Oscar Mayer recently posted this full page ad in Newsweek claiming that their new Deli Creations Flatbread Sandwich kits are "blogworthy".
Blogworthy? Yes. But not for good reasons.
In the ad OM brags that each sandwich is under 350 calories. Well FYI Oscar Mayer, calorie count does not determine health-value.
There are five flavors to choose from. I decided to analyze what sounded like the healthiest option. But none of the flavors pass the healthy test.
Let's take a look at the label provided by the Oscar Mayer Deli Creations website....
EEK. This ingredients list is really long. Check it out:
OSCAR MAYER DELI CREATIONS FLATBREAD SANDWICH SUN DRIED TOMATO CHICKEN
Ingredients: GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS WITH RIB MEAT - CURED - CHICKEN BREAST WITH RIB MEAT, WATER, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF CHICKEN FLAVOR (CONTAINS CHICKEN BROTH, SALT, WHEAT STARCH, FLAVOR, THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE), POTASSIUM LACTATE, SALT, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, DEXTROSE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM LACTATE, SODIUM DIACETATE, LEMON JUICE SOLIDS, SODIUM ASCORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR. CONTAINS: WHEAT. FLATBREAD - ENRICHED BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR (FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, GLYCERINE, SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: YEAST, VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SALT, SOY LECITHIN, GUAR GUM, CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE, DATEM, CALCIUM PROPIONATE, SODUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, XANTHAN GUM, ENZYME, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR. CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY. SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE - WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, SUGAR, DEHYDRATED SUN-DRIED TOMATO GRANULES, DISTILLED VINEGAR, TOMATOES, EGG YOLKS, SALT, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2%, ROASTED GARLIC, PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), BLEND OF GRANULAR AND ROMANO CHEESE ([SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES], WHEY, WATER, LACTIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE), MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, PARSLEY, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL FLAVOR, DRIED TORULA YEAST, SODIUM BENZOATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVES), SPICES, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (FOR COLOR), XANTHAN GUM, OLEORESIN PAPRIKA, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ALGINATE, CARAMEL COLOR, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA AS A PRESERVATIVE. CONTAINS: EGG, MILK, SHREDDED ITALIAN-STYLE THREE CHEESE BLEND - 2% MILK REDUCED FAT NATURAL MOZZARELLA CHEESE (PASTEURIZED NONFAT MILK AND MILKFAT, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES, VITAMIN A PALMITATE), 2% MILK REDUCED FAT PROVOLONE CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, ENZYMES), PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT AND ENZYMES), CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF POTATO STARCH, WATER, CELLULOSE POWDER AS AN ANTICAKING AGENT, CALCIUM SULFATE, SALT, NATAMYCIN (PRESERVATIVE). CONTAINS: MILK.
Now lets check the label:
calories: 330
fat:13 grams
saturated fat: 4 grams, 20% RDA
carbs: 31 grams
protein: 23 grams
sodium: 720 grams, 31% RDA
fiber: 1 gram
cholesterol: 55 grams, 18% RDA
BOTTOM LINE: Zippo fiber, too much sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol and chemical preservatives/additives. Too many not natural ingredients. Is this lunch of a chemistry experiment?
So I'm sorry Oscar Mayer, but my blog is probably not what you intended. Maybe you underestimated the standards of bloggers and blog readers.
Read my post on bad food additives to avoid.