Okay. These things are pretty tasty, and super easy to just throw in the oven (or even microwave if you are too impatient) and call a party snack. Clearly, these are junk food. But maybe you tell yourself they have most of the food groups in them? Like, the tomato sauce is a fruit, the pepperoni is protein, there's dairy in the cheese, and there's bread! Well...let's look at what is actually in these suckers.
Totino's Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
THE GOOD: They contain 6 grams of protein? There are some added vitamins and minerals?
THE BAD: They are high in saturated fat and sodium. They are full of chemical preservatives (sodium nitrate, TBHQ, artificial flavors and colors).
THE UGLY: "Mozzarella Cheese Substitute" has 22 ingredients, only one of which is a dairy product.
A Few Notes About the Ingredients:
-rennet casein- a milk product obtained by curdling the milk with rennet; help cheese melt
-modified corn starch-
-sodium aluminum phosphate- inorganic compound made of alumina, phosphoric acid, and sodium hydroxide; leavening agent; used in cheese production
-vital wheat gluten- the gluten only component of wheat; adds protein; makes dough rise higher
-potassium chloride- used as an alternative to table salt, frequently combined with table salt; used as a flavor enhancer, toxic in high quantities (usually not through digestion) can cause cardiac arrest if injected
-potassium sorbate- usually manufactured synthetically; commonly used as a mold and yeast inhibitor; high concentrations in vitro have mutagenic affects
-citric acid- organic acid found in citrus fruit; a flavoring and preservative or acidifier
-titanium dioxide- a naturally occurring metal used for food coloring; controversial in use as some studies show it is carcinogenic (http://www.ccohs.ca/headlines/text186.html)
-maltodextrin- a glucose based sugar produced from starch; also used as a thickener
-magnesium oxide, zinc oxide- these are added minerals that do not naturally occur in the food itself
-cellulose powder- naturally source from wood or plant fibers; used as an anti-caking or filling agent (http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703834804576300991196803916)
-Canola Oil- Canadian Oil Low Acid- actually rapeseed oil, commonly genetically modified
-Defatted Soy Flour- flour from soy beans containing less than 1 percent oil
-Methlycellulose- a multipurpose food additive (thickener, fat replacer) cellulose fibers "are heated with a caustic solution and treated with methyl chloride, yielding the methyl ether of cellulose" according to Dow industrials (http://pharmaandfood.dow.com/en/food-solutions/products/methocel)
-TBHQ- tertiary butylhydroquinone- an organic compound and antioxidant; may be carcinogenic in large amounts controlled by the FDA for safety
THE VERDICT: To quote one of my professors from college, "F- -." It is my belief that this product should not be consumed by any health conscious person. The cheese pizza rolls are actually less scary than the ones with meat in them.
Source: General Mills Website
Amy's Organics Cheese Pizza Snacks
THE GOOD: Organic vegetables and wheat plus 9 grams of protein. No preservatives and 25% of your daily calcium intake.
THE BAD: High in sodium (440mg).
THE UGLY: They aren't quite as tasty as the artificial ones...
A Few Notes About The Ingredients:
baking powder- baking soda plus starch; a leavening agent
THE VERDICT: B- Higher in fat and sodium than healthy food, but clearly the healthy alternative to this junk food! Also kids really like them!
Source: Amy's Organics Website
