You’re off to a meeting, flying to a conference, or simply got a hectic day to get through. You need an energy boost and don’t want a candy bar full of crazy ingredients. What do you do?

One healthy option is dried fruit, which, unlike their fresh cousins, can wait patiently in the pantry for over a year. We took a look at Dried Blueberries by Amport Foods, to see how good a (nutritious) deal we’re getting. Read more…

On Friday, Dannon Company announced it had settled a class action suit to the tune of $35 Million. The lawsuit was filed in early 2008, alleging that Dannon knowingly misled consumers in its marketing activities around its Activia yogurt line. The massive false advertising campaign convinced shoppers to pay 30% more for yogurt containing “probiotic” bacteria because of the products’ supposed health benefits.

While no nutritionist doubts the health benefit of yogurt, the question asked is what’s so special about Activia’s probiotics compared to other brands, and in and of themselves. Seems like a judge was going to provide the answer, but executives at Dannon decided to fog things up by dishing out millions of dollars AND not admitting to any wrongdoing.

In case you are wondering, here’s what you’ll find inside Activia Strawberry Yogurt. Read more…

A 10 year old nephew recently nagged enough and got the above pictured “snack”.  The product includes a “lemonade lollipop” to be dunked in a green “sour apple slime” and then coated with a “sour cherry powder”.

It’s the perfect eye-catching, tongue-pleasing treat for Spongebob Squarepants fans.

Or is it?

What you need to know:

The product is made in China for a Phildelphia based distributor called Frankford Candy and Chocolate Co.

A package includes 1 serving with absolutely no nutritional value, but 21 grams of sugar (5 teaspoons worth).

Here is the ingredient list:
Glucose syrup, Sugar, Dextrose, lactic acid, malic acid, water, artificial flavors, corn starch, geltain, preservatives (sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate), and artificial colors (FD&C Red #3, Red #40, Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Blue #1 & Titanium Dioxide)

Glucose syrup, Sugar, Dextrose – all synonyms for sugar
Lactic acid – a milk acid found in sour milk products. In most commercial uses it is derived not from milk but rather from bacteria that ferments non dairy foodstuff such as potatoes and molasses. It is found in foods as a pH-adjusting ingredient and/or  as an antioxidant.
Malic acid (E296) – provides tartness.
Artificial flavors – we weren’t expecting anything natural here.
Corn starch – used as a thickener
Sodium Benzoate (E211) – a preservative used to prevent food from molding. When mixed with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) sodium benzoate transforms into benzene, a known carcinogen and DNA damager.
Potassium Sorbate (E202) – a preservative that inhibits yeasts and molds. Considered safe.
Artificial colors – though the FDA considers them safe, in Europe manufacturers are beginning to phase them out because some studies have shown that they can lead to hyperactive children.

So, not a single redeeming ingredient in here, except for the few drops of water in the “green slime”.

After reviewing this product, we can’t help but urge the company to reconsider its name and change it to Frankenfood Candy and Chocolate.
To the company’s merit, at least it is not trying to hide what it sells and make silly health claims like some of the bigger snack manufacturers out there.

What to do at the supermarket:

Would you let your kids have this as an occasional treat?

What if they really begged?

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1. Obesity. Regular consumption of soft drinks make you fat. A 12 oz Coke a day for a year will add 18 pounds to your weight compared to water consumption!

2. Tooth decay. Slowly sipping on cola, iced tea, or a sports drink coats your teeth with sugar, phosphoric acid, malic acid and/or citric acid. These compounds directly damage tooth enamel.

3. Money. A family of 4 can save $150 by switching to tap water.

4. Taste. Soft drinks diminish the taste of food. Of course, if you define food as a quickie meal at Taco Bell, there’s not much to detract from, but eat a decently perepared meal at home or at a good sit down restaurant, and you will not want to spoil the taste with sugary water. Better have the sommelier pair a good wine with your steak.

5. Refined Sugars. High fructose corn syrup (or sugar) is the usually the #2 ingredient after water in soft drinks. For example, a standard single serve 12fl oz can of Coca Cola has the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar! If you drink one Coke a day for a year instead of water you’ll have had 32 pounds of sugar!

6. Artificial sweeteners. OK, the FDA has approved them all, but enough studies have suggested that some artificial sweeteners may cause cancer. Until the scientists sort this out, why take the risk? The UK isn’t taking any.

7. Artificial Colors. Yellow #5 (Tartrazine), present in Mountain Dew, has been linked to hyperactivity in children.

8. Ecology. Billions of empty plastic bottles and cans are contaminating the earth. Recycling barely touches the tip of the iceberg.

9. What’s your reason to quit?

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A California judge threw out a lawsuit yesterday filed by a woman who claimed to have been misled by the Quaker Oats Company. Apparently, she had been eating Crunchberries cereal for the past few years, thinking she was getting wholesome crunchberry fruit with each serving.

Although this news flash is deemed a comic relief by most of us, taking a look at what’s inside Crunchberries is more of a Greek tragedy. Read more…

The creative marketers at Nestle have been pushing various flavors of Juicy Juice liquid candy at parents for several years with great success. But it wasn’t enough.

Always under pressure to sell more and grow (hey it’s the American way!), they now present us with a new line of juice that will turn our tiny tots into little Einsteins. From the Washington Post Blog:

A big blue banner across the front of the package screams, “Brain Development,” while the smaller type just above the banner says, “DHA — A Building Block for”…

Imagine the eager moms and dads who’ll grab that Juicy Juice in hopes of making their kids just that much smarter. DHA, derived from fatty fish and other omega-3 fatty-acid-rich food sources, is indeed credited with promoting neurological health among babies, and it’s been added to many infant formulas for nearly a decade, though there’s no real science showing that DHA makes anyone smarter.

We decided to take a look under the hood… Read more…

If you have young children, you probably recognize the Danimals brand of yogurt drink and may have even bought some for your children.

Was it the Hannah Montana co-marketing, The mysterious LGG,  No High Fructose Corn Syrup, or the promise of “helping kids stay healthy every day” that made you choose?

We decided to take a look inside the product, to see just what our kids are getting… Read more…