Who invented popcorn: the history of invention and properties

Popcorn for us today directly associated with the cinema or viewing movies, videos, in general, leisure. It is only to smell his scent, as the imagination immediately buys colors: someone remembers pleasant moments from his life, and someone dreams of a long-awaited rest. Have you ever thought about who invented this "snack", who invented popcorn in such a way as we know it now, and how it became so popular.

The appearance of corn

From history it is known that such a culture as corn was bred some 7 millennia ago. For the first time it began to grow on the expanses of Mexico, in the mountainous regions. And in the first century AD corn became the main food in America.

This particular type of corn that is used to make popcorn, under the right conditions, can be stored for a very long time. For example, archaeologists found whole grains in burials in Peru. And the age of this find was defined as more than a thousand years. There were also vessels for cooking popcorn.

Who invented popcorn

There are several versions as to who became the author of this popular snack. However, history is silent about individuals, therefore the invention is awarded to the people.

According to some sources, the ancient Indians became the pioneers of the "exploding corn", or rather, accidental witnesses to such a property of corn. People made special clay (later - metal) vessels for cooking maize in this way. Another way was to place the whole cob on the hot oil.

At that time, popcorn became the prototype of "fast food", because it is very light and satisfying, it could be taken on the road to refresh. It was used not only dry, but also filled with hot water.

Another version of who invented popcorn, speaks of the Mexican origin of "exploding corn." Mexicans, in turn, received popcorn by placing it on hot sand or stones. Invading Mexico (1519), Hernán Cortés was very surprised at how people treated this food, since it was the main part of the diet.

In Europe, this product came only in 1630.

Peak sales of popcorn in the United States accounted for the Great Depression. Popcorn has always been a cheap pleasure, so it could afford both rich and poor sections of the population.

Popcorn with various flavorings was invented by Friedrich Rückheim at the end of the 19th century. It was he who first cooked sweet popcorn, deciding to add boiled caramel and much more to it, which was very popular with lovers of this delicacy.

As for how popcorn got into the cinema and why exactly such an association causes, then here it is worth noting the merit of Samuel Rubin. He owns this idea, thanks to him we can buy popcorn in special cardboard packages.

Thus, it is already impossible to find out who invented popcorn, but over the centuries this delicacy has gained worldwide popularity. It is enough to know the amazing fact that this "dish" passed through the millennium, not particularly modified, but only slightly improved by additives.

In the United States, there is a special day that is dedicated to this delicacy. The day of popcorn is marked on the calendar on January 22nd.

Apparatus for popcorn

Popper, or a special machine for making popcorn, was invented by a scientist named Charles Cretors in 1885. This invention looked like a tank with a special handle that propelled it and stirred corn kernels. It is worth noting that this was a rather cumbersome construction.

A little later, the poppers began to work for gas or steam and were much smaller in size. Thanks to this, it became possible to transport popcorn for sale on the streets, for example. Apparatus for popcorn has become a portable source of income.

For home use poppers began to be sold in 1925. With the invention of microwave ovens, cooking popcorn at home has become even easier. In 1945, Percy Spencer discovered that corn kernels explode under the influence of microwaves. But specially prepared packages of grains for microwave ovens were launched into mass production only in 1984. Since then, popcorn in the microwave has become a national treasure and one of your favorite treats.

Why popcorn explodes

We all know that with one glass of corn of special varieties, a large bowl of delicious treats is obtained. But what happens during the heating of the grains to a certain temperature?

The reason for this is a large amount of moisture in each grain. We also know that not all grains eventually explode, and if you wait until the "last grain", then all popcorn can just burn. And the grains do not explode just if the moisture in them is not enough.

It is also important that the grains are unbroken, with an undamaged shell, as moisture so gradually evaporates, and the grain does not burst.

Thus, a droplet of water in a corn seed becomes heated when it is heated, the expansion of which causes the shell to break through.

Useful properties of popcorn

First of all, it should be noted that in the popcorn antioxidants are contained polyphenols. There are more of them here than in some vegetables and fruits.

Also corn for popcorn contains fiber and vitamin A, B vitamins and complex carbohydrates. All this is useful for the body. But it's important to know that popcorn is not a low-calorie product. 100 grams of snack contains 300 kcal.

You need to remember that corn for popcorn needs a special variety, because only it has these properties and gives a delicious snack on the way out.

Harmful properties of popcorn

Mainly, the "harmfulness" of popcorn is not in the grains themselves or in the way they are cooked, but in the additives that it contains.

If you cook popcorn yourself at home, you probably will know the composition. It will be better, of course, if you add a little olive oil, salt or sugar. But this will increase the calorie content of the product. At the same time, the food will remain healthy and will not cause harm to health, as an additive of unknown composition can do if it is abused by it.