Americans munch 52 quarts of popcorn per person in a year, according to the American Popcorn Board. That’s 16 billion quarts, enough to fill the Houston Astrodome ten times and spill some into the parking lot. But if microwavable popcorn is your favorite type, here are four health risks to consider before you dig in. 
 
 Related: 6 Microwave Mistakes That Could Harm Your Health 
 
 1. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Also found in the coatings on some nonstick cookware, the inside of pizza boxes and fire-fighting foam, this chemical is used in the linings of some microwave popcorn bags to prevent oil from soaking through the paper. Exposure in people who live or work near plants that produce PFOA has been associated with kidney and testicular cancers, Emory University scientists reported in 2013. It may also be associated with infertility in women according to a University of California Los Angeles study. And a 2012 Harvard School of Public Health study found that it may reduce the effectiveness of some childhood vaccines. 
 
 How to avoid it: Many major brands, like Jolly Time, Orville Redenbacher and Newman’s Own Organic Pop’s Corn, use PFOA-free bags. So do some smaller brands like Quinn and Snappy. Check labels. Under a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program, the use of PFOAs is to be phased out of almost all products by the end of 2015. 
 
 Or pop your own. Grab a bag or a jar of popcorn kernels at the supermarket and haul out your air-popper. Or follow package directions for popping in a skillet or pot. 
 
 2. Trans fats. Linked with heart disease, stroke and diabetes, these “Franken fats” are still found in many microwave popcorn varieties. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your consumption to no more than 1 percent of total daily calories, equal to about 2 grams if you eat 2,000 calories a day. (The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 and the Institute of Medicine recommend keeping consumption as low as possible.)But flavors like Pop Secret’s Extra Butter have 5 grams of trans fats — in just one-third of a bag. Jolly Time’s Jalapeno Butter Spicy Popcorn has 5 grams in a serving equal to about two-fifths of a bag. 
 
 How to avoid it: Read the Nutrition Facts panel on the box. Most brands have products with zero trans fats. Or pop your own in a skillet or air-popper for a zero trans-fat treat. 
 
 3. Saturated fat. This is stuff that clogs arteries and raises “bad” LDL cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your saturated fat intake low — about 16 grams per day if you eat 2,000 calories per day. But if you’re a big popcorn fan, you could get that much from one bag of some types of microwave popcorn, including store brands. 
 
 How to avoid it: Look for saturated fat on the Nutrition Facts panel. Most microwave popcorn brands offer lower fat choices. Or make your own. Air-pop it, then sprinkle with herbs and spices instead of butter. 
 
 4. Sodium. We know — what’s popcorn without salt? But if you’re trying to reduce your sodium intake to help control or prevent high blood pressure, microwave popcorn can be a salt bomb worth sidestepping. A single serving (usually about one-third of a bag…but who stops there?) may contain up to 380 milligrams of sodium. Munch the whole bag and you’ll have eaten more than half of the total you should get in a day. (The American Heart Association recommends a daily limit of 1500 milligrams.) 
 
 How to avoid it: Look for a lower-sodium variety — many brands offer healthier types with less sodium and fat. Or make your own and top with a reasonable amount of salt or sodium-free seasonings. 
 
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 Sari Harrar is an award-winning health, medicine and science journalist whose work appears in Dr. Oz The Good Life magazine, Good Housekeeping, O--Oprah Magazine, Organic Gardening and other publications. ||||| You know that hypnotizingly lovely smell that fills up the room when you make a fresh batch of popcorn in the microwave? Yeah, that may not be as good as you might think. That enchanting smell is actually a chemical called diacetyl, a synthetic butter flavoring. Why is it so bad, you ask? According to a research published in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, inhaling butter-flavouring chemical mixtures has been linked with severe obstructive lung disease commonly known as 'popcorn lung.’ Diacetyl is harmless when consumed, but when heated to high temperatures, diacetyl vaporizes and becomes toxic. 
 
 
 
 What’s Going on in Those Factories? 
 
 In fact, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), an arm of the Centers for Disease Control, had begun investigating people who worked in microwave popcorn factories who had developed bronchiolitis obliterans (a lung disease characterized by fixed airway obstruction) and the results revealed the cause of the disease was something back at the factory - specifically exposure to an artificial flavoring agent: 2,3-butanedione or diacetyl. It was evident ‘popcorn lung’ was a problem, with NIOSH even issuing a health alert for workers, complete with preventive steps and an exposure limit guideline. 
 
 
 
 Chemicals, Chemicals Everywhere 
 
 Another problem is the presence of chemicals like perfluoroalkyls, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) which are used to line the popcorn bags to prevent grease from soaking the bag wet. On heating, these chemicals fuse into the popcorn you eat. They’re termed ‘likely carcinogens’ by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which cause a host of health nightmares. They mess up your endocrine system, causes thyroid issues, bladder cancer and much more. 
 
