We’ve been blogging recently about chocolate milk.  One of our readers commented with a question about Ovaltine as an option to sweeten milk .

Ovaltine is a milk flavoring invented in Switzerland more than a hundred years ago. The original formula contained eggs, malt, and a bit of cocoa. It then reached the UK and eventually the US, with each country using a different formula adapted to national preferences.

In the US today, Ovaltine is sold in 2 flavors – Malt and Rich Chocolate. Ovaltine is owned by Nestle (makers of Nesquik) and we checked their website for product info.

Here is our analysis. Read more…

Yogi Berra and the Yankees helped Yoo-hoo chocolate drinks become an American icon in the 40’s and 50’s. The sweet and refreshing chocolaty taste became a kids’ favorite across the nation.

When buying Yoo-hoo, many parents mistakenly think they are providing their children a healthy milk-based drink with a touch of sweetness from chocolate so to make it fun to drink. They don’t notice that Yoo-hoo is a “chocolate drink”, not a “chocolate milk”.

A look at the ingredient list shows that there is virtually no milk here, mostly water, sugars, a smidgen of milk by-products, and some chemicals. Oh, and a bit of cocoa too.

Yoo-hoo is not something to treat the kids to. Here’s why…

What you need to know:

If you are looking for nutrition and ingredient information on Yoo-hoo’s website, forget about it. When companies don’t share this information on their website, you can rest assured their product does not have much to boast on the nutrition front. Such is the case with Yoo-hoo.

Let’s begin with the ingredient list (22 items!):

Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Whey (from Milk), Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Cocoa (Alkali Process), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Sodium Caseinate (from Milk), Nonfat Dry Milk, Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Soy Lecithin, Mono and Diglycerides, Vitamin A Palmitate, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Vitamin D3, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2).

Water is the main ingredient followed by copious amounts of the highly debated High fructose corn syrup. Sugar and Corn syrup solids are also added to further sweeten this drink, just for good measure…

Notice that there is no liquid milk in here, only milk by-products such as whey (ingredient #3), sodium caseinate (#8), and non-fat dry milk(#9). Whey is the leftover liquid after milk is curdled into cheese. Together with sodium caseinate, they are a source of protein.

Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil (#7) appears ahead of the milk powder here. Why in the world do we need trans-fat in a drink?

Tricalcium Phosphate is a source of calcium, while Dipotassium Phosphate is an additive that is used to prevent coagulation. The Guar and Xantham gums serve as thickeners, providing a richer creamier mouthfeel despite the fact that this is a water based product. You can read more about soy lecithin, an emulsifier, here.

The nutrition facts:
Each 15.5 oz bottle contains two servings, but many people gulp the entire bottle down. Here’s the info per 8oz serving:
130 calories, with only 10 from fat and almost all the rest from sugars! 27 grams of sugar, the equivalent of just under 7 teaspoons!

There’s also 210 mg of sodium in here, almost 10% of the daily maximum value. This is something you wouldn’t expect in a sweet drink.
Trans-fat appears as zero because of a labeling loophole that allows 0.5 grams or less per serving to be rounded down to zero. But remember, if you see a partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredient list, expect trans-fat. And no amount is good for you.

All the vitamins and minerals have been tacked on to this drink, and do not appear naturally in the main ingredients.

What to do at the supermarket:

Ideally you should have your children drinking milk with their cookies, not a sugary concoction. But at some point after infancy, our kids tend to forget the pure milk flavor and demand a sweet flavor. So drinking plain milk is a challenge for many families.

Adding a teaspoon of instant cocoa powder is also fine because you control the sugar level. Another option is to buy chocolate milk and mix it half and half with regular milk to drive down the sugar levels.

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“A salad without the dressing is not a salad”, someone famous once said. Or should have said. A good dressing helps accentuate flavors, helps some of those greens go down easier, and as you’ll see in a minute improves the nutritional value of the salad.

If we’re to judge by the hundreds of varieties of dressings available at the supermarket, most shoppers agree. Salad dressings historically include some form of fat, such as olive oil or canola oil as a base. Even a mayonnaise base is actually a form of oil (mixed with raw eggs). In the past few years, many dressings have been re-formulated as fat-free, a means to tempt weight conscious consumers to continue buying them.

