Some of your favorite movie theater snacks could be detrimental to your good health.

Most people stop at the concessions stand before the movie and glance over the wide array of snacks, including, but not limited to, popcorn, candy, sodas, hot dogs, nachos, and a whole lot more, but it’s those very snacks that turn out to be the most harmful to your body.

Popcorn, one of the more popular movie snacks, is a low in calorie, high in fiber snack when it’s air popped at your home. However, popcorn served in movie theaters becomes a greasy mess! Despite the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) efforts to get movie theater industries to switch to healthier oils, most industries still use the unhealthier oils because they are cheaper and give the popcorn more flavor. Because of this, one large bucket of popcorn averages 100 grams of fat with 1,300 calories (almost a day’s worth for most dieters). Although the larger buckets of popcorn may seem like a great deal, it isn’t worth the amount of calories and fat your body will take on because of it. Stick to the child sized buckets of popcorn. Although they aren’t very healthy, a smaller portion will be less harmful.

Even though most movie theatres prohibit outside food in the movie theater, b one way to eat healthy while watching a movie. You could bring bottled water, trail mix, string cheese, dry cereal, baked chips, or any number of other healthy snacks.

Or you could save yourself the trouble and eat before you go to the movies, eliminating the temptaion to visit the concessions stand.

Going to the movies is a fun experience, but is it really worth adding inches to your waist line? Next time you go to the movies, think before you snack!

-Rahel Abebe