Weight Watchers has come under scrutiny in Australia over its sale of trans fatty desserts. While the news has not “traveled” to the US yet, someday it will.
In the future, I will be blogging from foodaroo.wordpress.com From time to time, I may post something to Buddyslim.
Enjoy!
http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,,21917516-5006009,00.html
By Clair Weaver
June 17, 2007 12:00am
A POPULAR range of Weight Watchers desserts is made with harmful hydrogenated fat, which is known to put consumers at risk of heart disease.
The company uses what nutritionists have described as “bad fats” in its custards and chocolate mousse to give them a “whipped” texture.
But Weight Watchers’ nutrition adviser Emma Stirling said hydrogenated fat was difficult to avoid, even though it had no nutritional benefit.
“There are some products, from a food technology point of view, that have very few options,” she said.
Latest research shows that most Australian women are unaware that heart disease is their number one killer, despite an average of 31 females dying from it every day.
On its website, Weight Watchers explains the difference between good and bad fats.
“If you are confused then firstly recognise that `damaged fats’ are oils which have been over-refined and hydrogenated (which means oils are hardened),” it states. “This means that healthy unsaturated oils have been transformed into unhealthy saturated fats.”
Ironically, a main ingredient in at least three of its desserts is hydrogenated vegetable oil. They can only claim to be low in fat because they are bulked out when water and air are added.
Nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton, a former consultant to Weight Watchers, is an outspoken critic of the “offensive” diet products.
“It was the products that turned me off,” Dr Stanton said. “I think they have the potential to ruin the good work they (Weight Watchers) are doing. These products don’t fit with the program.
“Ultimately, I think people need to learn to eat real food in appropriate quantities.”
Dr Stanton believes consumers would be better off making real chocolate mousse from eggs, chocolate, sugar and cream and sharing it with friends than eating “fake” mousse from hydrogenated fat, which should be avoided.
She is currently preparing a presentation on the sustainability of foods.
“We have got to stop using resources to produce this airy-fairy food,” she said.
“Much of the world’s population starves because they don’t have the resources to feed themselves, whereas we produce these foods that have little or no nutritional value just so we can eat more. I really find it quite offensive.”
Ms Stirling defended the desserts, saying Weight Watchers was “always asking our licensees to improve the nutritional contents of our products”.
It was also likely the recipes would be altered or re-formulated in the next few months, Ms Stirling said.
However, she insisted the products were not a significant source of trans fats, which are believed to be the most dangerous type of fat.
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