What is Hulless Popcorn? (2025)

There is nothing quite like a nice, hot bowl of popcorn. No matter whether you prefer your popcorn coated in sweet toppings like sugar and syrup, or savory toppings like salt and cheese, it is delicious. But there is one thing that can be quite frustrating about popcorn, and that is the dark, seeded bit in the center that gets stuck in your throat.

This small pip at the center of your popcorn can be enough to ruin the entire bowl, but what is it exactly? Well, this seed is actually known as the hull, and that is why something known as hulless popcorn has become popular.

But, is this a real thing, or is it just a myth? In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at what hulless popcorn is, and if it is a real thing. So to find out more, keep on reading. But first, want to see our winner of the Best Hulless Kernels? Here they are:

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What is Hulless Popcorn?

First things first, let’s take a look at what hulless popcorn is. As we have said, the hull in popcorn is the dark seed at the center of each kernel that often gets stuck in your throat when you are eating it. If you had to pick a single bad thing about popcorn, it would have to be the hull, and that is why hulless popcorn is such a great creation.

Hulless popcorn is popcorn that is designed not to have the hull at the center. Of course, all popcorn will have a hull because this is necessary for the popcorn to be able to form into kernels. But, in hulless popcorn, this hull is designed to be as small as possible so that there will not be any of these dark, shell-like pieces at the center.

It would be impossible for any popcorn to be completely hulless, but it is possible to keep this to a minimum. Unfortunately, in the process of this, the entire dynamic of the popcorn is altered slightly, and you will often find that hulless popcorn has less of a crunch.

But it is still incredibly delicious, and the slight difference in texture is definitely worth it, knowing that the chances of you getting popcorn stuck in your throat are much slimmer.

What is the Difference Between Hulless Popcorn and Regular Popcorn?

If the thought of hulless popcorn sounds attractive to you, it is likely that you want to know how this type of popcorn differs from regular popcorn. So, let’s take a look.

Well, the first difference that you will notice between regular and hulless popcorn is the color. As you will know, traditional popcorn has a classic yellow tint to each kernel, and this is the picture that you get in your head every time that you think of popcorn.

In contrast, hulless popcorn has a much paler appearance, and the kernels are usually white. This is because of the lack of hulls in hulless popcorn. Another thing that differs between the two is the texture. Regular popcorn often has a slight crunch to it, especially once it has cooled.

But, hulless popcorn is incredibly soft. For some people, this is a major drawback, but it means that hulless popcorn is perfect if you want to add lots of toppings to it. This softer texture is caused partly by the other main difference between hulless and regular popcorn.

The final major difference between hulless and regular popcorn is the size. While traditional popcorn comes in a variety of sizes, it is generally on the larger size. But, hulless popcorn tends to be a lot smaller. This is because hulless popcorn is designed so that the hull breaks up into lots of smaller pieces (to avoid the hull catching in your throat), meaning that the actual kernels of popcorn end up being much smaller too.

Why is Hulless Popcorn Better?

While a lot of people question if hulless popcorn really exists, it is generally accepted that it is the best option. The main reason behind this is that nobody likes the feeling when hulls of popcorn get stuck in your throat. Even the most loyal supporters of popcorn will admit that this part of eating popcorn isn’t pleasant.

Ultimately, this is why people prefer it. But, there are some other things that make hulless popcorn better too. So, let’s take a look at what they are. Well, one of the other things that make hulless popcorn so popular is the fact that it produces smaller kernels.

While some people like large kernels, if you make smaller kernels, it will end up feeling like you have more popcorn. So, when you use hulless popcorn, you will essentially end up with more popcorn. Or at least more popcorn to go around, making it perfect if you have to serve popcorn for quite a lot of people.

But, the best thing about hulless popcorn isn’t that it stops pieces of popcorn from getting caught in your teeth, instead it is that it stops the popcorn from getting stuck in your teeth.

Getting small pieces of popcorn stuck in your throat is an inconvenience, but getting pieces of popcorn stuck in your teeth can be dangerous. Especially if you have braces. So, all in all, it is clear that hulless popcorn is better.

What is the Best Hulless Popcorn?

If you want to give hulless popcorn a try, then you will be happy to hear that there are lots of excellent brands that produce this style of popcorn. One of the best being Riehle’s, so if you want to try hulless popcorn, this is definitely a product to try.

Unlike most hulless popcorn, this brand still has the traditional yellow color of popcorn. So, you get to feel like you are eating regular popcorn, with a much lower risk of hulls getting stuck in your throat or teeth.

Summary

In short, hulless popcorn is a type of popcorn that is designed to have little to no hulls. This means that you can enjoy this popcorn without having to worry about the popcorn hulls catching in your throat or teeth. This is the reason hulless popcorn has become so popular in recent years. Even if some people still think that it’s a myth.