Some friends were chewing Trident bubble gum recently at a long drawn meeting and they offered a piece to everyone so we could stay alert.The package as well as the gum itself are glowing pink. Knowing about Fooducate’s food label fetish, we got to take the empty pack home and analyze the ingredient list.

What you need to know:

There are no nutrients to speak of in this gum, and most others as well. Just 3.5 calories, no fat, no sugar, no vitamins and no minerals. But that’s also because we are talking about a really tiny serving size. Even kids’ bubble gums sweetened with sugar  have less than 30 calories.

Here is the ingredient list:

Sorbitol, Gum Base, Xylitol, Glycerin, Manitol, Artificial and Natural Flavoring, Soy Lecithin, Acesulfame Potassium, Aspartame, Sucralose, Red 40 Lake, BHT (To maintain freshness)

Gum base is a synthetic rubber, whose exact makeup is a trade secret. A gum base is usually composed of  an elastomer (synthetic rubbers), resin (more chemicals), wax such as paraffin, fats, emulsifier (keeps everything mixed together) such as lecithin, filler (provides texture) such as talc. Yummy.

Sorbitol, Xylitol, and Manitol are sugar alcohols. These are 60% as sweet as sugar and have 2.6 calories per gram compared to 4 for sugar. Not that it’s a big deal when we’re talking about a stick of gum. Sugar alcohols are not fully digested and may cause a laxative effect in some people. On the plus side, Xylitol is considered effective in prevention of dental carries, a fact embellished heavily by Trident and other manufacturers. On the package of this product there are no less than 3 acknowledgments: “cleans and protects teeth” – on the front of package and on the back, as well as on each individual gum wrapper.

Glycerin (Glycerol, E422) is a humectant (keeps things moist), solvent, sweetener and preservative. It used in foods and beverages as well as gum.

Artificial and Natural Flavoring are a trade secret so NO YOU CAN’T know what they are.

Soy Lecithin (E322) is an emulsifier, which means it helps keep all the goop mixed together and of uniform consistence.

Acesulfame Potassium (Acesulfame K, E950) is an artificial sweetener 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is often used in conjunction with aspartame (Nutrasweet) another artificial sweetener found in diet soft drinks. Both of these sweeteners are approved by the FDA despite several studies that have linked them to cancer.

Sucralose (E955) is an artificial sweetener 600 times sweeter than sugar. It is a synthetic chemical made by chemically reacting sugar (sucrose) with chlorine. It is considered safe.

Red 40 (Allura Red, E129) is the most widely used artificial food dye. It has been linked to hyperactivity in children. The UK Food Standards Authority has asked manufacturers to voluntarily phase it and other artificial colors out of foods.

BHT (E321) - a preservative that has been linked to cancer.

Summary – this is an odd cocktail of various chemicals and sweeteners that we’re supposed to be masticating on for hours on end in our mouths.

What to do at the supermarket:

Despite all of the above chemicals, we’re talking about tiny amounts of all these ingredients in each stick of gum, so don’t lose too much sleep over the nutrition issues.

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Heard of stevia? if not, don’t fret, you’re in good company. 70% of Americans are not familiar with this relatively new sweetener, according to a new study by Mintel, a consumer research company.

Over the years, the quest for a low calorie sweetener has yielded varying results. Saccharine was hailed as the savior, until it was found to be carcinogenic. Then came aspartame, acesulfame K, and sucralose, each with its own story. But the big deal in sweeteners the past few years is no doubt stevia.

Stevia is a South American plant from the sunflower family, grown and used by locals for its sweet tasting leaves. Stevia extracts are 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, but contain no carbohydrates (calories). This has made stevia a possible alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.

After being approved by the FDA in December 2008, the sweetener has found its way into many a soft drink and food as well as a stand alone table sweetener. While not considered as dangerous as some artificial sweeteners, stevia still needs more research, according to some consumer groups such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

However, stevia does face some challenges. Not everything tastes good with it. There is a distinctive aftertaste that works well with citrus flavored products, but not with others. Stevia is also more 3 times as costly to manufacture compared to its more established artificial rivals.

And while  6 out of 10 Americans claim they have no interest in trying stevia, Mintel is predicting stardom for this up and comer. From a mere $95M in product sales so far this year, stevua product sales could be as high as $2 billion in 2011.

What to do at the supermarket:

You’ll be seeing more and more stevia sweetened products in the grocery store in the coming years. While the processed sweetener does seems safe, so did saccharine for many years. That’s not to say stevia is harmful, but perhaps we shouldn’t  jump completely jump on the stevia bandwagon right away.

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1. Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide that is used as a food additive. A polysaccharide is a type of carbohydrate.