 A study in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology from researchers from the University of Minnesota reveal a possible link between diacetyl, via its impact on a brain protein and Alzheimer’s disease. Another study that appeared in Mercola says -“Researchers conducting test-tube studies revealed that diacetyl has several concerning properties for brain health. Not only can it pass through the blood-brain barrier, which is intended to help keep toxins out of your brain, but it can also cause brain proteins to misfold into the Alzheimer's-linked form known as beta amyloid. It also inhibits mechanisms that help to naturally clear the dangerous beta amyloid from your brain.It's not known at this time whether eating diacetyl-containing foods (it's used not only in microwave popcorn but also in other snack foods, baked goods, pet foods, some fast foods and other food products) increases your risk of Alzheimer's, but the finding that it may contribute to brain plaques linked to Alzheimer's at very low concentrations is concerning, to say the least.”Probably the most famous case was that of 59-year old Wayne Watson who took home $7.2 million from three companies as damages caused by microwave popcorn. He had been diagnosed with a rare case of irreversible lung disease, which had restricted his air flow by about 60 percent. His lawyers effectively argued that this disease was a direct result of Watson inhaling toxic fumes and the artificial butter smell of microwave popcorn, which he consumed daily for over 10 years.A quick look at the labels of most popcorn brands gives way to an unpleasant story. Apart from complex, difficult to understand ingredients, there is no mention of diacetyl or any warning whatsoever. At most, the labels would say ‘natural and artificial flavouring.’ In the past, at large, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considered diacetyl safe for consumption. Diacetyl had also escaped FDA regulation because the after effects are to do with respiration and not indigestion. However, FDA is reviewing and rolling out new warnings. However, what the FDA did recently was pass a rule banning trans fats in all food items. The FDA said in its statement "there is no safe level of consumption of artificial trans fat" and gave three years to companies to eliminate the ingredient from their products. Trans fats are commonly found in butter popcorn so that's one unhealthy ingredient off the list.In the face of so much backlash, a lot of microwave popcorn manufacturers have said they’ll be replacing diacetyl with another flavoring. But what will this flavouring be? Many experts fear the alternatives won’t be any better. An animal study published in American Journal of Pathology resonates with this thought. The researchers found that 2,3-pentanedione, a diacetyl substitute caused similar problems to the lung in rats and caused gene alternations in their brains.Trans fats, a byproduct of partially hydrogenated oils, is popular among food manufacturers as it gives food a distinctive taste, texture and also increases product shelf life. However, Trans fats is associated with many health problems – it increases bad cholesterol and builds up plaque in the arteries – which leads to coronary artery disease and heart attacks. Trans fats has been a go-to ingredient for microwave popcorn companies for its high melting point, as it keeps the fat in oil solid till the package is heated. Conversely, FDA has taken steps to ban, or limit, the use of trans fat in United States forcing food companies to come up with substitutes. Also, another matter of concern is the crazy amount of salt in these packs.Away from the chemicals and grime, it’s far easier and healthier to make your own popcorn at home. You can either put kernels in a brown paper bag and lay it flat in a microwave or put them in a glass bowl covered with a plate for six and a half minutes on high. You don’t even need a microwave. A pan or a pressure cooker works just as good, if not better. The best part about homemade popcorn? Go ahead and ask your lungs to give it a big whiff and inhale in all that homemade goodness. ||||| The post below entitled, “DIY Microwave Popcorn Is Way Easier Than You Know,” originally appeared on FWx. 
 
 Store-bought microwave popcorn is such an easy snack it might seem like Orville Redenbacher made a deal with the devil, but there’s really no reason to go to the store and buy it. With just a good ol’ fashioned brown paper bag, a little oil, salt, and of course, some popcorn kernels, you can whip up a bag of microwave popcorn in just couple minutes. 
 
 YouTube’s The King of Random recently demonstrated this method in a video, racking up over 300,000 views in just one day. There are a few benefits to DIY. First, you can season it yourself – for instance, go from standard microwave popcorn to addictive kettle corn by just adding a little sugar. Plus, many claim that microwavable popcorn bought from the big brands can have dangerous chemicals with negative health effects. 
 
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– Like a nice bowl of microwave popcorn in the evening? Others do too—in fact, America downs 16 billion quarts of popcorn annually—but Safebee reports that many microwave popcorns come with apparent health risks. Four, to be exact: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA): This nonstick coating can be found in fire-fighting foam and pizza boxes. Scientists say the chemical is also associated with cancers and female infertility. Luckily some brands, like Orville Redenbacher and Jolly Time, don't have it. Trans fats: Several microwave popcorns include these so-called "Franken fats," which have been linked to diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Check the product's Nutrition Facts panel for brands that have no trans fats. Saturated fat: If you don't want "bad" LDL cholesterol, buy microwave popcorn with better fat options. Visit Safebee to read about the fourth potential health woe—high sodium—or read more on apparent health risks of microwave popcorn at NDTV. On a positive note, see In Style's guide to microwaving popcorn on your own.