What's Behind The Labels: Cellulose

Now that I have to read every single label thoroughly, now that I have to know exactly what is going into my body, I am amazed at what I'm learning about what used to go into my body when I assumed all food was good food. Which begins a rant and a bit of a soap box, because the average American has no idea what he is eating or how bad that food is for him.

So today begins a series of "What *SAD Eaters Need To Know" now titled "What's Behind the Labels Post One" and I will have a new post every Saturday until I run out of topics I feel passionately mad about.

*SAD=Standard American Diet

Do you know what you are eating?
If you are consuming a SADiet I am betting you don't--or if you do and are continuing to eat in educated but denying bliss--I am going to give you something to think about.

Do you believe humans were meant to eat wood? You know, the stuff growing in your backyard with bark and leaves? Yeah, that stuff...beavers gnaw their way through it...so do some rodents...but I'm really not aware of anyone who just grabbed a branch and ate it. Oh wait. I do know someone. Me...and you...and anyone who has recently consumed any prepackaged product.

You see, if you read labels, and I do now, you may have ran across the word cellulose...and you like me probably decided it was a plant derivative of some kind. It is. Wood to be exact. Powdered wood flour. I'm not sure we were ever intended to eat that stuff...

But in a marketing stroke of genius (or evil plotting depending on how paranoid you are about the FDA/Pharmaceutical relationship) it was discovered that using cellulose (wood) in products the fat could be reduced thus allowing companies to label things low-fat. It also enabled them to make their product stretch farther meaning more profit.

Don't believe me? Read this article.
Don't have the time to read the whole article? I did. Making it so much easier for me to stay raw today. Here's the cliff notes: (And if you care about your intestines and health start reading labels...maybe start scratching those items off the grocery list)
quoted from article: "Cellulose is virgin wood pulp that has been processed and manufactured to different lengths for functionality, though use of it and its variant forms (cellulose gum, powdered cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, etc.) is deemed safe for human consumption, according to the FDA, which regulates most food industry products. The government agency sets no limit on the amount of cellulose that can be used in food products meant for human consumption. The USDA, which regulates meats, has set a limit of 3.5% on the use of cellulose, since fiber in meat products cannot be recognized nutritionally." does this mean if it can't be counted nutritionally in meat that it probably shouldn't be counted as nutritional in other foods either?

The lawsuit filed against Taco Bell exposing just what is/isn't in their beef, exposed much much more.

Exactly which of your fav foods contain cellulose? Here are the fifteen worst offenders by brand:
1. Aunt Jemima (owned by Pepsi):
2.Kellogg's:
3. Weight Watchers International:
4. General Mills:
5. McDonalds

6. Sara Lee's

7. Taco Bell

8. Jack in the Box

9. Kraft

10. Pizza Hut

11. Wendy's

12. Arby's

13. Sonic

14. Dole

15. KFC

16. Nestle

** Individual product items are listed at the above link