods
Compare all 12 sweets and snacks in one table →
Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 19034. Values are averages; individual samples vary with variety, growing conditions, and preparation.