Food Ingredients Labels: Do you read them?

[movingforward]

Dec 10, 2014 12:49:14 GMT -5 jeep108 said:

I've been reading more labels lately. The doctor put my husband on a triglycerides and cholesterol diet.  He also is on coumadin for a blood clot he had last year.  I get a lot of recipes off of Dr. Gourmet website and American Heart Association website.  Hubby pouts and says he feels like he can't eat anything anymore.

He needs a cheat day.  One day out of the week where he can he a piece of cake or whatever.

[Deleted]

I'm really glad labeling is required and I read them a lot. If I can avoid high-fructose corn syrup, I do.   The corn growers must HATE the new trend to proudly proclaim "No High Fructose Corn Syrup!" on food labels.  I avoid products such as Greek yogurt that have artificial thickeners in them.  If there's anything more than milk and yogurt cultures they're cheating.   Sometimes I read them just for fun:  the loaves of "artisan bread" from the in-store bakery that have a long list of unpronounceable chemicals, the "Pure Protein" brand granola bars with marshmallows (marshmallows are protein? ), the fake fruit juices.  I'm also fond of calculating the calories in an entire package of something and then figuring out the calories in a fraction a real person is likely to eat as a "serving".  Big difference compared to the serving size posted.  Bonny's muffins are a good example.  Who eats half a muffin?

I do have to confess to buying canned soup.  That's my "go-to" quick meal, with lots of stir-fried veggies added.  I'm fortunate to have blood pressure that's almost on the low side, so don't have to watch sodium intake. 

[t-dog]

Since DS was diagnosed with Chron's last summer I now read much more carefully.

[Tiny]

I'm also fond of calculating the calories in an entire package of something and then figuring out the calories in a fraction a real person is likely to eat as a "serving". Big difference compared to the serving size posted. Bonny's muffins are a good example. Who eats half a muffin?

Cool Whip (and any of the knock offs) is a good example. There's approximatedly 625 calories in the entire container - that's 25 two tablespoon servings of 25 calories eash.

When was the last time you got 25 servings out of tub of Cool Whip?


I love it when my diet conscious friends pile on the it's only 25 calories! whip topping. I guess what's worse is it's all empty calories - there's no nutritional value in Cool Whip.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Dec 10, 2014 13:34:00 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I'm also fond of calculating the calories in an entire package of something and then figuring out the calories in a fraction a real person is likely to eat as a "serving". Big difference compared to the serving size posted. Bonny's muffins are a good example. Who eats half a muffin?

Cool Whip (and any of the knock offs) is a good example. There's approximatedly 625 calories in the entire container - that's 25 two tablespoon servings of 25 calories eash.

When was the last time you got 25 servings out of tub of Cool Whip?


I love it when my diet conscious friends pile on the it's only 25 calories! whip topping. I guess what's worse is it's all empty calories - there's no nutritional value in Cool Whip.

But pumpkin pie seems undressed without it. 

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2014 13:34:00 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I love it when my diet conscious friends pile on the it's only 25 calories! whip topping. I guess what's worse is it's all empty calories - there's no nutritional value in Cool Whip.

I used to hang out on myfitnesspal and there was great consternation when it was revealed that the "buttery" popcorn spray that was zero calories per serving really did have calories- it was just that it was maybe 0.4 calories for a couple of sprays of it so they could round down to zero. Apparently people were drenching their popcorn in the stuff thinking it was zero calories. I think the chemicals in it were probably worse than the calories.

[swasat]

Dec 10, 2014 14:47:15 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:34:00 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I love it when my diet conscious friends pile on the it's only 25 calories! whip topping. I guess what's worse is it's all empty calories - there's no nutritional value in Cool Whip.

I used to hang out on myfitnesspal and there was great consternation when it was revealed that the "buttery" popcorn spray that was zero calories per serving really did have calories- it was just that it was maybe 0.4 calories for a couple of sprays of it so they could round down to zero. Apparently people were drenching their popcorn in the stuff thinking it was zero calories. I think the chemicals in it were probably worse than the calories.

Same thing as diet soda  Supposedly zero calories but tons of artifical sweetners to get the taste.

[Peace Of Mind]

No, I don't.  I can't see them any way and I don't speak "label" or understand what half the crap they are saying is in the food means.  I'm neurotic enough and don't need to know the details. 

We don't eat a lot of processed foods but the ones we do like I don't want to hear how bad it is for me.  Besides - I'm at the stage of life where I won't believe them any way.  Everybody lies that is selling you something so I figure they can put whatever they want on the labels it doesn't mean it's true as it's a government conspiracy.  I need to stop reading P&M so much!  

