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Number of ingredients are getting smaller, but can still confuse you!

I admit to eating many a food item that comes pre-made or in a wrapper, but I do read labels. 

I read all of the labels that hit my grocery cart, and I throw back lots of things that hop in with a laundry list of five-syllable ingredients.  The smaller the ingredient list, the better, you know what you are eating. 

Would you let this in your kids' bowl (or yours?)   Ha.  Occasionally.  I never really "allowed" junk cereals in my house, but we do occasionally bring in a box of "That bird ceweeal Mama!"

So please let me tell you how happy I am that one of my children is currently in love with this:

I must admit, however, that as a WLS'er sometimes it is beyond hard to eat simply made or simple ingredient foods.  Many of the foods available for our uniqueness are super-manufactured.  This is just an example of a food I might eat every day:

I have said over and over again, I would love to have a Food Pill, all of the nutrients of a meal, in a simple capsule or chewable tablet, because eating sometimes is a chore and makes us ill.  Especially for those of us who react to Good Simple Wholesome Foods.  Potato?  OH NO.  (I know, it's pretty ridiculous, but reality for some of us.)

Have you ever really given the side of that cereal box you just bought for the kids a good look?  O-o  Or that boxed dinner?  Or, anything, really?

Number of ingredients is getting smaller, but many food labels still have confusing lists

From:  Chicago Tribune

When it comes to packaged food, a short ingredient list has become something to brag about.

Food author and activist Michael Pollan has been a major champion of this concept. In his frequently cited "rules of eating," Pollan suggests avoiding products with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.

If you can't say it, don't eat it, he advises. Or if your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it, skip it.

Food manufacturers appear to be taking notice. Today, it's all about few and familiar ingredients.

First, it was Five, the new line of Haagen-Dazs ice cream that's made with only five ingredients -- including well-known kitchen staples (milk, cream, sugar and eggs). Then, Pillsbury introduced Simply cookies that are based on a similar premise: "Made just like you would make at home, same ingredients, same process."

Many food companies are scrambling to simplify ingredient lists and find naturally sourced alternatives to create what has been dubbed a "clean label." And when they do, they proudly declare "no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives" on the front of the package. That has become one of the most popular claims made by new foods and beverages, according to the market research firm Mintel.

In this era of fresh, organic and whole foods, we've become a nation fearful of food additives, said dietitian Elisa Zied, a New York-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Pure, clean and natural are the new demands.

"People want to know what they're eating," she said.

________________________________________________________________________________

How to read an ingredient list

From The Chicago Tribune:

The ingredients on a food label are listed in descending order by weight, from the largest to the smallest. Companies are required to list all ingredients in the food. You might, however, see some ingredients listed collectively as "flavor," "spices" or "artificial flavoring." If you have food allergies, you don't need to worry that an offending ingredient is hiding inside. FDA now requires that companies call out in plain language whether products contain any of the eight major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy.

Sugar, known by many names: Sugar can pop up in the ingredient list in many guises. Several types of sweeteners are often used, which means sugar may be distributed throughout the list and may not be the first or second ingredient (so the product could have more sugar than you realize). All should only be eaten in moderation.

Label says: agave nectar, beet sugar, brown sugar, cane juice crystals, corn syrup, corn sweetener, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, sugar (sucrose), sorghum syrup, turbinado sugar

Leavening agents: These ingredients help baked goods rise. Leavening agents with "sodium" in the name increase the salt levels of the product. Calcium- and potassium-based leavening agents are increasingly used to make lower-sodium items.

Label says: sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate, potassium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate

Preservatives: These ingredients are added to food to slow spoilage, including the growth of bacteria and molds. Preservatives also help maintain freshness, delay rancidity and prevent changes in color, flavor or texture.

Label says: ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), calcium propionate, calcium sorbate, citric acid, EDTA, potassium sorbate, propyl gallate, sodium benzoate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, tocopherols

Nutrient fortification: Sometimes you might be alarmed at a long list of ingredients, but often many of the unfamiliar names are nutrients used to enrich or fortify the product -- especially in cereals and breads. Here are some of the common names of nutrients.

Label says: thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin (vitamin B-2), niacin or niacinamide, folate or folic acid, beta carotene, potassium iodide, iron or ferrous sulfate, alpha tocopherols, ascorbic acid, amino acids (L-tryptophan, L-lysine, L-leucine, L-methionine)

Emulsifiers: Emulsifiers allow for the smooth mixing of ingredients and help prevent separation in products such as salad dressings, peanut butter and margarine. They also are used to control crystallization in frozen desserts. Common emulsifiers include:

Label says: soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, egg yolks, polysorbates, sorbitan monostearate

Flavor enhancers: These ingredients have little or no flavor of their own, but are added to enhance the flavors of foods. Some people complain of sensitivities to monosodium glutamate (MSG); many companies have been working to eliminate it.

