THE INGREDIENTS IN WE EAT: CRACKERS BISCUIT

Our post today is on biscuit but our area of focus is crackers biscuit. I will be using a popular crackers biscuit that I love eating; I am talking of BELOXXI CREAM CRACKERS.

What is crackers?

According to Wikipedia, cracker is a baked food typically made from flour. Flavorings or seasonings, such as salt, herbs, seeds, and/or cheese, may be added to the dough or sprinkled on top before baking. Crackers are often branded as a nutritious and convenient way to consume a staple food or cereal grain.

Ingredients found in BELOXXI CREAM CRACKERS: wheat flour, vegetable shortening, carotene, palm oil, sugar, glucose syrup, corn flour, salt, baking powder, vanilla flavouring.

NUTRITION FACTS OF THIS PRODUCT

Serving size 3pieces (21g)

Amount per serving

Calories 100 calories from fat 35

% DAILY VALUE

Total fat 4g 60%

Saturated fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 40mg 2%

Total carbohydrate 14g 5%

Sugar 3g

Protein 2g

Vitamin A 4%

Vitamin E 6%

*percentage daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

NOTE: this is information is for the small packet of the product that comes 3 pieces in a pack. Information may differ in other sizes of the biscuit.

LET’S LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS THAT ARE USED IN THE BISCUIT

1. Wheat Flour: it is a powder made from the grinding of wheat used for human consumption.

Health Benefits of Wheat

Controls Obesity (especially in women)

Wheat has a natural ability to control weight in everyone, but this ability is more pronounced among women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown through research that whole wheat, rather than refined form, is a good choice for obese patients.

Prevents Childhood Asthma:

Studies have stated that whole grains in the diet can lower the chances of childhood asthma to a great extent. The International Study on Allergy and Asthma in Childhood proved through numerous studies that a wheat-based diet has the capacity to lower chances of developing asthma by almost 50%.

Negative Effect of Wheat To The Health

Wheat Spikes Blood Sugar:

Products made from whole grains that contain more fiber are supposed to lead to slower rises in blood sugar. The problem is that whole grains aren’t always what they’re supposed to be. Often, they have been pulverized into very fine flour, which also gets digested quickly, leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar.

Wheat Contains Substances That “Steal” Nutrients from the Body:

Wheat contains a substance called phytic acid, which can reduce absorption of important minerals. It may also cause people to burn through their Vitamin D stores faster, contributing to deficiency.

2. Vegetable Shortening: Shortening is any fat that is solid at room temperature and used to make crumbly pastry and other food products. Shortening is used in pastries that should not be elastic. It is not refers to butter, but is more closely related to margarine.

Vegetable shortening is also made by a chemical process that changes some of the polyunsaturated fats in vegetable oil into saturated fats.

Health concerns of vegetable shortening

Vegetable shortening became the subject of some health concerns due to its traditional formulation from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that contain trans-fatty acids, or "trans fats", as these have been linked to a number of adverse health effects.

Trans Fats found in partially hydrogenated vegetable shortening raise low-density lipoproteins in bloodstream, according to the American Heart Association. Low-density lipoproteins can contribute to lipid blockages in blood vessels, increasing risk of heart attack, stroke and coronary artery disease.

Health benefits of vegetable shortening

While the shortening does supply two essential vitamins, and unsaturated fats, it does not supply anything in the way of other essential nutrients such as protein, fiber, iron or vitamin C. It also has some important drawbacks to consider.

Vitamin E: 1-tablespoon serving of vegetable shortening contains 0.78 milligrams of vitamin E. That is about 5 percent of the 15 milligrams one should aim to get in daily diet. Vitamin E plays a role in the production of red blood cells and aids the body in making proper use of vitamin K.

Vitamin K: According to the University OF Maryland Medical Center, One tablespoon of vegetable shortening provides 6.8 micrograms of vitamin K. That translates to about 8 percent of the 90 micrograms of vitamin K women need each day and about 6 percent of the 120 micrograms men need on a daily basis. Vitamin K is most notable for its role in properly clotting blood, but it has a small part in keeping bones healthy, as well.

2. Carotene: The term carotene is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals. Carotenes are responsible for the orange colour of the carrot, for which this class of chemicals is named, and for the colours of many other fruits, vegetables. They also impart the yellow coloration to milk-fat and butter.