[chiver78]

Dec 10, 2014 12:05:08 GMT -5 swasat said:

OMG, don't even get me started on the list of ingredients of some of these "food products"  

This is the list of ingredients from Coffee Mate Classic Vanilla flavor:

INGREDIENTS: WATER, SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL (HIGH OLEIC SOYBEAN AND/OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND/OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED), AND LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)**, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CELLULOSE GEL, CELLULOSE GUM, CARRAGEENAN. CONTAINS: A MILK DERIVATIVE.

Yea, thats "dairy" product alright  

actually, it is....from the caseinate. give that product to a guest with a dairy allergy, and you're going to have one uncomfortable person in your care. depending on their reaction, it could be anything from GI issues to skin lesions to anaphylaxis (I don't think I've ever met someone with *that* serious a dairy reaction, but I'm sure it exists)

I read labels, especially now that I'm living with my sis - she is dairy free. when I was still in my condo, I just got in the habit of buying the dairy-free options of things (except the obviously dairy....like cheese and such) so that she wouldn't have to worry about it when she would eat at my house. I wouldn't inadvertently cook with a dairy product b/c it wasn't there.

[Wisconsin Beth]

I think there's a movement in Congress to make some kind of change to the ingredient listing - so not everything has to be listed.  I'll see if I can dig anything up on it. 

[swasat]

chiver78, thanks for the correction

[chiver78]

no problem! if you've never had a reason to know that information, I'm not surprised that you didn't.

[movingforward]

Dec 10, 2014 13:40:38 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:34:00 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Cool Whip (and any of the knock offs) is a good example. There's approximatedly 625 calories in the entire container - that's 25 two tablespoon servings of 25 calories eash.

When was the last time you got 25 servings out of tub of Cool Whip?


I love it when my diet conscious friends pile on the it's only 25 calories! whip topping. I guess what's worse is it's all empty calories - there's no nutritional value in Cool Whip.

But pumpkin pie seems undressed without it. 

Yes, and if I am eating cool whip I obviously don't give a crap on that particular day if it has any nutritional value or not .  I probably only eat cool whip about 4 times a year so I doubt it will throw me into cardiac arrest.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Dec 10, 2014 12:39:03 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Dec 10, 2014 12:29:13 GMT -5 movingforward said:

Not sure if you have 365 brand where you are. There is no corn syrup in their applesauce.

I buy unsweetened applesauce. I have a jar of Giant foods here and it lists apples and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Probably to keep it from turning brown.

Applesauce is obscenely easy to make, I can't remember the last time I bought it.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Dec 10, 2014 13:40:38 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:34:00 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Cool Whip (and any of the knock offs) is a good example. There's approximatedly 625 calories in the entire container - that's 25 two tablespoon servings of 25 calories eash.

When was the last time you got 25 servings out of tub of Cool Whip?


I love it when my diet conscious friends pile on the it's only 25 calories! whip topping. I guess what's worse is it's all empty calories - there's no nutritional value in Cool Whip.

But pumpkin pie seems undressed without it. 

Ewwwww......I'd rather have a pumpkin pie undressed than with Cool Whip on it.

When I was in the rehab unit, every single piece of cake that came in on my food tray had Cool Whip on it.  I tried to scrape it off, but that didn't work so well so just stopped eating the cake altogether.  I couldn't figure out why some real whipped cream would have been so bad.....until I realized that the whole facility was Kosher and the only time there were any milk products on the tray was when there was no meat.

[chiver78]

Dec 10, 2014 15:55:13 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:40:38 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

But pumpkin pie seems undressed without it. 

Ewwwww......I'd rather have a pumpkin pie undressed than with Cool Whip on it.

When I was in the rehab unit, every single piece of cake that came in on my food tray had Cool Whip on it.  I tried to scrape it off, but that didn't work so well so just stopped eating the cake altogether.  I couldn't figure out why some real whipped cream would have been so bad.....until I realized that the whole facility was Kosher and the only time there were any milk products on the tray was when there was no meat.

Mich, I'm not entirely sure when the ingredients changed for Cool Whip, but it is no longer dairy free. I'm surprised to hear it was used in a kosher facility.

from Kraft's website - ingredients
water, hydrogenated vegetable oil (coconut & palm kernel oils), high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, skim milk, contains less than 2% of light cream, sodium caseinate, natural and artificial flavor, xanthan and guar gums, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate, sodium polyphosphate, beta carotene (color).
contains: milk.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Dec 10, 2014 16:04:27 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Dec 10, 2014 15:55:13 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Ewwwww......I'd rather have a pumpkin pie undressed than with Cool Whip on it.

When I was in the rehab unit, every single piece of cake that came in on my food tray had Cool Whip on it.  I tried to scrape it off, but that didn't work so well so just stopped eating the cake altogether.  I couldn't figure out why some real whipped cream would have been so bad.....until I realized that the whole facility was Kosher and the only time there were any milk products on the tray was when there was no meat.

