OK someone calm me down!

animatedbecca

So I just had one Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom no sugar added fudge lites ice cream bar. Only 35 calories Im thinking wonderful guilt free pleasure! HOWEVER, I read to see what it is sweetened with. It lists in ingredients less than 1/2 % propylene glycol. Ok less than 1/2 % is like nothing BUT I google this new word and its seems to be a chemical used in make up, paint thinner etc. WHY is is it in my food??

HealthyChanges2010

So I just had one Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom no sugar added fudge lites ice cream bar. Only 35 calories Im thinking wonderful guilt free pleasure! HOWEVER, I read to see what it is sweetened with. It lists in ingredients less than 1/2 % propylene glycol. Ok less than 1/2 % is like nothing BUT I google this new word and its seems to be a chemical used in make up, paint thinner etc. WHY is is it in my food??

take out the sugar and they gotta add in something, same as fat free, they remove the fat and who knows what's added in it's place........ creepy huh?:sick:

dwarfer22

You'd have to see what it actually IS, I mean water is in just about everything as well, just cuz it's used in some not so nice stuff doesn't nessessarily mean it's bad. I would say do some more research and decide whether or not those treats are worth it.

imagymrat

I know i've said this about a gazillion times. :laugh: Eat the real thing...less of it,and savour it. If you cannot pronounce the name of the ingredient, on the list,, you shouldn't be putting it into your body.

animatedbecca

Well from this site it doesnt seem like anything for human consumption!

http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/propylene-glycol.html

imagymrat

Well from this site it doesnt seem like anything for human consumption!

http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/propylene-glycol.html

wow :sick: there are people who will justify eating it ....., I don't eat low cal or fat free, calorie reduced anything, and I seem,to be fairly successful

dmbutler9

It is really scary what they put in food nowadays.

While I can't change the food industry, I can take charge of what I buy and eat. So, I made a promise to myself to never eat anything with an ingredient list that reads like a chemical lab inventory... If I don't understand what's in it, it doesn't go in the grocery cart.

animatedbecca

Yeah Ime way behind tou and just now learning all of this

ETA: please excuse typos had a 2 yr old talking to me at the same time I was trying to finish a thought! LOL

arewethereyet

:flowerforyou: I am learning:ohwell:

clgotro

it's in your food because it's cheap. period.

i really try to avoid anything artifically sweetened. the body will naturally regulate sugar intake. when you use artificial sweeteners without calories, you screw with your body's ability to self regulate and you will end up craving more sugar (and the associated calorie) than what your body can reasonably burn.

find something sweetend with agave nectar. agave actually has calories in it...but it has a really low glycemic index...and it won't play tricks on your body.

animatedbecca

I know i've said this about a gazillion times. :laugh: Eat the real thing...less of it,and savour it. If you cannot pronounce the name of the ingredient, on the list,, you shouldn't be putting it into your body.

So what you are saying is DONT tweak the recipes and make it will as many fat free ingredients as possible? Everything Ive been reading on here the last week is all about making recipes with fat free mayo, cottage cheese,cream cheese, cool whip or whatever to make it "healhier" So everything Ive learned is wrong? Throw out everything I just bought and start over?
Im so confused right now , fat free, reduced fat, full of fat, ....what to do what to do????

blakejohn

eating paint thinner doesn't make you thinner, D#M IT

curlytop89

I know there are a lot of very dedicated people who just eat vegetables, chicken and whole grains, but I am not one of them. I have found it easier to make gradual changes over the past few years. There is almost always a healthier option when eating something, like not eating it at all, but be realistic. If you don't want to worry about chemicals, or sweeteners, or preservatives, you might think about starting a farm and eating only what you grow at home. ( I think that would actually be neat to do, but alas, I just don't have the time, or money.) Even those chicken breasts without the skin and bones have been pumped full of steroids and antibiotics before it got to the grocery store. I don't think it's bad to have low cal things or a diet soda now and then, or even a regular soda. Just not very often. Mostly I drink water, even with meals now adays and try to do my best in other areas, even if I fall down a few times I'm not going to go nuts about it.

millerll

First, I'm not saying propylene glycol (PG) is necessarily a desired ingredient in your food. However, I will say that PG is available in food-grade forms, and if you check your labels, you'll find it in many toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other food-grade (read: edible) products. PG is in a similar chemical class as ethylene glycol, which I believe is related to the more commonly-known antifreeze. We've all heard about the dangers of antifreeze to pets due to its sweet taste.