Label says: monosodium glutamate (MSG), hydrolyzed soy protein, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium gunaylate or inosinate

Stabilizers and thickeners: Sometimes ingredients are used to keep the combinations of water, oils and solids well mixed and to improve the "mouth feel." These stabilizers and thickeners are often natural or chemically modified carbohydrates that absorb some of the water that is present in food to make it thicker.

Label says: gelatin, pectin, guar gum, carrageenan, xanthan gum, whey

Ingredients to watch: All food additives must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Yet the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer food advocacy group, considers some additives poorly tested and believes they may pose a health risk for some people. Not all experts agree, but the center recommends avoiding these ingredients:

Label says: acesulfame-K, artificial colors Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Yellow 6, aspartame, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), cyclamate, olestra, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans fat), potassium bromate, propyl gallate, saccharin, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite

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Thank you ladies (I can say that 'cause they were all ladies, right?) for coming out and walking, in fact, thank you all for showing up, what? An hour before I got there?

It's a short story, we got lost. Very. Lost. I don't know how, but I think the combination of two chatterboxes  (Jen and I, along with my oldest daughter, rolling her eyes at us) on the highway caused us to end up in NEW HAMPSHIRE. No comment. Anyway!

We showed up AT 10am, having left my house at like, 7:45am, parking illegally and running like this was a 5K to catch up with our Team. As we walked by everybody already ON THEIR WAY BACK, we tried to be friendly, but I wasn't feelin' it. *shrug* Maybe we looked entirely irresponsible for being late. I felt bad, but... what can you do?

I knew we were all set once I heard "BEEETH!" ;) Thank you guys for being understanding of our delinquency, if you knew me, you should know that I am going to be early for my own funeral.  Lateness is not a quality of mine, it was purely us screwing up with no maps and no directions.  :x

I missed out on much of the photo opportunities pre-walk, and never heard any of the totals and what-not, but I believe We Kicked Ass.  I believe we were Number One.  So there.  $4000.

I brought bags of product love for my teammates -- had a few extra so I donated them to the raffle.

Everyone I met from my team was awesome, in fact we followed one loverly lady up to go shopping afterward, as we so obviously needed remedial help getting there.  (We stopped in to Nashua Nutrition, and I dug around for items I Have Not Tried Yet, found a few, namely Choklat bars, NOM, more on that later.)

Overall, another great job by all.  Thanks to all of YOU for donating, and helping out the cause.  I appreciate it!

The Walk From Obesity is Saturday, September 26, 2009!

Why haven't you joined Team MM to walk with us?

Hell, if someone from California can join, you can, (okay, so she joined by accident) I see you sitting there in Southeastern Massachusetts, saying, "Oh, but I can't walk that far, I have to wash my hair that day, my cat is being neutered, I'm a hermit."  Sorry, that doesn't fly.  I want proof.  And, really, you cannot physically melt in the rain, if it does rain.  We walked in it last year, piles of us wearing sexay trash bags.

Nor does your stupid, "But I've gained 20 lbs and I really can't drive that far, because I am likely to implode."  

That's my excuse, but I am coming anyway.

Get up off the couch, close the laptop and walk with us.  If you simply refuse or in fact DO live in Oregon, then support Team MM with a donation, please?

I set the team fund raising goal at $5000, and damn it if I don't get there.  Thank you to everyone that has already donated, you guys rock!

If you have a business that wants to send along a relevant donation to our Team, please do so online.

If you would prefer to share a donation of samples/product, I'm totally willing to share it with my Team!  Last year, I gave out protein, vitamins and protein snacks!

Also, passed along from a volunteer:

   

"In these tough economic times not everyone can afford the $25 registration fee. Please do not let that stop you from comming to the event and having a great time. Lowell general is also doing a health fair with us that day and there will be lots of other activities. All of which are free. Also just because you are not registered does not mean you can not walk and enjoy the companionship of your fellow weight loss patients.

Even if you are not a registered walker for the event there are plenty of opportunities for you to help out and support the walk. You can help by getting prizes for the drawing after the walk. We will also need help with the setup before and the tear down after the walk.

We will also need help with manning various stations and booths at the walk.

So there is no excuse for any of you out there. Saturday September 26, 2009 9:00 AM Come on out to the Weight Management Center and share some good fellowship and have some fun.