What you need to know:

A fat-free salad dressing is actually a bad nutritional decision. You see, a little bit of fat goes a long way in helping the body absorb the nutritional goodness of the salad. This is because some vitamins are fat-soluble. Vitamins A, D, E, and K (ADEK) are absorbed in the intestinal tract with the help of fat molecules. Which means that having a fat free salad dressing will actually decrease the nutrition effectiveness of your salad.

Good sources of vitamin A include carrots, broccoli, kale, and spinach. Vitamin E can be found in asparagus, avocado, eggs, nuts and seeds, and spinach. Vitamin K is present in parsley, cabbage, swiss chard, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts.

So what’s a non-fat dressing made from?

Mostly water. that’s right, you’re paying for water. Additionally, in order to maintain the semblance of an oil based dressing, emulsifiers and thickeners are added. Just look for example at the ingredient list for Kraft’s Fat-Free Italian Dressing:

Ingredients: WATER, VINEGAR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, SALT, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OFPARMESAN CHEESE* (PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES), GARLIC, ONION JUICE, WHEY, PHOSPHORIC ACID, XANTHAN GUM, POTASSIUM SORBATE AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA AS PRESERVATIVES, YEAST EXTRACT, SPICE, RED BELL PEPPERS*, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, GARLIC*, BUTTERMILK*, CARAMEL COLOR, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, ENZYMES, OLEORESIN PAPRIKA. *DRIED.

That’s quite a lengthy list for what should be a simple dressing. Some highlights:
High fructose corn syrup and corn syrup are the 3rd and 4th ingredients, used to round off the flavor of the highly acidic vinegar.

Phosphoric acid is used to add more acidic flavor, but why not add more lemon instead? (answer: it’s cheaper).

Calcium Disodium EDTA is a preservative with a mildly salty taste. It may cause kidney damage, and blood in urine. It’s on the FDA’s priority list for more health effects research.

Folks – this is ridiculous. Nobody in Italy dresses their salad like this. Nor should you. The 20 calories per serving of 2 tablespoon are to be commended, but a 50 or even 100 calorie dressing based on real ingredients such as olive oil, lemon juice and spices will probably serve you better both gastronomically and nutritionally.

What to do at the supermarket:

Here’s a great idea for you. Buy a bottle of good extra virgin olive oil. Also a few lemons.

At home, make your own dressing as follows: in a mixing bowl add equal parts olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad and toss just before serving. Forty five seconds tops.

If you’re more courageous, you can try adding any combination of a teaspoon of dijon mustard, a minced clove of garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes a teaspoon of honey or sugar can help take the acidic bite off, especially if the salad contains strong tasting greens such as arugula.

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Nutella is hands down one of the tastiest spreads out there. A rich and creamy hazlenut and chocolate spread turns any toast into a culinary rockstar.

Ferrero , Nutella’s manufacturer, is now trying to ride the health wave by positioning itself as a healthy and nutritious start to the day. It invites you to treat yourself to a tasty balanced breakfast with Nutella:

Over 50 Hazelnuts per 13 oz. Jar
Contains No Artificial Colors
Contains No Artificial Preservatives

Here’s what they forget to tell you. Read more…

Hiking, biking, jogging, kayaking, or just strolling in the park, you begin to feel a bit hungry. Not dinner-time-hungry, and not even snack-time-hungry, rather just-one-bite-hungry. You satisfy that one bite, and 10 minutes later, you want another one. And so forth. What do you do?

If you’re looking for a snack that can be consumed slowly over the course of an hour or more, chocolates and bars are not a great option. Things get sticky if you don’t finish them off right away.

But pouring some nuts and raisins from a pack and popping them in your mouth is nice, clean choice. And supposedly a healthy one too, right?

Theoretically Trail Mix is the super snack – all natural ingredients, no additives, and a good balance of protein, carbs, and unsaturated fats. Unfortunately, not all trail mix products are created equal. If you’re looking for a healthy snack, here are a few pointers:

1. There’s no rocket science here. Trail mix is just a mix of nuts and dried fruit. The most basic formula is roasted peanuts and raisins. In fact, you can make your own at home for a much lower price that buying it prepared.