2. It appears as a white powder.

3. Maltodextrin is produced from starches of corn, wheat, potatoes or rice.

4. Its flavor can be slightly sweet or almost flavorless.

5. Maltodextrin is used as a bulking base for artificial sweeteners, for example in Jell-o it is used in conjunction with Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium. It is also the bulking agent in Splenda.

6. It is also used as a thickener for soups, gravies, and salad dressings.

7. The plant source of maltodextrin in products is a pain point for people suffering from celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Wheat derived maltodextrin may contain traces of gluten. Other than this issue, maltodextrin is considered a safe product.

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When will food marketers give us a break?

If it isn’t enough we have to deal with acai berry internet scams, now top manufacturers like Kraft are pushing acai at us in snacks?

The new strawberry acai sugar free gelatin may be a great tasting snack, but please Kraft, don’t lay the bogus health halo on consumers.

What you need to know:

Unfortunately, Jell-O’s website does not provide any nutrition information regarding its products (perhaps because there’s not too much to talk about). Here is what we got from the supermarket on Raspberry Goji flavor:

Ingredient list: Water, Gelatin, Contains Less than 0.5% of AD/PIC and Citric Acid (for Tartness), Sodium Citrate (Controls Acidity), Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium (Sweeteners), Salt, Red 40, Blue 1, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Vitamin E Acetate, Beta Carotene.

Did you notice that there is absolutely no real fruit in here? This despite the beautiful images of berries on the package…

On to the ingredient glossary:
Gelatin (E441) – gelatin is derived from the collagen in the bones of animals and fish. It’s what makes plain water become Jell-o.
Adipic Acid – an artificial substance used in creating nylon. In foods it is used to aid gelling and as a flavorant (would that by nylon flavor?).
Citric Acid (for Tartness) – a natural preservative that is used in beverages to add an acidic, sour taste. Although it is naturally found in citrus fruit (oranges, lemons), industry has a found a cheaper way to manufacture it. This is through a fermentation process in which a mold called Aspergillus niger is used to ferment a carbohydrate such as molasses. sounds grosser than it really is.
Sodium Citrate (Controls Acidity) – a food additive. Tastes a bit salty and a bit tart.
Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium (Sweeteners) – these are zero calorie sweeteners but some studies suggest that prolonged usage, especially if begun as a child, increase the risk of cancer.
Red 40 – the most popular artificial food coloring. Food manufacturers in the EU have been asked to remove it from their products.
Blue 1 – an artificial color. some studies showed that it may cause cancer.
Natural and Artificial Flavor – that’s what makes it taste like raspberry goji jello (as if most of us even know what goji or acai taste like naturally…)
Vitamin E Acetate – a form of vitamin E
Beta Carotene – a precursor, or inactive form of vitamin A

The nutrition label is simple – 10 calories, no fat, no carbs, 1 gram of protein. No vitamin A, despite the fact that beta carotne is listed as an ingredient. No vitamin C, no any vitamin or mineral as a matter of fact.

So where are the antioxidants, you ask?

They’re in the citric acid and added vitamins, but how effective and bio-available are they when detached from their natural form? Science still does not have an answer.

Wouldn’t eating a fresh apple or a banana be a better source? Of course it would, but Kraft doesn’t sell those items. They’re not profitable.

What to do at the supermarket:

Jell-O is a fun treat and very young children can enjoy it. Heck, we loved it as kids.

But the artificial food colorings are worrying. The artificial sweeteners even more so.

So, if you really must, at least choose the “regular” sweetened version (Yes, that means sugar and high fructose corn syrup).

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Orange juice is awesome. Nothing like the refreshing juice of 3 or 4 fresh squeezed oranges, tart and sweet at the same time, and chock full of nutrients.

If there’s one company that has turned orange juice into an art form, it’s got to be Tropicana (now a part of PepsiCo). They’ve got a gazillion different varieties, regular juice, light juice, fortified with this mineral, adding that vitamin, more pulp, less pulp, mixed with juice from other fruit, in plastic, carton, small, large, extra large…

It seems that just orange juice takes half up an aisle at the supermarket all by itself.

Therefore it was no surprise that earlier this week Tropicana announced a new line of orange juice under the brand name Trop50. From their PR department:

Breakthrough innovation with the goodness of orange juice and 50 percent less sugar and calories

What exactly is the breakthrough? Read more…

This was the week of stevia, a new zero calorie sweetener, that got FDA approval as a safe food additive, and will shortly find its way into soft drinks and other products scattered about our supermarket aisles. If you are confused about all the different sweetening options out there, you are not alone. Once upon a time, it was either honey or cane sugar. But then came the industrial revolution…

(Grab a cup of coffee, take a deep breath, this is a long post) Read more…

Stevia has received the coveted GRAS (generally regarded as safe) status from the FDA. The New York Times reports:

Federal regulators have approved two versions of a new zero-calorie sweetener developed by the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, paving the way for new products.