PS- If any of you cannot afford the $25 registration fee but would like to make a smaller donation to the Walk from Obesity, any of the registered walkers would love to have your contribution to their efforts. Any amount is welcome $1, $2, $5, the spare change in your pocket, etc"

Come see.

www.meltingmama.net

I get emails.  Two yesterday.  They ask, "How Do You Get These Samples?!" and  "How can I get in on this?"  Like blogging is a super-secret society where We Get Free Schwag!  Yeah, not so much.   People are asking how hey can "do this" to blog, and make some sort of income from it, some are looking for something do do while they are underemployed, and a blog looks like fun, and easy, and free stuff?  FREE STUFF!

Some bloggers are in the loop and get big toys like... cars to try out, washing machines, and can give away Nikon cameras, I can't help you there.  (I tried to get a blender, fail.  You have to be really high up in the blogger food chain for a blender, I guess.)

Lots of the time, I buy my own stuff.  Many companies won't sample, "go buy a case."  Now, I have to say that I lose a little love for a product if the company says that they absolutely will NOT share one $2 product sample for the sole purpose of a product review on a blog targeted to their product.  It's not like I (we) are sitting here on a pile of $2 protein bars laughing, "MIIINE!  ALLLLL MINE!"  That said, I will buy a whole case of something to try ONE, because sometimes it's the only way to share something with YOU.  I may be stuck with a $50 case o'shit, but.... I can always GIVE IT AWAY!

Sometimes companies send a sample.  This is awesome and I appreciate it, and LOVE getting mail!   So much so that I am going to get a special MM P.O. box because I have had one too many melted protein ball in my box.  :x 

Sometimes you never see these samples make it to the blog, maybe because they simply melted so badly that I couldn't SHOW you, sometimes it's just that simple.

If a product shows up on this blog, it's because I either bought it or it was sent to me by a generous company or PR firm.  I don't accept payment for reviews. (Although I get emails that ASK me to Review Something 100% Positively even without a sample sometimes, uhh, hello?)  That kills the purpose.  So, what you see is simply what I got.

I share a product if I LIKED IT -- or if there was something awful enough about it to share, or something unique about the way I got it, really super service (even if the product itself sort of sucked) or alternatively a bad experience.  (Like that one time I bought a car?  Yeah, like that.  You're not winning any points when you tell a baby to STFU.)  There have been times where I really wanted to spew all over the internet about a product/service but I've kept my big yap shut, too.

If you want to do this too, do it.  Start a website and write your little heart out. 

It doesn't have to cost you a thing. 

Honestly, my only cost initially was to pay for my Typepad, because I have a millionty posts to hold up on the net. 

• That is a yearly cost, the blog itself, and then a domain name. $100/yr

Anything else is up to you, most recently for MM: 

• My DH bought me a nice camera you know, "for the blog,"($insane)
• I paid for design help/exporting ($300):  I was going to move to another blog service but decided not to do it as it confused the hell out of me
• I paid for a new design ($500) from another blogger, but I haven't seen it yet.

Other blogging costs? 

• Sometimes a giveaway can cost - if I choose to send something myself - or if a company sends ME the prizes and I have to ship them out. 
• I have a photo-hosting account at Flickr, but I'd probably have that anyway.
• Goods for review, etc, that I buy myself.  Not really a consideration because I use them.

I cannot get enough of blogs that interest me, and the more you write about product wins and fails - the more the companies listen.  Start a site, and share it with us.

 

A lot of people who undergo weight loss surgery are told that having the surgery would be a cure for a their fat "disease" and life.

After the honeymoon period of weight loss wears off - and the reality sets in - what then? 

This blog will give you a peek into the real life of WLS patients and those around them.

Would you go with me?

*swoon*  See, that's just how driven to distraction I am.  I wrote a post title, and got shuffled off into the video from the concert, and starting singing, and what was I going to tell you?

Oh, that's right.  The Obesity Help Event in Rye Brook, New York.  I'm gonna go.  If we can, Mr. MM is going to come too and be introduced to the world that he only hears about.  Muhahahaha.  We're close enough to hop on a train, but he says we might drive and try to grab a day in the city.  "Try," because we're going to need a sitter or four.

Want to go?  Use this code for $$ off your ticket, "MMRYE"  It's like MM on Rye, I'm a sandwich.  If I were a sandwich, what kind would I be?  Chicken salad with spiced nuts and cranberries.  Oh yes.

Betty Lou's Orange Creme Low Glycemic Designer Protein Shake Mix

(Currently shakin' drinking it.)  BRB with a review.

