Too Good To Be Food: Special K Meal Bar

Special K has tapped into our deepest sweet tooth desire by creating a chocolate peanut butter meal bar. Chocolate and peanut butter for lunch in candy bar form? Chocolate peanut butter protein meal bars grab our attention with the creamy peanut butter and candy bar-like picture on the box. They claim to be a meal replacement that gets the job done with filling fiber, satiety providing protein, and of course sweet tooth satisfaction. If eating this bar instead of a meal will really keep you satisfied for when a meal is well, just too tough to squeeze in, then perhaps the traditional meat and potato meal have met it's match. Let's unwrap and see if it's tomorrow's treat for your carry on, or simply Too Good To Be Food.

What's in it:
Ingredients: Coating (sugar, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, cocoa processed with alkali, whey, nonfat milk, soy lecithin, sorbitan monostearate, salt, artificial flavor, polysorbate 60), soy protein isolate, peanut butter (peanuts, hydrogenated rapeseed and cottonseed oil, salt), corn syrup, inulin, fructose, sugar, rice starch, polydextrose, rice cereal (rice, wheat gluten, sugar, defatted wheat germ, salt, high fructose corn syrup, whey, malt flavoring, reduced iron, niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin B6], riboflavin [vitamin B2], thiamin hydrochloride [vitamin B1], folic acid, vitamin B12), dextrose, contains 2% or less of: calcium carbonate, soybean and palm oil with TBHQ for freshness, glycerin, sorbitol, salt, natural and artificial flavor, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, xanthan gum, polysorbate 80, D-alpha tocopherol (vitamin E), niacinamide, zinc oxide, reduced iron, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin A palmitate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamin hydrochloride (vitamin B1), almond flour, partially defatted peanut flour, wheat starch, vitamin B12, folic acid, BHT for freshness, vitamin D.

The first ingredient is sugar - yikes! We know the first ingredient is the most abundant in the product. If this is a meal replacement bar, I have the image of a dinner plate covered in a layer of sugar. Next is partially hydrogenated palm oil, a "bad" fat (aka trans fat) associated with increasing LDL's, the big bad bully of high cholesterol.

Calling all chocoholics! The next ingredient, cocoa, contains flavonoids, super antioxidants important for all around health. However, when cocoa is processed with alkali, as it is here, the antioxidant content is reduced.

Sorbitan Monostearate and Polysorbate 60 both might be a mouthful to say, but are simply emulsifiers, deemed safe and often used in manufactured baked goods. Soy protein isolate is an ingredient in the midst of research and much debate. Current research is inconclusive as to the potential dangers associated with processed soy but I recommend to steer clear. While natural forms of soy like edamame have a place in the diet and many health benefits, processed versions of soy such as soy protein isolate get a thumbs down.

Peanut Butter, finally something we can relate to, is listed as the next ingredient. The peanut butter contains peanuts, hydrogenated rapeseed and cottonseed oils, and salt. Cottonseed oil provides a good dose of vitamin E, vitamin K and polyunsaturated fat, but any food that has been hydrogenated is a no-go. Trans fats like these are associated with a long list of health problems and obesity.

Next up, we have corn syrup, fructose, and sugar...Feel a cavity coming on?
Corn syrup is a sweet substance made from both glucose and fructose, making it a super sweet food additive. Fructose, when consumed excessively in the added form, has been linked to an increased risk of obesity and a higher rate of heart disease than other forms of sugar. And sugar itself? Well, sugar is sugar and as we know a cause of tooth decay, increased calorie consumption and rapid changes in blood glucose level.

Now comes rice cereal, which contains defatted wheat germ, the amino acid packed part of a grain. Whey is also a mega source of protein. Many studies find that whey, a protein found in milk, contributes to increased muscle formation and muscle size.

The next few ingredients are added to bump up the amount of vitamins and minerals: reduced iron, niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamine hydrochloride, folic acid, and vitamin B12. Sorta (but not really) like popping a multivitamin - with a sugar coating.

And Dextrose ... it's just another form of sugar to add to our already extensive list.

Phew! Just a bit more to go, so hang in there.

As for the last batch of ingredients, there's 2% or less of the following: calcium carbonate, soybean and palm oil with TBHQ for freshness, glycerin, sorbitol, salt, natural and artificial flavor, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, xanthan gum, polysorbate 80, D-alpha tocopherol (vitamin E), niacinamide, zinc oxide, reduced iron, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin A palmitate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamin hydrochloride (vitamin B1), almond flour, partially defatted peanut flour, wheat starch, vitamin B12, folic acid, BHT for freshness, vitamin D.

There are a few worth mentioning here. TBHQ and BHT are added for freshness. TBHQ is approved for use in food manufacturing after much controversy. Some research has shown this chemical to cause life-threatening side effects when above the permitted dose, but is recognized as safe if used within the allowed amount. While it exists within the allowed amount in this meal bar, do you want to eat it? Well-known sugar substitutes, glycerin and sorbitol, make a cameo. Glycerin is similar to sucrose, but has less of an effect on raising blood sugar levels while sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that adds sweetness with no calories, but is associated with headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms in some.