Cargill, which is marketing the sweetener Truvia from Coca-Cola, said on Wednesday that it had received notification from the Food and Drug Administration that it had no objection to the product, calling it “generally recognized as safe.”

PepsiCo said it also had received a no-objection letter and the same designation from the agency related to its sweetener, PureVia.

Read more…

This further establishes rumors from Tuesday that Coca Cola will introduce 3 stevia sweetened juices later this week. In parallel, Cargill is launching an ad campaign to start educating the public about their branded product, Truvia.

What you need to know:

Stevia is a South American Plant from the sunflower family, grown and used by locals for its sweet tasting leaves. Stevia Extracts are 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, but contain no carbohydrates (calories). This has made stevia a possible alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharine.

By receiving GRAS status, stevia has gotten a substantial endorsement from the government. While not considered as dangerous as some artificial sweeteners, stevia still needs more research, claim consumer groups such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

There are some challenges ahead for stevia, reports The Wall Street Journal:

Not every beverage tastes good with it: Citrus-flavored products work well, but scientists are still trying to find a way to create the iconic cola taste. The new sweetener is also about three times more expensive than commonly used artificial sweeteners, partly because of its small scale.

What to do at the supermarket:

If you want to switch to diet drinks, but have been holding off due to fear of aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal brands), stevia sweetened beverages may be the answer you have been waiting for. You’ll start seeing them in the beverage aisle very soon.

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Rumors are flying that later this week Coca Cola will introduce to markets three Odwalla brand juices, sweetened with stevia. This despite the fact the the FDA has yet to recognize stevia as GRAS (generally regarded as safe). Why would a fruit juice need any extra sweetener in the first place? But that’s besides the point. There is a lot of money to be made in non-caloric sweeteners (ask the Nutrasweet folks).

What you need to know:

Stevia is a South American Plant from the sunflower family, grown and used by locals for its sweet tasting leaves.
Stevia Extracts are 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, but contain no carbohydrates (calories). This has made stevia a possible alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharine.

Studies so far have shown stevia to be safe for use, but some consumer groups, such as CSPI, warn that research in incomplete.
The FDA, which banned stevia products in the early 90’s, later allowed it to be marketed as a dietary supplement, but not as a food additive. There is mounting pressure from the food industry to grant stevia a GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) status; this will surely help manufacturers in their marketing. Coke just couldn’t wait any longer. Pespi, with several stevia sweetened drinks of its own, though,  is waiting for the FDA’s blessing.

Internationally, stevia is currently banned for use in food in the EU, Hong Kong and Singapore, but it is allowed in New Zealand and Australian soft drinks.

Stevia Glossary:

Cargill – International food conglomerate headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. Launching Truvia this week.

Erythritol – a sugar alcohol, a carbohydrate found naturally in various fruits and vegetables. Used in both Purevia and Truvia. It helps them mimic the texture and mouthfeel of table sugar.

Rebiana – the trade name for a stevia-derived sweetener developed jointly by the Coca Cola Company and Cargill. According to Cargill, rebiana is “the best tasting part of the stevia leaf”.

Rebaudioside A - is a chemical compound foudn in the stevia leaf that is responsible for the sweet tatse.

From Purevia.com

PureVia – PepsiCo’s brand name for stevia-based sweetener packs.

From Truvia.com

Truvia – Cargill’s consumer brand of Rebiana-based sweetener packs.

Whole Earth Sweetener Company – A subsidiary of the Merisant Corporation, developed PureVia with Pepsi. Merisant markets Equal, an aspartame artifical sweetener.

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flickr photo: TheTruthAbout...

That is the finding of a recent Duke University Study, says the New York Times:

The latest salvo comes from Duke University researchers, who have published a study that says Splenda — the grainy white crystals in the little yellow packets — contributes to obesity, destroys “good” intestinal bacteria and prevents prescription drugs from being absorbed.

Read the entire article…

The study was funded by the Sugar Association, which competes fiercely with the companies manufacturing artificial sweeteners. Interesting.

What you need to know:

Some studies have shown that artificial sweeteners may lead to various diseases, others have shown absolutely no problems. Over the years, many people have switched to lower calorie products that are artificially sweetened (i.e. diet soft drinks) as a means to reduce caloric intake and lose weight. But the average American is getting heavier with time. There are many contributing factors so it’s difficult to point the finger at just one.

What to look for at the supermarket:

If you are concerned about artificial sweeteners, avoid products with sucralose or aspartame on the food label. Be aware though, that their calorie count will be higher because sugar is being used.