Are popcorn kernels injected with oil or something? Im trying to find popcorn kernels but they all have fats in them and vary from 500-600kcal per 100g. How is that possible?
100g of plain popcorn is only around 382 calories with 4.2g of fat: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170246/nutrients
It sounds like maybe you’re looking at nutrition information for popcorn with added oil or butter. If you look at brands that sell plain popcorn kernels, the nutrition information is consistent with what I linked above. For example, Bob’s Red Mill White Popcorn is is 100 calories per 27g serving, which is equivalent to \~370 kcal per 100g.
Because corn, like all grains, contains some fat. Popcorn kernels are corn seeds that have everything that a corn plan would need to grow until it creates a root and pushed its first leaves through the ground to begin photosynthesis. Fat is a significant component of the germ of the kernel, which is the “living” part of the kernel where the roots and leaves grow from.
It sounds like you are looking at popcorn that’s popped in oil or prepared in some way with oil.
In the NCCDB database that Cronometer has, there is an entry for air popped popcorn with 387 calories and 4.7 grams of fat per 100g. Then there is popcorn “popped in fat” which has 567 calories and 39.1g of fat per 100g.
Because corn naturally has fat; we use it to make corn oil. Many grains naturally have fats in them; wheat germ naturally has some fat in it too, from which wheat germ oil is made.
The reason why seeds such as grains naturally contain oils, is as an energy source for the growing plant inside of them. Their biological, evolutionary purpose is to package up some nutrition so that the baby plant can grow at the right time of year after it gets planted. Fats are good at that, so many plants use them for their seeds; nuts are fatty too, for this reason.
Every single food contains all 3 macro nutrients.
Physically cannot be otherwise.
Fats coat cells, DNA is of proteins, and carbohydrates are synthesised even as glycoprotein.
So everything will have at least a trace of these.
Fat isn’t bad for you. It’s healthy and required. Especially if it’s from a whole food (eggs, fish, meat, olive oil, avocado, and yes, even the tiny bit of fat from grains).