Mich, I'm not entirely sure when the ingredients changed for Cool Whip, but it is no longer dairy free. I'm surprised to hear it was used in a kosher facility.

from Kraft's website - ingredients
water, hydrogenated vegetable oil (coconut & palm kernel oils), high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, skim milk, contains less than 2% of light cream, sodium caseinate, natural and artificial flavor, xanthan and guar gums, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate, sodium polyphosphate, beta carotene (color).
contains: milk.

I'm sure that there was some sort of non-dairy derivative of it, because it tasted just as bad as Cool Whip.

[Angel!]

Dec 10, 2014 15:15:03 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Dec 10, 2014 12:05:08 GMT -5 swasat said:

OMG, don't even get me started on the list of ingredients of some of these "food products"  

This is the list of ingredients from Coffee Mate Classic Vanilla flavor:

INGREDIENTS: WATER, SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL (HIGH OLEIC SOYBEAN AND/OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND/OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED), AND LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)**, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CELLULOSE GEL, CELLULOSE GUM, CARRAGEENAN. CONTAINS: A MILK DERIVATIVE.

Yea, thats "dairy" product alright  

actually, it is....from the caseinate. give that product to a guest with a dairy allergy, and you're going to have one uncomfortable person in your care. depending on their reaction, it could be anything from GI issues to skin lesions to anaphylaxis (I don't think I've ever met someone with *that* serious a dairy reaction, but I'm sure it exists)

<<waves>>  That's me.  I have been hospitalized a few times due to my dairy allergy.  The worst part is that coffee mate is coffee mate still prints 'non-dairy' on their packaging. 

Cool whip also used to print non-dairy on their packages...they were never non-dairy.  They haven't changed to add dairy, they have just finally changed their misleading packaging.  Probably due to complaints since food allergies are much more common.

ETA - I found this

While the term ‘non-dairy’ might mislead you into believing that the product in question is milk-free, it’s actually a term invented by the dairy industry to indicate less than 0.5 percent milk by weight.

www.care2.com/greenliving/non-dairy-misleading-labels.html#ixzz3LX81bXWC

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2014 15:17:57 GMT -5 movingforward said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:40:38 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

But pumpkin pie seems undressed without it. 

Yes, and if I am eating cool whip I obviously don't give a crap on that particular day if it has any nutritional value or not .  I probably only eat cool whip about 4 times a year so I doubt it will throw me into cardiac arrest.

unless you're eating cool whip with every meal, I seriously doubt a few servings of cool whip per year is going to be your nutritional downfall...some of you guys sound seriously uptight - try a few chemicals!

[cronewitch]

I finally went back to the doctor for test and today to talk about my diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. They won't make me take medicine yet because I promised to diet and exercise again. I lost 50lbs when I got it then now gained it back so now back to the old grind of diet and exercise, I hate it. I read the labels for sodium, carbs, fiber and sugar but not so much for calories I don't have any alergies and don't mind chemicals especially. But it is easier to eat low calorie plain food to avoid the sodium and carbs. I just got home from shopping and all I got was frozen veggies, didn't read the labels, brown rice and almond breeze and some raw almonds. I have a turkey thawing and a pot of homemade soup so I can start the diet.

[giramomma]

We go middle of the road..We try to eliminate HFCS. BTW, we eat Motts Natural Applesauce..no corn syrup.

But the rest is Meh. Our veggies are fresh or frozen. We mostly eat in season fruit that's fresh. I'll freeze strawberries I've picked. I don't know that I'm super interested in reading where our turkey and chicken comes from.

After New Years, we'll go no sweets for a couple of weeks, so the kids reset from Christmas and Halloween.

We try to limit carbs from a box or package. I guess, for us, that's good enough.

[Tiny]

Dec 10, 2014 15:17:57 GMT -5 movingforward said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:40:38 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

But pumpkin pie seems undressed without it. 

Yes, and if I am eating cool whip I obviously don't give a crap on that particular day if it has any nutritional value or not .  I probably only eat cool whip about 4 times a year so I doubt it will throw me into cardiac arrest.

Yep, for people who use cool whip and buttery spray stuff sparingly it's not a big issue.   The problem comes in when they are part of your dietary routine AND you are assume that the generous helping of Cool Whip is 25 calories for 1/4 or 1/8th of the tub (it's 25 servings!!) or you think you can spry 1/4 of the bottle of buttery spray stuff on your food for 0 calories. (true story - I heard a complaint that the butter spray stuff was soooo expenisive.  The person using the spray stuff was going thru a bottle in under a week!!! and she was only using it at dinner time - or on toast.)     

I've also seen people order a high calorie, high fat, salad with regular dressing on the side - and then the dressing on the salad.  Apparently, having the dressing on the side somehow made the salad more 'healthy'.   There's alot of things that people don't question.  

