WHAT’S IN YOUR FOOD?
I was watching the funniest show last week. Yes, all week. First, I watched it by myself. Then, I watched it with my teenagers. Then I watched it with DH. I grew up with Seinfeld, so when I saw a special called, “Jerry before Seinfeld.” I hit play instantly.
It is a part stand-up comedy and part documentary. And it’s hilarious. I think the more you watch it the funnier it gets. I don’t want to ruin it for any of you who may want to see it.
One of his topics was his childhood. First, he talks about the unsafeness of the past. He described a world without seatbelts or helmets. Then he discusses food in the past. He tries to explain to a younger audience what it was like to grow up in the 70’s:
- He told all the young folk about the lack of food labels when he was a child.
- Literally, there were no labels on food.
- There was no thought about nutrition whatsoever.
- That his breakfast cereals consisted of straight sugar – nothing else.
It is so funny. He goes on an on about how kids back then ate nothing but pure sugar. He lists all his favorite cereals….. fruity pebbles, cocoa puffs, cookie crip. Then he says,
“There was no food in any of it!”
LOL!!!
He’s so right. I think as people we are more aware that there isn’t any food in our food. I think most of us are trying to consume food. I don’t think the food for sale at most supermarkets are helping us eat real food.
They had “Waffle Wednesday” at our pawnshop last week. Just for the record, I’d like to say I didn’t know it was happening, I wasn’t there and I had nothing to do with it.
One of our employees brought in his waffle iron and a box of waffle mix (gasp).
Sitting on the counter was a bottle of Aunt Jemima Pancake Syrup (ugh) and 3 different jars of fruit topping from Kroger (shudder).
Can we take a quick look at the “food content” in this waffle buffet?
Waffles
First, let’s look at the waffles. 
Ingredients: Enriched Bleached Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Niacinamide, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Calcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Nonfat Dry Milk, Palm Oil, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Calcium Carbonate, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono and Diglycerides, Lactic Acid, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherols (Preservative), Sodium Metabisulfite.
There are several concerning ingredients on this list. First – there are so many ingredients. This is a bad sign. Second, I can’t pronounce most of them. This is also bad. Third, I don’t have many of them in my kitchen. If it’s made in a lab, I don’t want to eat it.
This box of waffle mix starts with processed, enriched, bleached, probably GMO flour. It has corn syrup solids – which are not good. This mix also contains Mono & Diglycerides, which are manufactured the same way as partially hydrogenated oils – and they contain trans fats. Trans fats have been linked to diabetes and heart attacks for years.
“What’s more, the packaged and prepared foods that commonly contain mono- and diglycerides are some of the least healthy food products on the market…” source
Syrup
Next, let’s look at the syrup… Now, if it were me, I would just buy a bottle of maple syrup. The kind that comes from trees. The natural kind.
But the guys at the pawn shop had a bottle of Aunt Jemima Original Syrup.
Ingredients: Glucose, Glucose-Fructose, Cellulose Gum, Caramel Colour, Sulphites….. and more.
This is CRAZY!!!! I am sure you all know what is supposed to be in maple syrup….. MAPLE SYRUP. That’s the only ingredient in real maple syrup. It’s good for you. It’s natural. And, real maple syrup tastes better.
Fruit Topping
Let’s look at the toppings. They had a jar of strawberry topping and blueberry topping to go on top of the waffles. I love a little fruit with my waffles, so this is not such a bad idea.
It’s the jar of corn syrup that is problematic.
This ingredient list is packed with corn syrup & high fructose corn syrup….. There are some strawberries in there, so I suppose that is good. But corn syrup is a big no-no. If nothing else, know that when you see corn syrup on a label you are holding some serious junk food. Corn syrup is a beacon warning us all that what we are holding is processed junk. I haven’t met many ‘health’ foods that contain corn syrup.
I know there are folks who proclaim that our bodies can’t tell the difference between corn syrup and cane sugar – but there is plenty of evidence that is not true.
High fructose corn syrup is cheaper and sweeter than sugar. When it comes to processed foods (or premade foods) you can also bet that it is made from genetically modified corn.
Waffle Wednesday Wrap-up
Probably the most intriguing part of Waffle Wednesday was that the waffles were being called, “homemade.”
- “We had homemade waffles for lunch today.”
- “Today we made homemade waffles at the pawnshop.”
- “Mommy, can we make those homemade waffles at our house?”
What do you think? Are these homemade? Is mixing a box of powder with some oil and water a homemade meal?
Grimace.
I don’t think it is too much harder to make your own from scratch. They’ll be crazy healthy and taste so much better! For a REAL food waffle Wednesday that will leave you filled with nutrition instead of processed food here’s the best waffles I’ve ever had. (this recipe is part of the members’ section).
A friend once said to me, “Do you always think this much about what you eat?”
I guess I do.
I think we need to. God gave us food for more than just filler. It is fuel. It is life. Food heals. Food prevents. Food protects. What we eat is so important.
We live in a sick world filled with fast food, convenience food, and food that is not even food. Sugary cereals, Kraft macaroni & cheese, Pop Tarts, Waffle mixes – There’s no food in any of it. LOL!
XO,
Cj
