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Kashi helps decode ingredients
Want to know what those strange ingredients are on the label? Kashi has a downloadable, pocket-sized decoder to help you.
Tue, Feb 03 2009 at 2:51 PM
Kashi offers a downloadable ingredient decoder on PDF form on their website that you can print out and take to the grocery store with you to help decipher those strange ingredients on any food label. Using a thumbs-up or thumbs -down system, the decoder helps you to easily identify ingredients that you want to consider avoiding. In addition to the thumbs, each ingredient has information on what it is derived from and why it's desirable or not.From ACESFULFAME-K (thumbs down) to ZINC OXIDE (thumbs up), this alphabetical list will come in handy when you're looking at a product that claims to be healthy, all-natural, or made with natural ingredients yet has a science text book list of ingredients.
Edited on 2/4/09 for additional information
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Kashi cereals include so-called 'natural flavors'. The FDA permits a wide range of animal, yeast, fungal, and plant material in the natural flavor category, including hydrolysates (for example, yeast hydrolysate is a substitute for MSG), and fermented substances. Does the decoder ring decipher these contents in Kashi products?
There is a link in the first sentence to the decoder, unfortunately, there seems to be a problem with their site right now.
Here's the link if you want to try it:
http://kashi.com/keepitreal/decoder
Sounds good. Why not include a way an interested reader can obtain a decoder? A link or website address would be nice.
Reading over my post, it does look like the guide would just have a thumbs up or thumbs down. Sorry about that. In fact, each ingredient not only has a thumbs up or a thumbs down, AND an explanation as to what it is, where it comes from, and why it's desirable or not.
I'm going to edit the post to reflect that.
That is very cool, but being someone who doesn't fully understand why one is bad and the other is not it would be better if they gave some explanation as to why one is good and the other is not.
In the past the American public has relied on the FDA to make choices for them. Deciding what is acceptable (good or at least not harmful) and what is not. Clearly they haven't done such a good job.
As a result I am reluctant to trust Kashi's sole judgment on this.