Posted in Health, Health Archive | Sunday, February 14th, 2010
I heard someone say that on the subway one day.
“…and it has nothing organic in it besides water and xantham gum,” they continued, “and it’s like 2 chemical compounds away from being the container that it’s in.”
When I got home, I ran to the freezer, looked at the ingredients in my container of Cool Whip and ran to the computer to research. Do not be fooled by the low-calorie count in this product. I say “product” because it’s clearly NOT food. We really have to read labels more carefully, especially in our “diet” food. (I would love to be a size 6, but not if it means I have a heart attack the next day!)
The ingredients:
1.Water
2. Hydrogenated Vegetable or Palm Kernel Oil
3. High Fructose Corn Syrup
4. Polysorbate 60
5. Sorbitan Monostearate
6. Xantham Gum
The rundown:
Water – you should be drinking a glass while reading this.
Hydrogenated Vegetable (or any) oil – In a nutshell, are transfats. They lower HDL (good) cholesterol and an increase LDL (bad) cholesterol. They are added to foods in order to make them solid at room temperature and to extend their shelf life. The problem is they turn to sludge in your body for the same reason, and transfats clog arteries and lead to high-blood pressure, circulation problems, and heart attacks!
High fructose Corn Syrup – It extends the shelf life of processed foods and is cheaper than sugar (that’s why it’s found everywhere). It’s basically made by turning the natural glucose found in corn starch into fructose. Fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals and robs the body of micronutrients in order to be assimilated into the body. Glucose, a natural occurring sugar found in nature, is easily digested by every cell in the body. But High fructose corn syrup is ONLY digestible by the liver, and too much of it causes it to be expelled back out into the body. Causing everything from gastrointestinal problems, to diahrrea. It also messes with the liver’s ability to produce insulin properly! (Diabetes anyone?)
Sorbitan monostearate - is basically a wax. Waxes are used as an emulsifying agents. Sorbitan monostearate is also used in hemorrhoid creams, and creams to treat dry skin. (Ewwwwww.)
Polysorbate 60 – another type of emulsifying agent and member of the Sorbitan monostearate family that makes essential oils water soluble. Also found in lotions and creams.
Xantham Gum – a thickening agent and stabilizer derived from naturally occuring bacteria that functions similarly to gelatin in recipes, but it is completely vegan
I am not a doctor or a chemist, so check out these articles on the hazards of this widely used product…
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.05/st_coolwhip.html
http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/horrifying-12-day-cool-whip-experiment/
The Solution:
I don’t like bringing up a problem without a solution, so below are recipes and a video for homemade whipped cream, try using organic heavy cream if you can. Or you can buy RediWhip, which is made from real milk and has only 15 calories a serving. There is also Soyatoo Whip, and Rice Whip for those of you (like me) that are soy-sensitive. Sexy is vegan so I’ve also included a vegan whipped cream recipe as well. Lemme know whatcha think! Just remember, the vegan/veggie versions have WAY more calories than the milk versions. Or If you can order it, mimicreme whips up well and it’s gluten, dairy, and egg free.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_MTtoMemwY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pH1TznFWwc&feature=related
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/cooking/ht/whippedcream.htm
http://hubpages.com/hub/Extraordinary_Homemade_Whipped_Cream_Recipe
http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2008/04/18/soya-who-soy-free-vegan-whipped-cream/
http://www.veganessentials.com/catalog/soyatoo-whipped-soy-topping.htm
http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/coconut-whipped-cream.php
Note: I’ll be exploring Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil and High Fructose Corn Syrup in more depth in the coming weeks
About Savvy Brown
I believe being healthy doesn't have to be complicated, being green can be easy and being broke isn't an option!
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Thanks so much for the (scary) info on Cool Whip–and for the link to my coconut whipped cream recipe. I gave up on processed foods a long time ago and had to find something special to whip up when I needed a creamy hit–hope you enjoy it, too!
Hi Ricki! Thank you for providing a healthy alternative!
Thanks for this info! I always knew there was something strange about Cool Whip, and this confirms it. It’s becoming more and more important to be conscious of what’s IN the things we’re purchasing: an INFORMED consumer is also a SAFE AND HEALTHY consumer!
You’re welcome Mika! You’re so right. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks a lot for this! I’ve been trying to change my diet for a while now and I’m really serious now. I haven’t don’t much research yet but this was a very good start for me. High Fructose Corn Syrup is in ALMOST EVERYTHING in general grocery stores! All processed foods and most resturant foods resemble plastic!
I have always thought Cool Whip was as close to whipped plastic as one could get…. Sugar whipped wax? Close enough. Doing without something that noxious to my taste buds, guess it means I got it right!
[...] narrowed or clogged. Stop eating microwave popcorn, cook more, eat more fresh foods vs. fast foods. Don’t eat Cool Whip. 5. Watch your sugar – It doesn’t matter if it’s brown or white, “raw” [...]
Hey lady! my first time reading this blog. This is excellent!!
Thanks Vida! I gotta check out your show!
[...] in calories and is cheaper than sugar, HFCS is put into a ton of foods. Things like syrup, ketchup, cool whip, even baby food and diet [...]
[...] and icky ingredients that are in most store-bought bread. Including High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, (a.k.a.- “trans-fats”) among other things. For more info on what’s in [...]
Excellent post. Thanks for this post about cool whip, I look forward to reading your other related posts
Thank u so much.I do eat right expect cool whip lite in my coffee.Found out i had high Cholesterol.Could not understand why it was so high.Thank u so much.For this site.Mary Prisock Brandon, Miss
@Mary Hi there! *waves* Yes. It’s really sad, because all kinds of diet plans recommend the stuff, but it clogs your arteries like immediately! Check out the alternatives in that post. Or, try making your own with lowfat heavy cream (musch) less calories.
Thanks for that info! I prefer Rediwhip over cool whip anyways, and I try to make everything from scratch when I have the time..
I figured you would also like to to know that butter is the same way. Butter in only ONE ingredient from plastic.. Just another FYI.
@Tara You’re welcome! Homemade is the best. Hmm….I think you maybe referring to margarine rather than butter. Because most butter is made with just milk and salt I believe.