I use calories alot of the time because sometimes it's a good indication of how 'good' or 'bad' something might be.  I also use it to help myself keep in mind how easy it is to have alot of 'extra' calories sneak into my daily meals.  So, yeah, if I do have a sugar free 1/2 cup of jello and I manage to put the 2 TBLS of cool whip on it - I've got an under 100 calorie dessert.  But if I load it up with coolwhip it could top out at 200 or more - and if I'm gonna eat those kinds of 'dessert' calories I'd rather have an actual cookie or something better than sugar free jello....
 

[movingforward]

But if I load it up with coolwhip it could top out at 200 or more - and if I'm gonna eat those kinds of 'dessert' calories I'd rather have an actual cookie or something better than sugar free jello....

I have friends that laugh at me because I will ask "does it have quality calories."  I don't really believe in denying myself a whole lot.  I do believe in moderation and, like you said, if I am going to waste calories on a dessert then I want it to be a damn good dessert.  This time of year I constantly have vendors dropping by to deliver goodies.  Last week one company brought some cookies.  I took one bite and it was just okay.  I didn't eat the rest of the cookie.  Really, why eat something just for the sake of eating it.  I guess it was wasteful to throw it away but oh well.  This Tuesday another vendor brought by some pumpkin bread.  It was freaking delicious!  It was worth the calories - they were definitely quality calories. 

[Bonny]

Dec 10, 2014 17:26:13 GMT -5 movingforward said:

But if I load it up with coolwhip it could top out at 200 or more - and if I'm gonna eat those kinds of 'dessert' calories I'd rather have an actual cookie or something better than sugar free jello....

I have friends that laugh at me because I will ask "does it have quality calories."  I don't really believe in denying myself a whole lot.  I do believe in moderation and, like you said, if I am going to waste calories on a dessert then I want it to be a damn good dessert.  This time of year I constantly have vendors dropping by to deliver goodies.  Last week one company brought some cookies.  I took one bite and it was just okay.  I didn't eat the rest of the cookie.  Really, why eat something just for the sake of eating it.  I guess it was wasteful to throw it away but oh well.  This Tuesday another vendor brought by some pumpkin bread.  It was freaking delicious!  It was worth the calories - they were definitely quality calories. 

I think that's a great way of looking at it.

In my muffin example I felt like I could have had cake and had fewer calories!

[The Captain]

Dec 10, 2014 18:35:24 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Dec 10, 2014 17:26:13 GMT -5 movingforward said:

I have friends that laugh at me because I will ask "does it have quality calories."  I don't really believe in denying myself a whole lot.  I do believe in moderation and, like you said, if I am going to waste calories on a dessert then I want it to be a damn good dessert.  This time of year I constantly have vendors dropping by to deliver goodies.  Last week one company brought some cookies.  I took one bite and it was just okay.  I didn't eat the rest of the cookie.  Really, why eat something just for the sake of eating it.  I guess it was wasteful to throw it away but oh well.  This Tuesday another vendor brought by some pumpkin bread.  It was freaking delicious!  It was worth the calories - they were definitely quality calories. 

I think that's a great way of looking at it.

In my muffin example I felt like I could have had cake and had fewer calories!

Damn!!! What is it with everyone talking about cake today!!!

[movingforward]

Dec 10, 2014 18:39:10 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Dec 10, 2014 18:35:24 GMT -5 Bonny said:

I think that's a great way of looking at it.

In my muffin example I felt like I could have had cake and had fewer calories!

Damn!!! What is it with everyone talking about cake today!!!

You deserve a cupcake!

[Bonny]

The Captain, it's because we want cake damn it!

BTW I'm blaming dannylion for the buchenoel cake. Although that's more like a candy bar.

I NEED CHOCOLATE TO RIDE OUT THE STORM! HEEEEEEELP!

[Peace Of Mind]

Dec 10, 2014 18:42:12 GMT -5 Bonny said:

The Captain, it's because we want cake damn it!

BTW I'm blaming dannylion for the buchenoel cake. Although that's more like a candy bar.

I NEED CHOCOLATE TO RIDE OUT THE STORM! HEEEEEEELP!

I'm disappointed at your poor planning.  Please tell me you stocked up on wine or I will have to unfriend you!    

[Bonny]

Dec 10, 2014 18:43:21 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Dec 10, 2014 18:42:12 GMT -5 Bonny said:

The Captain, it's because we want cake damn it!

BTW I'm blaming dannylion for the buchenoel cake. Although that's more like a candy bar.

I NEED CHOCOLATE TO RIDE OUT THE STORM! HEEEEEEELP!

I'm disappointed at your poor planning.  Please tell me you stocked up on wine or I will have to unfriend you!    

I have wine...and rum for hot toddies. We're not STUPID, ya know!

[The Captain]

Well you did forget the chocolate Bonny...just saying.