I got a protein shake sample in the mail today yesterday - and wanted to share it righthisverysecond:  since it contains probiotics - which we have learned help us as gastric bypass patients!  It's also got fiber (you don't find that often!) and omega-3 fatty acids along with it's vitamin and mineral blend.  Also - it's lactose, gluten, sugar, and soy FREE, for the sensitive WLS'ers out there (again, don't find that often!) who need such a product.

The shake had BETTER taste good, because I was way too excited about it.

"Look!  Didn't I just post about those probiotics?!  Didn't I?"  <--- dork.  If it doesn't.  I'm sorry.  LOL.

"A perfect high protein shake to augment workouts, for use as a meal replacement or as a healthy mid-day snack. Our shake mixes have been carefully formulated, with a special enzyme in a probiotic blend designed for easy digestion."

• Mixes instantly in water
• Lactose, gluten, sugar, soy and hormone free
• Contains high quality milk and rice proteins
• Provides 20% of your daily fiber needs
• Digestive enzyme and probiotic blend
• Rich in vitamins & minerals, including trace sea minerals

I ripped open the single-serve packet, sniffed.  It smells super creamsicle-y.  The powder had a different consistency to it -- more like tiny crystalled powder -- not thick like typical protein powders.  I dumped the powder into my shakeriffic Blender Bottle, filled it with ice cold spring water (yes, with JUST WATER) and shook the living daylights out of it.  It blended entirely smooth, you can't even MAKE a clump out of it.

It tastes like a subtley sweet melted orange creamsicle, not as sweet as the real thing, but creamy and really tasty.  No protein taste, no aftertaste and no DRY mouth.  I am very impressed.  As the end sits - there is no separation either, another plus.  (Many powders separate while you're still drinking.  *twitch*)

This shake requires NO additional flavoring, nor would you really even need to use a milk product to mix, it's creamy IN water.  To make a larger, more substantial meal, I would add one serving of this powder to a blender with crushed ice, an orange slice, tiny dollop sugar-free vanilla syrup, and 2 ounces soy milk.  OMGYUM.  If you're a fan of fruit - add half a frozen banana maybe?  Or... mmm.  

I will also try the other two flavors - I am drawn to orange so I jumped at this one first.

Anyway - I guess I really like it.  Again, I did not expect to while I read the ingredients.  I am very happy that Betty Lou's Orange Creme Low Glycemic Designer Protein Mix is super, it's an awesome alternative to heavy protein shakes and for those with additional nutritional needs.

Box of 12 single serving packets.

INGREDIENTS: Low Glycemic Protein Blend (Whey Protein Concentrate, Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate), Organic Brown Rice Powder, Fibersource PlusT (Fibersol2R, Glucomannan Fiber, Cargeenan Fiber, Acacia Fiber, Chicory Root Fiber, Guar Gum Fiber), High-oleic Sunflower Oil, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), Vitamin And Mineral Blend [Calcium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Magnesium Citrate, Potassium chelate, Vitamin K, D-Alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine HCl (Vitamin B6), Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Iron Chelate, Vitamin A (as Beta Carotene), Phosphorus, Folic Acid, Biotin, Chromium Chelate, Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12), Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D)], Stevia, Lo Han Extract, Xylitol, Digestive Enzyme Blend (Amylase, Cellulase, Lipase, Protease), Probiotic Blend (Acidophilus And Bifidus), Omega 3 Fatty Acids (EFA's), Natural Orange Flavor, Natural Vanilla Bean, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Naturally Occurring Sea Minerals*.

Orange Cream Protein Shake

180

3g

10g

20g

5g

0g

• Product - Betty Lou's Orange Creme Low Glycemic Designer Protein Shake Mix (Also comes in chocolate and vanilla.)
• Via - Betty Lou's
• Price - $32.28
• Pros - Lactose, gluten, sugar, and soy free, low GI, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.
• Cons - Only available at Betty' Lous?  I think?  I will ask.  They're a smaller company.
• Rating - Wicked Pouchworthy, ^MM

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

"Bariatric Advantage Liquid Vitamin D3 is designed to facilitate ease of dosing for those who need a high potency Vitamin D product. Our liquid vitamin D is a unique sugar-free formula of vitamin D3 in a suspension of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). It is very pleasant tasting and offers the easy ability to dose either 10,000 IU (a full-dropper) or 5,000 IU of vitamin D. This is a great solution for those who need to maintain their vitamin D levels and support bone health."

This is great- Vitamin D supplement options with much higher D levels for us with low vitamin D.  Haven't tried it - it's new.