Miracle Whip Calorie Wise has dressed itself up in some pretty impressive packaging as it emphasizes that it has 0 grams of trans fat, is low in saturated fat and has 83% less fat than mayonnaise, while also containing 25% less calories than regular Miracle Whip. So how does Miracle Whip Calorie Wise really look once we take off all of that pretty packaging?
Miracle Whip Calorie Wise contains the following ingredients:
Ingredients: Water, soybean oil, glucose-fructose, vinegar, sugar, modified cornstarch, salt, whole egg, egg yolks, corn dextrin (thickener), mustard, micro-crystalline cellulose (thickener), spices, potassium sorbate (maintains quality), xanthan gum (thickener), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (thickener), calcium disodium EDTA (maintains flavour), dried garlic.
Miracle Whip Calorie Wise can seem like a great alternative to those that want the mayonnaise flavour without the fat and calories that go along with either the original or plain mayonnaise. I can even remember my mom would make a macaroni salad and would specifically use Miracle Whip Calorie Wise to cut the fat and the calories. It can be a simple adjustment to your recipe and does contains less calories and fat, so it definitely seems promising. But is it? I hope that I can provide you with some important facts about this product so that you can make an informed decision when you make your next purchase. So let’s get started, shall we!
They just replaced the fat with sugar!
First off, when something packages itself as low fat, this usually means they have also added something to it because they obviously want it to taste as good as its “regular fat” counterpart. This ingredient is usually sugar (or a sweetener like sugar) along with a whole host of other ingredients that may be best avoided altogether.
When we compare this Miracle Whip Calorie Wise product with the regular Miracle Whip product it is important to note that the difference in calories is 10, however the sugar and sodium content has increased. Since every gram of fat contains 9 calories and every gram of carbohydrate contains 4 calories it seems like they have replaced some of the fat with sugar and just this switch alone helped to bring down the calorie count slightly so they could use this to their marketing advantage.
The product is processed, packaged and shipped off to a store near you claiming that it is healthier because much of the fat has been removed, but they fail to mention the added sugar and sodium. Unfortunately, fat still seems to be on a lot of people’s hit list and many people are misguided in their fear of fat. If you want a refresher on the history of fat and just how beneficial good fat is for your very survival, then I highly suggest you read THIS ARTICLE which breaks down fat. The conclusion is that fat is actually good and eating fat is usually not as much of a problem for weight management as eating sugar is!
Miracle Whip Ingredients Undressed:
EDTA:
One ingredient that is added into this Miracle Whip Calorie Wise product is calcium disodium EDTA which is used to preserve freshness and enhance the flavour of foods. Unfortunately, according to Mira and Jason Clayton, authors of Rich Food, Poor Food, it may also lead to nutrient depletion as it pulls out both good and bad minerals and disturbs your gut bacteria.
Soybean Oil:
Soybean oil is an oil used mainly in processed foods because it is cheap to use and manufacture as well as it is easy to source. It is typically highly refined and if it is partially or fully hydrogenated, it is best to avoid.
One of the major issues with soybean oil is the fact that it is likely genetically modified (most soybean crops are in North America). There are many concerns about GMO’s which I won’t get into detail about here but, I thought that this still warrants mentioning because there haven’t been conclusive studies proving GMO’s are safe for human consumption when consumed cumulatively, in multiple foods, and with different individuals (e.g. kids).
In addition, soybean oil from Roundup Ready soy is loaded with glyphosate, which is the main ingredient in Roundup, the broad-spectrum herbicide created by Monsanto. When glyphosate is applied to crops such as soybean crops, they become systemic throughout the plant, meaning it cannot be washed off. And once you eat this crop, the glyphosate ends up in your gut, where it can alter your beneficial gut bacteria. This can then wreak havoc on your immune system as 70-80% of your immune system resides in your gut and is dependent on a good ratio of good to bad bacteria.
Even if the soybean oil is labeled as organic and therefore not GMO, it is still an oil that is best left out of an ingredient list. One reason is the particularly high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, as most of the fat in soybean oil is omega-6. Now, while we do need some omega-6 fat in our diets, we often consume far too much of it. It is essential that we have a good balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fats. Most people in North America get far too many omega-6 fats and not enough omega-3 fats (leading to an imbalance). According to Dr. Mercola, when we consume too much omega-6 fat (like that found in soybean oil), it promotes chronic inflammation in the body, which is an underlying issue for many chronic diseases.
Glucose-Fructose:
This is the third ingredient listed on the product and for those that are not aware of what exactly glucose-fructose means, you may know it as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). If you would like a brief refresher on what glucose-fructose is, please see THIS ARTICLE. According to Dr. Hyman, because of the way in which HFCS is processed, it can lead to increased metabolic disturbances that may drive an increase in appetite (what many people purchasing this product are trying to avoid), contribute to weight gain (again, what many people purchasing this product are trying to avoid), diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and more.
Further, HFCS requires more energy to be absorbed by the gut and depletes our body’s energy source, known as ATP. ATP in the gut is required to maintain the integrity of our intestinal lining. The intestinal lining should consist of tight junctions, which work to prevent food and bacteria from “leaking” across the intestinal membrane and triggering an immune reaction and inflammation throughout the body. HFCS due to the nature of its chemical makeup may create holes in the intestinal lining, thus reducing these tight junctions. This allows for partially digested food particles and other toxic gut bacteria to enter the blood stream and trigger inflammation. Naturally occurring fructose that is found in fruit luckily does not seem to have the same effect because of other important nutrients and fiber in the fruit. Therefore, if HFCS causes increased intestinal permeability, this could lead to body-wide inflammation.
In closing, Miracle Whip Calorie Wise contains more sugar and sodium than its regular counterpart, and it contains other potentially harmful ingredients such as EDTA, soybean oil and HFCS. These ingredients combined with the added sugar and sodium will not likely aid in weight loss as alluded to by the “calorie wise” claim. Specifically, the HFCS found in this product may actually increase one’s appetite and may contribute to weight gain! Nutrition experts are now agreeing that sugar (and HFCS) often have more of an impact on weight gain than fat does. Knowing what is in your food is a great step towards making better choices and becoming a more informed consumer.
If you are looking for a great healthy alternative, here is a delicious and simple mayonnaise recipe that actually looks good naked: Organic Mayonnaise Recipe
