Thursday, January 27, 2011

Real vs Fake, Part Deux - "Non Dairy Creamer"

Next up in our discussion of real versus fake foods is non-dairy creamer.



 So many people use this stuff daily - previously, myself included - that you'd think we'd be more aware of what this non-food really contains. The bottle tells the whole story, too. The one I've chosen doesn't even HAVE the word dairy on  it. They just call it a generic term "coffee creamer" Instant red flag. Look at the back label for the verdict:

Ingredient list: Corn syrup solids, Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (coconut, palm kernel or hydrogenated soybean), sodium caseinate (a milk derivative but not a source of lactose), Dipotassium phosphate, mono- and digycerides, artificial flavor and annatto color.”

So what is it? Corn syrup solids? That's sugar. Partially hydrogenated veg oil? That's your key right there...anything partially hydrogenated is a trans fat.  Sodium caseinate ( a milk derivative - how can it be non-dairy if it has a milk derivative in it?? ) is added to make it feel more like creamy milk in your mouth. You've got some stabilizing chemicals, then artificial flavor ( could be just about anything! ) and then annatto color, which is a food colorant made from annatto seeds ( pretty harmless ).

Bottom line? You are adding sweetened trans fat to your coffee. Ugh. Your poor little heart is saying "Help me! Help me!" every time you sip your coffee.

Do yourself and your heart a favor. Clean up your diet instantly by removing non-dairy creamer from your routine. Buy a small container of real milk - 4% high test if you want, 1% or skim would be better - and organic, please...no use cleaning up your diet only to add the suspicious chemicals and hormones found in non-organic milks.

There is nothing wrong with coffee. It is a clean food. Coffee bean grounds steeped in hot water. However - it is the additions you make to your coffee that turn it from clean to unclean. Be careful, and be choosy.  

Question your choices. Examine your routine, and look at each "Well, I always eat that!" with a careful eye.