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1/20/2011

Food Labeling: An Anecdote

Yesterday, in the interest of not losing more weight, I picked up some chocolate covered pretzels while I was at the drug store.  I wanted chocolate, but I also wanted something that felt a little more snack-like than, say, a Snickers.  Plus, chocolate- or yogurt-covered pretzels aren't really a problem for me.  Any person with an eating disorder has plenty but PLENTY of foods that someone might look at and go, "Really?  You have no problem eating that?  But you won't eat [less logically frightening food]??"

Anyway.  Pretzels and I are okay.

As I was putting about the third pretzel in my mouth, I saw this:


Being a good little sleuth, I followed the asterisk.  I saw this:


So then I figured I'd see exactly what the "flavor" came from.  I saw this:



Okay, I thought, at least cocoa is ON there.  Though by its place in the *cough* "confectionery coating" ingredients list, it's maybe 5% of the coating.  Then, just for kicks, I took a gander at the nutritional info, with my finger covering the calorie info.  


Now, listen.  Fat and I have no problem.  We're BFF.  Yesterday I told my doctor that I'm basically subsisting on bananas, low-sodium V8, walnuts, almonds, and white chocolate right now.

But that?  Up there?  "Confectionery coating" is not worth THAT.  


I went back out and got an overpriced, imported dark chocolate bar.  It was the least I could do.