In Healthy Food Tip #2: The Perils of Partially Hydrogenated Oils & Other Bad Food Ingredients (wow, that’s a long title), I spoke about the negative health effects of partially hydrogenated oils (PHO’s). With more and more people checking for this ingredient on product packaging, many companies have taken to changing the name to mono-and diglycerides (MAD). Don’t be fooled, it’s the same thing — trans fats.
Shame on every one of these companies for keeping this harmful garbage as an ingredient. It’s banned in Europe, why not here? Shame on the FDA for allowing companies to use the PHO’s, and for allowing them to change the name and claim that there’s no trans fats in their products! We’ve trusted these companies we’ve trusted for years.
You might be surprised at some of the names I’m about to mention. Especially the ones that target our children as customers. I’ve highlighted some of the brands known to use the term mono-and diglycerides:
– Kellogg’s: Pop Tarts and most of their cereals
– General Mills, as well as most other cereals
– Thomas’ English Muffins & Bagels
– ALL Pillsbury products
– Practically ALL non-organic breads, bagels, rolls (including hamburger & hot dog). This includes brands like Arnold, Brownberry, Sarah Lee and every other non-organic brand I have found on my supermarket shelf
– Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
– Redi-wip Real Whipped Cream: Made with real cream and real PHO’s. They claim 0 grams of trans fats, but one of the ingredients are mono-and diglycerides — how can this be legal?
– Practically ALL frozen & non-frozen pies, cakes, waffles, pancakes
– Many, many frozen foods that use oil as an ingredient us PHO’s
– Ritz, Town House, Wheat Thins, along with practically every other cracker & cookie in the snack aisle
– Shake and Bake
– Uncle Ben’s Rice
– Duncan Hines
And the list goes on. Basically, you’ve got to check everything you buy unless it’s organic. The acronyms I’ve created should make it easier for you to get started. If the label says partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) or mono-and diglycerides (MAD), put it back on the shelf. Tell your friends.
Stores like Whole Foods, or grocery stores with an organic section will provide you with just about anything you could imagine, without the junk. Yes it costs more, but aren’t our kids worth it? Plus, spending a little more money now may save us thousands in medical bills later.
One final thought: Which of these companies (if any) will step up and do what’s right? Who has the ability to look beyond short-term profits?
Maybe someone should mention to the executives that it might even be PROFITABLE to take this junk out of their food. Think of the advertising…
“Buy Kellogg’s Pop Tarts — we’ve stopped trying to kill you and your children!”
And remember, you are not alone…
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Daddy Brain 
We need a body of independent scientists who can build cases strong enough to show clear correlation and then go after these companies(and FDA) A strong legal threat is the only thing that will keep them on their toes.
We must stop this nation from becoming a land of the sick.
Convenience isn’t healthy. And when you work in the time to read and analyze each label, buying these products isn’t really convenient after all. I just wish I had more time to cook from scratch so I could better avoid the chemicals.