Created 5/10/2011
Does your child eat Disodium Guanylate for breakfast? If they eat Hot Pockets they do.
We recently gave the fourth, fifth and sixth graders at one of our partner schools an important detective mission: search through their kitchens and find the worst food labels with the most unpronounceable words and unrecognizable ingredients.
They didn’t disappoint.
We heard whispers of, “I thought that was healthy,” as the Sunny Delight was identified by Wholesome Tummies as having one of the top 5 Worst Food Labels presented by the group. Sunny-D’s first two ingredients are water and high fructose corn syrup. Although studies have shown that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is safe in moderation, the term “moderation” has never been defined. We think that’s scary!
As we mentioned in our
March Newsletter, fructose is only metabolized by the liver (Uunlike other sugars, which are naturally metabolized by our bodies in a number of ways). When the liver is inundated with more fructose than it can handle, the excess sugars are immediately turned into fat and stored in the body as triglycerides. Triglycerides are harmful to your arteries and heart, and can contribute to obesity.
The other top-five culprits from the group were Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Bars, Ramen Noodles and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Each of these contained additives, artificial colors and sweeteners, hydrogenated oils and carcinogens. Bet these foods don’t sound so yummy now!
The grand prize for our Worst Food Label Award went to Hot Pockets, which one participating student eats for breakfast almost every morning. The Hot Pockets label contained nearly half of the Dirty Dozen Food Additives including Disodium Guanylate which has been linked to cancer, neurological issues, immune disorders and obesity according to documented studies leading to the Dirty Dozen list. Click here to learn more about the
Dirty Dozen Food Additives.
We focused on a top-level breakdown of ingredients in the Hot Pockets and found some pure ingredients such as bread, egg, bacon and cheese. Sounds simple enough, yet there were more than 80 additional ingredients listed on the package — most of which were man-made (including high fructose corn syrup) to prolong shelf life and produce a more stable product. Did you know that Hot Pockets can last up to 14 months in the freezer? As a comparison, most raw fish and meats should be consumed after 3-6 months in the freezer. An amazing thing happens when chemicals are mixed with food!
We found that most of the classroom parents looked closely at nutrition labels but ignored the list of ingredients often found on the opposite side of the package. Parents concentrated on the fat and sodium content on the nutrition label, but missed the list of additives, artificial colors (already banned in many countries), fillers and chemical preservatives found in the ingredients section. Of course, it’s important to look at both nutrition and ingredients when choosing foods for your children.
The student with the Hot Pockets label won five days of healthy lunches from
Wholesome Tummies.
We then challenged the class with a new mission:- Replace one packaged food item every week with an organic alternative or a whole fruit or vegetable.
- Teach your parents how to read the list of ingredients on packaged foods..
- If you don’t recognize or are not sure how to pronounce an ingredient, don’t buy the food!
What’s lurking in your cabinets? Take the label challenge at home and let us know what you find. Or bring the challenge to your child’s school and start your own “food revolution.”