Bottom line is that PG has a sweet taste, and is FDA approved. Not that that means anything. But if you really search through your cabinets for PG, I think you'll be surprised. Just a little trivia for your consideration!

obifatkanobi

I agree, eating chemicals and imitation foods is a great way to cut down on calories and fats, but it's not what your body needs. You could just as well go out and buy some of the plastic fruit, or the toy foods for kids, it's got the same ingredients. We, my wife and I, have set out to learn to eat healthy as well as to reduce our weight. We alter recipes, not by adding in chemicals and fillers, but by reducing the sugars, salts, and fats called for. Little things, like using fat free milk instead of whole milk, etc... Sure, there are a lot of foods that can't be changed, and we still enjoy them. but like all good things, they are best enjoyed in moderation. We eat less, we eat healthy, and on occasion, we enjoy treats. We counter the calories with a good workout. The only alternative, is to do like so many, and not change our eating habits, just replace good food, with highly processed foods that are full of chemicals and salts (yes, they increase the sodiums, to cover the taste of the paint thinner). But, if that was my intention, I know I would soon be back, doing it all again. And, seriously, why waste money on artificial foods? For half the cost you could just go to the hardware store and pick them up in bulk...

jrbowers83

This post is a bit of an eye opener for me. While I've been focusing on eating healthier...switched to whole grains, cut out most of the fast food, sweets, soda, etc, I still have yet to completely jump on the no processed foods bandwagon. I mean this has to be slow and steady for it to stick, and just completely changing everything all at once, I don't think I'd have stuck with it for the 9 months that I have. But when I started looking up some of these ingredients I see that hydrogenated oil is just another name for trans fat (with a low enough percentage for most products to say it's trans fat free, but it's still there!, and trans fat is what leads to heart problems). And so I see this one...propylene glycol. Just slightly removed from the chemical makeup of such things as propane, glycerin, and antifreeze (is actually used as a more environmentally friendly antifreeze in fact). Shows it is "less" toxic than regular antifreeze (ethylene glycol), and has been approved by the FDA as a "generally safe" to use in foods. Oh but hey feel some relief because tests show it doesn't cause cancer. (All of this info I got from wikipedia, so take it as you will) Hmmm, definitely scary, especially considering that some of us as binge eaters may have previously eaten a whole BOX of the ice cream in one day thinking it's not THAT bad for us, causing a possible poisoning by such substances. Wow, thanks so much for pointing this out. This could explain why I go through moments of feeling really sick with no "real" explanation.

As to your fear of eating fat free, usually dairy is fine, since all that's been done is the milk fat has been removed through natural processes and no additional additives to replace the fat. Not true of fat free non-dairy creamers, Cool whip (which uses hydrogenated oils), etc. Hope that helps you figure out what you can use and not of your recently purchased "healthy" items. Thanks again for the post and the answers given by others as well.

StacySkinny

I totally agree with gymrat. I won't buy the "diet" version of anything (except frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, I just like frozen yogurt better). The bottom line is that many of the diet foods have to add different chemicals to make up for taking out the sweetness or creaminess of the natural product that they are cutting out of their foods.

For me eating healthy isn't about finding weight watchers versions of things or buying artificially sweetened stuff, it's about learning to eat regular foods in moderation (notice I said regular foods, not fast food or junk food, bleh). It's relearning proper portions and how to really focus on what I'm eating and be in the moment so that I'm satisfied with my meal.

