Cool Whip v. Redi-Whip? Neither...

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Cool Whip on your Strawberries? How about Redi-Whip? Neither...thanks... :noway:

The following articles outlines the ingredients in these popular toppings.

Cool Whip is a made up of:

Water
It's the main ingredient. But like any whipped product, Cool Whip contains a high percentage of air. At 41 cents per ounce, you're buying mostly water and air for just over twice what it would cost to whip real cream yourself.

Natural and Artificial Flavorings
Cool Whip doesn't really taste like much, but Kraft's recipe for blandness is a trade secret. That means the company doesn't have to disclose the specific flavorings.

Corn Syrup and High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Sugar by other names. Corn syrup is mostly glucose. High-fructose corn syrup is corn syrup treated with amylase and other enzymes, which together help convert glucose into fructose. A diet high in fructose is known to make lab mice fatter than other diets, so keep your research animals away from Cool Whip.

Hydrogenated Coconut and Palm Kernel Oil
Cool Whip needs to feel like whipped cream in the mouth without actually being, you know, made with cream. One cheap, reliable way to replicate the texture is by using semi- solidified plant oils. The best method of solidifying plant oils: Bubble high- pressure hydrogen through them. Of course, if not done completely, the result is trans fat. These days, Kraft avoids that.

Polysorbate 60
Polysorbates are made by polymerizing ethylene oxide (a precursor to antifreeze) with a sugar alcohol derivative. The result can be a detergent, an emulsifier, or, in the case of polysorbate 60, a major ingredient in some sexual lubricants.

Sodium Caseinate
Also common in powdered non-dairy creamer, this protein derived from cow milk helps oil and water mix.

Sorbitan Monostearate
Chemists call this stuff synthetic wax, and it's sometimes used as a hemorrhoid cream. It's one of the magical substances that keep Cool Whip from turning to liquid over time in the fridge.

Xanthan and Guar Gums
These are natural thickeners, and together they provide more viscosity than either does alone. Guar also helps retard the formation of ice crystals, another key to preserving fluffiness.

Source: WiredMagazine

Redi-Whip

Reddi-wip is the brand of nitrogen-or-isobutane-propelled, sweetened whipped cream produced by ConAgra Foods. It is sold in the following varieties: Original, Extra-Creamy, Light, Fat-Free, Non-Dairy, and Chocolate.

The Original and Extra-Creamy come in 7oz. and 14oz. cans. All other varieties, except Chocolate, come in 7oz. cans only; with Chocolate available in 6.5oz. cans only. (The Reddi-Wip site even promotes consuming the Chocolate variety, especially, on its own, presumably - as is popular with many people - dispensing it straight from the can into one's mouth.)

Despite being available in an aerosol can, it should be treated as regular cream: sealed and refrigerated when not being used. Nitrous oxide, the propellant used in Reddi-wip (and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)), is the same gas that is used as both a weak anaesthetic (primarily by dentists) and a performance enhancing oxidiser in motorsports.

Source: Wikipedia