There are hundreds of brands of popcorn in the world, and probably at least a dozen on the shelf at your local grocery store. With all of these brands to choose from, it may be difficult to decide which brand to choose.

The fact is, it's probably not as much about brand as it is about age. Popcorn quality deteriorates fairly rapidly, so it's important to look at the expiration dates of any popcorn you buy. The brand which has the expiration date furthest in the future is probably the one that will pop best for you.

You may also be tempted to automatically buy the most expensive brand, or the brand you recognize the most, thinking it will be highest quality.

This is not always the case, though. I've tried many different brands of popcorn, and I've actually had some VERY poor batches of some of the largest brands like Orville Redenbacher's and Pop Secret. In fact, the most consistent brand I've ever found may surprise you...

It's Great Value Popcorn, the Wal-mart off-brand! It has been doing very well for me for years, and I rarely ever buy any other brand in standard popcorn. It's very inexpensive, widely available, and it pops up very well!

Microwave popcorn is another matter. I find the off-brand microwave popcorn generally doesn't pop very well. I do prefer Pop Secret Homestyle popcorn, or Orville Redenbacher's Natural if I'm going to buy microwave popcorn. These two brands taste very close to home-popped popcorn, and don't have that wretched fake butter flavor that I hate it other microwave popcorn brands. They also don't burn as often, and they pop up fluffier and in greater quantity than other brands.

Each popcorn kernel contains some moisture. As the popcorn kernel is heated, that moisture is turned into very hot, pressurized steam. The starch inside the kernel begins to gelatinize, getting softer. Eventually, as the pressure increases, the holl can no longer contain the contents and it ruptures.

When the hull breaks open, the pressure inside the kernel quickly drops, and the starch and protein contents spew out in a kind of foam. The foam cools extremely rapidly, and the starch and protein mixture sets into a crisp, crunchy puff of popcorn.

Popcorn was actually discovered by Native Americans (American Indians) who believed the noise was the sound of an angry god escaping the kernels.

So if you're looking for an individual to credit with the invention of popcorn, unfortunately there's no way to know. Native American Indians didn't really keep records of such things, so the best you can do is cite the source as this particular ethnic group. Sadly, we don't even know which tribe invented it.

Here are some of the world's most well-known popcorn brands:

1. Orville Redenbacher's
2. Jiffy Pop

3. Pop Secret
4. Act II
5. Pop Weaver
6. Healthy Choice

These brands are in no particular order, however almost everyone has heard of Orville Redenbacher's and Jiffy Pop!