The remainder of the ingredients are additional vitamins and minerals to enhance the nutritional content to make it just like a "meal". There are some ingredients to enhance flavor, such as salt and natural as well as artificial flavors. Lastly, there are starches that enhance the texture.

Bottom Line:
Grilled chicken and veggies never sounded so good! Each meal bar packs in 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber - impressive I will say. But, at 180 calories a pop it is not even enough calories to be a meal for most people. More importantly, this isn't food! This bar is simply Too Good To Be Food. The list of ingredients is exhausting and far outweigh the benefits. So what are we to do when a meal is simply not an option? There are many real food bars to choose from such as Kind that are made of mostly nuts and fruit. However, I prefer even seeing these bars as snacks between meals when you need to bridge a long gap. Of course, there is always the best of option of being super prepared with small bags of homemade trail mix made of raw nuts, no sugar added dried fruit, air popped popcorn and a sprinkle of cinnamon. And for that chocolate peanut butter craving? Make apple slice sandwiches with a smear of natural peanut butter and sprinkle of cocoa. Yes! You can bring these in a little bag to work.

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 180 cal
Total Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 250 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 25 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 15 g
Protein: 10 g

Health Benefits of Cast Iron Cooking

ooking in cast iron is known to greatly increase the dietary source of iron. This is especially true when cooking foods high in acid, such as tomato based sauces. There is less of an effect for foods that are quickly fried in the skillet. As you might expect frequent stirring of food will also increase the amount of iron. Cooking in cast iron can often provide all of this element that a body needs.

The body needs iron because it is used in the blood. It is what carries oxygen from the lungs via the bloodstream to the rest of the body. It has been estimated that only 65 - 70% of Americans get enough iron. Low iron means that the blood does not efficiently circulate oxygen, causing a feeling of tiredness and sometimes head-aches. Extreme iron deficiency can cause anemia. Women are more prone to iron deficiency because of the loss of blood through menstruation.

Because iron can be lost through perspiration, athletes can also be subject to low iron. The excessive consumption of tea or coffee can inhibit the absorption of iron by the body.

It is possible to consume too much iron. Toxicity levels begin at about 45 milligrams per day. On an average diet it is highly unlikely that cooking with cast iron will bring a person to this level. Most people who achieve toxicity over-dose on iron supplements. Symptoms of too much iron are nausea, vomiting, damage to the lining of the intestinal tract, shock, and liver failure.

It should be noted that iron is stored in the body, so it can accumulate over time. The body has a very efficient system for recycling the old iron in discarded blood cells. If you have iron deficiency problems or possibly iron toxicity problems you should let your doctor know if you do use cast iron in your cooking and the extent in which it is used. It is well to reiterate that low iron is more likely to be a problem and cast iron cooking can be an inexpensive and satisfying way to solve this problem. If you do use cast iron consult your doctor before taking any other iron supplements.

Is Teflon Risky?

The amazingly slippery, heat-resistant plastic known as Teflon was discovered purely by accident by DuPont chemist Roy Plunkett in 1938. By 1950, the company was making a million pounds annually as a low-friction coating for bearings and gears. In 1960 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it for use in cookware. Today some 60% of all pots and pans in American kitchens are nonstick--to say nothing of muffin pans, cookie sheets, cake pans, deep fryers and waffle irons.

Unfortunately, it turns out that when Teflon is heated to over 600°, the coating can break down and release a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. The fumes can be fatal to pet birds. In humans, DuPont acknowledges, they can cause a reversible flulike condition called polymer-fume fever, first noted in the company's labs. In animals, though, PFOA can cause cancer, immune-system damage and death. And about 95% of all Americans have traces of PFOA in their blood.

No study has proved that cooking with Teflon is harmful to humans. But DuPont paid $107.6 million in 2004 to settle a lawsuit brought by some 50,000 people who lived along the Ohio River near its West Virginia plant. They claimed PFOA contamination had caused birth defects and other health problems. The company admitted no liability but in December 2005 made a settlement with the EPA based on eight violations for failing to disclose its own findings on the safety of PFOA. This April, hearings began in a class action against the company by nonstick-cookware users from 15 states. In January, an EPA advisory board labeled PFOA a likely human carcinogen.

The EPA has since asked DuPont and seven other companies that use PFOA to phase out the chemical. Although DuPont disputes the classification as a carcinogen and won't stop making Teflon, the company has pledged that by 2015, it will reduce the amount of PFOA used to make the coating and will guarantee that the chemical won't be released into the environment from DuPont manufacturing plants.

Yet in spite of all this, the agency website says, "At the present time, EPA does not believe there is any reason for consumers to stop using any consumer or industrial related products that contain PFOA." That's under normal use. You should not heat an empty nonstick pan to high temperatures or risk destabilizing the surface by plunging a hot pan into cold water, nor should you use nonstick pans for cooking at very high temperatures in general.

While nonstick cooking offers big benefits--ease of cleanup, drastically reduced need for oil--nobody has yet invented a coating that works as well as Teflon. But there's a low-tech solution that dates back hundreds of years: a good cast-iron skillet. It's cheaper than a coated pan, it browns food better, and as for the nonstick factor, when properly seasoned, it's nearly as good.

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