2. Most brands of trail mix boast more than just peanuts and raisins. As long as the ingredient list stays “pure”, you’re good to go. Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and dried fruit such as apricots, pineapples, apples, cranberries, blueberries, etc… are all good.

3. You need to watch out for added “goodies”, such as m&m’s and other candy that really don’t add to the already complex sweet and savory flavor, and just add useless sugar and food colorings.

4. Look out for salted items, and stay away from them. Salted peanuts can contain as much 200mg (close to 10% of your daily maximum) per 1 oz serving.

5. Beware of added sugars used to coat dried fruit. The fruit are so sweet in their natural form that is an absolute crime to add any more sweet.

6. Yogurt coated raisins sound yummy and healthy, but folks, it ain’t really yogurt. Here’s an example of Vanilla Yogurt Coating – Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Nonfat Milk, Nonfat Yogurt Powder (Cultured Nonfat Milk), Whey, Titanium Dioxide, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla. Yes, it contains trans fat, thanks to the partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil.

7. Roasted nuts tend to be prepared with oil and salt. Look for naked nuts, no additions.

8. Dried fruit are often processed with sulfur dioxide (E220) in order to preserve their original color. Apples would appear brown and unappealing otherwise. Some people develop allergic reactions to this preservative, and some can actually feel its chemical aftertaste. But for the most part, it’s not a biggie.

What to do at the supermarket:

Consider buying the raw ingredients and preparing a trail mix at home. Base it on your family’s taste preferences. If buying a ready mix, look at the ingredient list and make sure it doesn’t contain any unnecessary oils, salt, sugars and preservatives.

What’s your favorite Trail Mix? How does it stack up nutritionally?

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It’s not the most important meal of the day. And it’s not the heartiest either. Lunch, the get-it-on-the-run or have-it-at-the-computer meal doesn’t get enough respect. And how could it, when products like Oscar Meyer’s Lunchable’s take its name in vain.

We tried and tried to find something healthy and nutritious among the dozens of Lunchable products. Unfortunately all we encountered was a nutrition desert, left in shambles by sodium blizzards and trans fat torrents.

Read on for an analysis of Oscar Meyer’s Lunchables Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Stackers… Read more…

Salutations, today is Cinco De Mayo. Originally a Mexican holiday commemorating a great military victory 150 years ago, it has come to symbolize, especially in the US, Mexican heritage day. A very important piece of that heritage is the scrumptious Mexican food so abundant here, especially in the southwest.

Today we’ll take a look at guacamole, Aztec for “Avocado Sauce”. The classic dip is composed of very basic ingredients – ripe avocados, onions, lime / lemon juice, salt and pepper. Additions include chili, tomatoes, and herbs and spices. (see our easy recipe below).

So how different can a supermarket guac dip be from the basic configuration described above?
We were S H O C K E D when we laid eyes on Dean’s Guacamole Dip.

Here’s a look inside the label. Read more…

It’s been a classic American cheese product for over 60 years. Three generations of Americans have been using Kraft Singles in billions of sandwich melts and burgers over the years.

In this third and last installment of our Cheese Miniseries, we’ll  take a look inside each slice.

part 1 – Thirteen Cheese Facts
part 2 – What is Processed Cheese?
part 3 – Inside the Label – Kraft Singles [you are here]

The product’s full name is Kraft Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product. It cannot be called cheese because less than 51% of it is actually cheese. The rest is composed of other ingredients. Read more…

This is the second of three posts in our Cheese Miniseries.

part 1 – Thirteen Cheese Facts
part 2 – What is Processed Cheese? [you are here]
part 3 – Inside the Label – Kraft Singles

In this part, you’ll learn why not all cheese is created equal, and why many items at the supermarket are called “cheese product” and not simply “cheese”… Read more…

Cow’s milk is an amazing liquid with many compounds that can be processed into endless products such as butter, yogurt, and cheese. But how does milk become cheese? What is processed cheese? And what exactly do we get when we eat the very popular Kraft Singles?

Read our three part miniseries to learn more.

part 1 – Thirteen Cheese Facts [you are here]
part 2 – What is Processed Cheese?
part 3 – Inside the Label – Kraft Singles

Read more…