I've learned that fat and sugar are not my enemy, it's only the desire to eat too much of it that is. There really is no reason why one can't, every once in a while, have a piece of cake - but instead of a big ol' slab of it (the way you used to eat), eat maybe 1/4 of what you would have before. And really enjoy every bite and be in the moment so that you can be satisfied with the smaller portion. Really the taste of something is all we crave anyway. When you try and substitute that yummy chocolate chip cookie with a cardboard imitation copy of it it, some "snack wells" or diet version of it, it will not taste the same. It won't be as good, so guess what? You're going to want to eat more than just one. And you think "oh well, it's low fat low sugar, it's ok to eat more". In the end you've eaten more calories then you would have if you had just eaten the regular chocolate chip cookie. You end up eating more of the "diet food" and it still isn't as satisfying as having one piece of the real thing.

MzBug

I remember my grandpa refusing to eat margerine "if bugs won't eat it or mold won't grow on it, it ain't food" He immigrated when he was 6 from Germany, and that was how he was taught to figure out what things in the "new country" were safe to eat on the farm. I try to eat clean most of the time. My b/f had very bad cholestrol issues when I met him. At 35 he was already on two meds and it still was way over normal. Since we bought the house and I am doing the cooking I have pretty much eliminated processed foods from his diet (well what I can see at home anyway). His numbers have dropped steadily over the last 4 years and he is now normal on everything except triglycerides. If I can't pronounce it or understand what it is or why it is in my food it doesn't go in my belly.

islandnutshel

We created the demand for the type of food in our markets. If we don't buy food that is full of crap, they will eventualy stop producing it. There are healthy low fat options too, you don't have to drink cream because that what comes to the top of the milk pail. (fat floats) Keep learning, keep it simple, eat fresh and local if possible, support the smaller farmers, watch food inc if you get a chance.

hroush

First, I'm not saying propylene glycol (PG) is necessarily a desired ingredient in your food. However, I will say that PG is available in food-grade forms, and if you check your labels, you'll find it in many toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other food-grade (read: edible) products. PG is in a similar chemical class as ethylene glycol, which I believe is related to the more commonly-known antifreeze. We've all heard about the dangers of antifreeze to pets due to its sweet taste.

Bottom line is that PG has a sweet taste, and is FDA approved. Not that that means anything. But if you really search through your cabinets for PG, I think you'll be surprised. Just a little trivia for your consideration!

yes, propylene glycol is related to ethylene glycol (it just has an extra carbon on each side of the molecule), but it does not harm you as ethylene glycol does (your body converts ethylene glycol into formaldehyde :noway: ). However, due to the extra carbons in the propylene glycol, it is converted into acetaldehyde, which is the same product created when you ingest ethanol (alcohol). In other words, you will get a hang over twice as fast by consuming propylene glycol instead of alcohol, but this doesn't mean you should start eating your toothpaste :laugh: .

This is the stuff you learn in chemistry class (I have a chemistry minor, sorry).

david1956

Well from this site it doesnt seem like anything for human consumption!

http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/propylene-glycol.html

wow :sick: there are people who will justify eating it ....., I don't eat low cal or fat free, calorie reduced anything, and I seem,to be fairly successful

Hallelujah, preach it sister.

I've just started wising up, and at last those hard-to-lose pounds (surprise surpise, stomach and chest) are starting to shrink. Fast, after months of hard very intense training and a pretty good diet but being frustrated at what isn't so obvious to other people when it's concealed under a gym singlet. Since I did one thing.. reverted to fats rather than processed substitutes.

I've seen (and I am damned if I can find them now) studies done over more than a decade, of large numbers of populations where health particularly chronic heart disease has been studied against diet, and the healthiest group are those with a generally healthy diet (lots of veges, fruit etc) BUT eating full-fat products.

Low fat processed food is kinda like saying to an alcoholic who is drinking 2 bottles of wine, 40 oz of gin, and 6 beers a day, "Woooah, too much alcohol... make those beers low percentage!" Not really dealing with the real problem. For the general Western population, the way diets have gone, saying "Low fat" is fine when half your diet is fat to start with.

But I'm convinced that since dumping processed stuff and sticking to the real thing, my strength and metabolism in training has increased and my weight is dropping. It gets down to "not too much, and the right fats". And in the context of a healthy diet overall. It's hard for people to grasp that we need both fat and cholesterol. It's the alarming levels in typical modern western diets that's the problem.