There are a lot of different onion dips on the market, so this week we are focusing on store bought onion dip. Next week we will talk about homemade alternatives.
First up we have:
Dean's French Onion Dip, Frito-Lay Onion Dip, and Heluva Good French Onion Dip
I'm lumping all three together because nutritionally they are all very similar although each uses different ingredients.
THE BAD: This is not a low calorie/low fat food. Dean's and Helluva good have fairly high levels of saturated fat. (Fruit lay brand has more filler than dairy= lower fat but less dairy). When you see how low the nutrient value is- do you really want to waste that many calories? (And we didn't even talk about the calories from the chips!)
THE UGLY: The fillers, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc. These things are full of crap. All three have Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and modified food starch. The shelf life on these guys is way too long. Some of the fillers are put in to reduce the caloric load of the dairy. The amount of processed food stuffs and chemical compounds in Dean's and Frito Lay Brands are terrifying!
THE VERDICT: Dean's and Frito Lay each get a solid F. Little to no nutrient value, saturated fat, and indigestible preservatives. It may taste good, but it's not worth it. Helena Good gets an F+ for having slightly less chemical additives.
A Few Notes About Ingredients:
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)- a flavor enhancer lower in sodium than table salt. Frequently blamed for side effects, but research data shows little evidence for these.
Modified Food Starch: Primarily used as a filler and thickener. "Modified starch, also called starch derivatives, are prepared by physically, enzymatically, or chemically treating native starch to change its properties" Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modified_starch
Dean's Onion Dip:
Hydrolyzed Protein- protein that is broken down to its core
amino acids. Commonly derived from boiling in strong acid (like sulfuric acid) or strong base. (Ew!)
Sodium Hexametaphosphate- preservative; generally recognized as safe my the FDA, but amounts are limited and regulated; completely chemically derived
Locust Bean Gum and Guar Gum- naturally derived thickening and gelling agent; may cause some gastrointestinal issues in large quantities but safe.
Soy Lecithin- emulsifier and stabilizer; derived from soy plants but low allergy risk; also used as a supplement a good source of choline; generally regarded as safe; may contain GMOs
Carrageenan- thickener and gelling agent; naturally derived from seaweed; generally regarded as safe; may cause gastrointestinal issues
Yellow 5 & 6- Man made; "derived primarily from petroleum and coal sources"(http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/Consumer Updates/ucm048951.htm); there is a known but uncommon allergy to Yellow 5
Frito-Lay Onion Dip:
Hydrolyzed Protein (Gluten), Artificial Color -see above
Acetic Acid and Citric Acid- usually naturally derived, generally harmless
Sodium Ascorbate- antioxidant; derived from ascorbic acid; generally safe; created by dissolving ascorbic acid in water with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as the catalyst
Yeast Extract- similar to MSG, flavor enhancer (essentially vegemite)
Canola Oil- is an oil derived from the rapeseed plant; frequently genetically modified
Datem-diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono and diglycerides; emulsifier; generally excepted as safe manufactured through chemical synthesis
Heluva Good French Onion Dip:
Potassium Sorbate- synthetically derived by neutralizing sorbic acid and potassium hydroxide; inhibits mold and yeast growth; safe in regulated levels
AND NOW...
The "all natural" Trader Joe's Carmelized Onion Dip.
As the name of the product should indicate the "carmelized" onion dip has a bit of a sweeter taste than the other brands, but this is the only "healthy" brand I've liked so far- and it's about half the price of the other "healthy" dips.
THE GOOD: No artificial colors or flavors and no preservatives.
THE BAD: Less additives equals more fat and calories. Trader Joe's brand is 70 calories per serving size, versus the 60 calories of the other three brands. It's also void of many of the flavor enhancers of the other brands, and therefore contains a lot of sodium to aid flavor. One serving contains 10% of daily sodium value.
THE UGLY: Still contains many naturally sourced additives (xanthan, carob bean, and guar gum; modified corn starch, yeast extract).
INGREDIENTS:
(note: I am skipping ingredients I have previously discussed during this article)
Cultured Dextrose: a preservative derived of fermented sugars; uses "good bacteria" to inhibit mold growth; still under study by the FDA
THE VERDICT: The Trader Joe's dip gets a "D" rating. While not full of artificial fillers and additives, it still has many "natural additives" and high fat, saturated fat, and sodium content.
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