There’s an old adage in the nutrition world, “If it looks like a cookie and it tastes like a cookie…it’s a cookie.” Well, leave it to the makers of WhoNu? “Nutrition Rich” Cookies to indelibly justify this cliche.
WhoNu? Cookies are the brainchild of some packaged food folks who want to take the confusion out of eating well. You like cookies. Cookies aren’t good for you. Let’s make a cookie that we pretend is good for you.
Infantile spelling of the product name aside, the uninspired mechanisms by which these cookies claim to be “nutritious” are plastered about the loud orange packaging:
OK, let’s break this down:
- As much fiber as a bowl of oatmeal!
Yeah but that fiber isn’t from whole grains or any other naturally occurring source of fiber, it’s from an isolated, functional fiber – the type that we’re not even sure conveys health benefits. (Read more about fake fibers here.)
- As much calcium and vitamin D as an 8 oz glass of milk!
Never mind that there’s no data indicating supplemental calcium is any more well-absorbed than naturally occurring sources, aren’t there some other redeeming qualities to milk: protein, phosphorus, vitamin A, etc?
- As much Vitamin C as a cup of blueberries!
Big deal, all fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamin C. Eat them to get your needs.
- As much iron as a cup of spinach!
There’s not really that much iron in a cup of raw spinach, which is what it looks like they’re comparing in the picture. A cup of cooked spinach or an animal flesh food that’s actually high in heme iron – the more easily absorbed type of iron? Now we’re talking.
- As much Vitamin E as two cups of carrot juice!
Because vitamin E is widespread in vegetable oils – and we all eat too much oil – there’s no concern about Americans not meeting vitamin E needs.
- As much Vitamin B12 as a cup of cottage cheese and fruit!
A well-balanced diet has plenty of vitamin B12 – and if you get too much of it, it’s a water-soluble vitamin, so you just pee out the excess. Great selling point.
- As much vitamin A as an 8 oz glass of tomato juice!
Drink a cup of milk for vitamin A – not a one cup serving of tomato juice that has more than half of your daily sodium allotment.
Wait, so these cookies really aren’t that good for you? Well, if you have been offended and/or duped by the nutritious claims of the WhoNu? cookie product, consider contacting this forward-thinking law firm, who appear to be soliciting like-minded individuals for a class action lawsuit: Meiselman, Denlea, Packman, Carton & Eberz P.C. Attorneys at Law.
No doubt, eating right isn’t always easy. But you don’t have to be stupid about it either. And thinking you can eat a cookie instead of a well-balanced diet full of whole grains, lean protein and fresh fruits and vegetables? Sounds stupid. Who knew?