Side effects of carotene

1. Skin discoloration (yellowing that eventually goes away)

Loose stools
Bruising
Joint pain

4. Palm oil: it is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms, primarily the African oil palm.

Palm oil is naturally reddish in color because of beta-carotene content. It is not to be confused with palm kernel oil derived from the kernel of the same fruit, or coconut oil derived from the kernel of the coconut palm. Palm oil is 41% saturated. It is one of the few highly saturated vegetable fats and is semi-solid at room temperature.

Health concerns of palm oil

Palm oil is also an important source of calories. Its overall health impacts, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease, are controversial and subject to ongoing research.

Much of the palm oil that is consumed as food is cooking oil, to some degree oxidized rather than in the fresh state, and this oxidation appears to be responsible for the health risk associated with consuming palm oil.

Cardiovascular disease: Several studies have linked palm oil to higher risks of cardiovascular disease including a 2005 study conducted in Costa Rica which indicated that replacing palm oil in cooking with polyunsaturated non-hydrogenated oils could reduce the risk of heart attacks and a 2011 analysis of 23 countries which showed that for each kilogram of palm oil added to the diet annually there was an increase in ischemic heart disease deaths.

5. Sugar: it is the generalized name for sweet, short-chain, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. They are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Side effects of eating sugar: There are other effects of eating sugar but I have listed only one, you can find more from the links on the references

Cardiovascular disease

Studies in animals have suggested that chronic consumption of refined sugars can contribute to metabolic and cardiovascular dysfunction. Some experts have suggested that refined fructose is more damaging than refined glucose in terms of cardiovascular risk

6. Glucose syrup: it is also known as confectioner's glucose, is syrup made from the hydrolysis of starch. Glucose is a sugar. Maize (corn) is commonly used as the source of the starch in the US, in which case the syrup is called corn syrup. Glucose syrup is also made from potatoes and wheat, and less often from barley, rice and cassava. Glucose syrup containing over 90% glucose is used in industrial fermentation, but syrups used in confectionery contain varying amounts of glucose, maltose Glucose syrup is used in foods to sweeten, soften texture and add volume. Its major uses in commercially prepared foods are as a thickener, sweetener, and humectant (an ingredient that retains moisture and thus maintains a food's freshness).

Health effect of glucose syrup

The American Heart Association warns that foods made with added sugars such as glucose syrup may lead to extra calories and weight gain. You don't need to cut sweet foods out of your diet altogether, however. For health and weight control, it is good daily intake of calories from sugar to 100 calories (for women) and men 150 calories, says the AHA.

7. Corn flour known as: Cornmeal, flour ground from dried maize

Corn starch ('cornflour' in the UK), the white, powdered starch of the maize grain,

Masa: the flour of hominy and Wheat starch, in Australia

Health benefit of corn flour

According to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.Corn flour is cholesterol free and a source of the phytonutrients and antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin,

8. Salt: salt is used in many cuisines around the world, Salt is also an ingredient in many manufactured foodstuffs. Table salt is a refined salt containing about 97 to 99 percent sodium chloride. Some table salt sold for consumption contain additives which address a variety of health concerns, especially in the developing world

9. Baking powder: it is a dry chemical leavening agent, a mixture of a carbonate or bicarbonate and a weak acid, and is used for increasing the volume and lightening the texture of baked goods. Baking powder works by releasing carbon dioxide gas into a batter or dough through an acid-base reaction, causing bubbles in the wet mixture to expand and thus leavening the mixture.

10. Vanilla flavouring: Vanilla extract is a solution containing the flavor compound vanillin as the primary ingredient. Pure vanilla extract is made by macerating and percolating vanilla pods in a solution of ethyl alcohol and water. Natural vanilla flavoring is derived from real vanilla beans with little to no alcohol. The maximum amount of alcohol that is usually present is only 2–3%.

Imitation vanilla extract contains vanillin, made either from guaiacol or from lignin, a byproduct of the wood pulp industry.

Conclusion: it is always good for one to know the content of what you are eating. That will help you know the quantity to consume on daily basis. Moderation is the best. For some of us that use to consume five packets of biscuits a day, you should know that the side effects of the ingredients are accumulating in your system and may affect you health wise. Parents that give a lot of biscuits to their kids please take note of the number packets you are giving to your kids. Remember that health is wealth and moderation is the key to a healthy living. Thanks for your attention.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla_extract

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking_powder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt#Edible_salt

http://www.livestrong.com/article/529595-the-nutrition-in-corn-flour/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/332993-what-is-glucose-syrup/

file:///C:/Users/USER/Desktop/Glucose%20syrup%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar#Health_effects

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_oil#Nutrition_and_health

https://authoritynutrition.com/6-ways-wheat-can-destroy-your-health/

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/cereal/wheat.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortening