by Kerry Hannon, Anne Smith, Susan Brink, Margaret Mannix
A POX ON POPCORN. Movie popcorn was panned last week. According to a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit consumer group, 7 out of 10 theaters pop their corn in coconut oil, which is largely saturated fat, the kind that raises cholesterol. A 16-cup medium bucket of popcorn has 901 calories and 43 grams of cholesterol-raising fat -- the equivalent of about four Big Macs. By comparison, a 3-ounce box of Junior Mints, even with its 17 teaspoons of sugar, is manna for those who fear fat -- a mere 4 grams of saturated fat. Other leaner choices: Good & Plenty (255 calories for a 2.7 ounce box) and Twizzler's Strawberry Strings (375 calories for 4 ounces), both devoid of fat. CSPI is advising health-conscious folks to smuggle in low-fat snacks, but if you get caught, you have no rights. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, theater owners can confiscate any food or drink brought into the theater. "But we haven't started strip-searches ... yet," quips Bill Quigley, a United Artists spokesman.
