Popcorn Lung

A few months ago I heard about this new ailment called Popcorn Lung. Basically it occurs when workers in the microwave popcorn plants breathe in all of the chemicals that line the microwave popcorn bags. Funny that the companies publicly stated that the chemicals that line the microwave popcorn bags are safe for consumers. Does that sound right to anyone else?

The whole thing sounds nasty. It made me think twice about microwave popcorn. But it didn't scare me enough to stop eating it.

My Little Guy is really sensitive to food additives and food dyes. He can't eat conventional salad dressing, cream cheese and surprise...microwave popcorn. So lazy me started buying the organic brands. Little Guy seemed fine with the organic brands.

Then I got popcorn lung.

On a recent afternoon, when the entire neighborhood was playing at my house, I popped-up some microwave popcorn. It's an easy and cheap way to feed a ton of kids. I leaned over the bag to pull it open....Breathed in....and the popcorn lung hit.

Coughing. Hacking. Tight chest. I completely talked myself into believing that I caught the popcorn lung.

After the popcorn lung incident decided to buy a jar unpopped popcorn kernels. Supposedly, they can be cooked in a large pan on the stove top. Lies again I tell you. I got burned, crunchy, kernels.

Next, I bought an air popper. It is my new best friend. Basically you put in a half of a cup of kernels. Plug in the machine. And out pops a huge bowl of perfectly popped popcorn. No popcorn lung inducing chemicals. Feeds six neighbor kids snack in under five minutes. Amazing.

With all of the renewed talk of clones and genetically modified vegetables, I'm now wondering if I'm somehow modifying the DNA of all of the neighbor kids with my most-likely genitally modified corn. Children of the corn. (groan here)

I can't win.