Have you been starting off your day with a hot cup of plastic ?
General Interest
12 The MAG Vung Tau
Have you been starting off your day with a hot cup of plastic ?
Colleen Winterburn
COFFEE-MATE was introduced in 1961 as the first “ non-dairy creamer ” on the market , and today it remains the most popular such product in the world . Manufactured by Nestlé out of Glendale , California .
But what the hell is COFFEE-MATE ? Mostly , it ’ s sugar and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil ( which contains trans fats ).
So why does the label say , “ trans fat free ?” And why in the world do people drink this stuff ?
In many parts of the world , COFFEE-MATE must be called not creamer but “ whitener ,” as the label of “ cream ” misleadingly implies a dairy product . Whether you call it whitener or creamer , one thing is probably true ; you don ’ t know what it is . No one seems to know what gives COFFEE-MATE that creamy texture without any dairy . The first tip-off that something is amiss in the world of COFFEE-MATE is that the product ’ s ingredients are not listed on its website . So what is in it ? Ingredients of COFFEE-MATE Original ( Liquid ): Water : H20 : Corn syrup solids : Used mostly in imitation dairy foods , corn syrup is a type of sugar ( mostly dextrose ) that is made from cornstarch . Partially hydrogenated soy-bean and / or cotton seed oil : All partially hydrogenated oils contain high levels of trans fats , which are brutal to your body . These cheap , human-tweaked fats were adopted heartily by grocery manufacturers in the 1970 ’ s , a move that some say helped to kick off the American obesity epidemic . Soy bean oil is perhaps the worst , as some contend that it depresses the thyroid gland and lowers your energy level .
However : COFFEE-MATE is legally allowed to say it is “ trans fat free ” because the serving size is so small . But don ’ t be fooled : COFFEE-MATE contains trans fats ! Sodium casein-ate : A milk protein that contains no lactose , stabilized to have a longer shelf life . It is a major component of cheese and provides many nutrients and essential amino acids . Mono- and digycerides : Simply put , these are fats . They are emulsifying agents used to extend shelf life , and you will often see them in foods that also contain trans fats . In fact , some nutritionists are calling them “ the next trans fats .” Dipotassium phosphate : Also known as phosphoric acid , this water-soluble salt prevents coagulation and is “ generally regarded as safe ” by the FDA – aka it ’ s been in use since the 50 ’ s . Carrageenan : Extracted from red seaweeds , this food additive is a type of vegan gelatin and has been in use for hundreds of years .
If the fact that the oil is mixed with metal AND THEN WE CONSUME IT doesn ’ t gross you out , the molecular structure of the oil in this new state has a closer resemblance to plastic than oil . In fact , you only have to change one molecule in order for this “ oil ” to become plastic !
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT YOUR BODY HAS TO DO IN ORDER TO PROCESS THIS ALMOST PLASTIC SUBSTANCE THROUGH YOUR BLOODSTREAM ?!
It ’ s no wonder why trans fat causes all sorts of health problems . It raises your bad cholesterol ( LDL ), lowers your good cholesterol ( HDL ), clogs your arteries ( imagine soaking up dry flour with a sponge ), is a major contributor to type 2 diabetes , and it ’ s been linked directly to coronary heart disease .
Now with all this chemical jargon , I need to pause for a moment and interject some common sense here . I am not saying that if you drink coffee creamer you ’ ll get heart disease , diabetes or high cholesterol . I ’ m not saying that at all . What I am saying is that coffee creamer is comprised of a key ingredient THAT DOES cause heart disease , diabetes and high cholesterol .
I honestly didn ’ t think that oil was in my coffee creamer . Those manufacturers are sneaky . They ’ ll do whatever it takes to make their products taste good . I can ’ t even imagine how many other products in my pantry have some sort of trans fat in them .
So a simple first step is to drink half and half instead . The ingredients are simple : whole milk and cream .