600lb Gorillas Chocolate Chip Cookies: Too Good To Be Food?

Kids are screaming for cookies, no time to whip up a batch, hmm... What about these bad boys?  The box reads, "No hydrogenated oils, no trans fats, no artificial anything," (Really?)  "All natural," and "Kosher," and made with semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips, and wow, even though they're frozen I don't have to make the whole box. I can just pop two in the toaster oven.  Sounds good to this busy mom, but is it too good to be food?

What is in it?

Unbleached, non-bromated, enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin (emulsifier), salt and vanilla), brown sugar, butter, sugar, milk chocolate, soybean oil, whole milk, whole eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt.

●        Wheat flour: flour that contains only the endosperm of the wheat kernel, the least nutritionally dense portion. It contains very little fiber. 

●        Malted barley flour: flour that provides a sweet flavor and assists in the fermentation action of yeast. It plays a role in beer production and the leavening of baked goods.  Similar to wheat flour, this flour is refined.

●        Niacin: simply another name for vitamin B3.

●        Reduced iron: a food additive that is an absorbable form of iron.

●        Thiamine mononitrate: is the form of vitamin B1 that is added to foods to enrich them.

●        Riboflavin: simply another name for Vitamin B2.

●        Folic acid: another name for vitamin B9.  Folic acid helps the body make healthy new cells.  This is especially important during prenatal years to help prevent birth defects.

●        Sugar: is well, sugar.  No nutritional value here. 

●        Chocolate liquor: one of the main ingredients in chocolate.  Paired with cocoa butter to give chocolate a smooth, velvety texture and deep flavor.

●        Cocoa butter: the fatty substance obtained from cocoa beans and used to manufacture candy and cosmetics.

●        Milk fat: is the fatty portion of milk.

●        Soy lecithin: is an emulsifier and stabilizer derived from soybeans that keeps foods from separating. This ingredient mimics the binding effects of eggs, and gives dressings and sauces a consistent texture. Soy lecithin is a good source of choline, a nutrient that may improve nervous system function and protect against memory disorders such as Alzheimer's.  This is not a hydrogenated form of soy but keep in mind most soy is GMO.

●        Salt: is a natural preservative and is often added for flavor. 

●        Vanilla: is a substance obtained from vanilla beans used to enhance flavor or smell.  Does not contain ethyl alcohol.

●        Brown sugar: is sugar with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses.

●        Butter: is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk.

●        Soybean oil: is extracted using a solvent extraction that simply separates the oil from the soybeans. This secondary product of soybeans can add moisture to the product and improves the mouth feel. It is inexpensive and widely used in food products, but keep in mind most soy products are GMOs.

●        Whole milk: milk provides calcium and protein, as well as a creamy taste. Whole milk has not had any saturated fat removed.

●        Whole egg: is the entire egg, including both the whites and the yolk.

●        Vanilla extract: is a solution containing the compound vanillin. It is made by macerating vanilla beans and soaking them in ethyl alcohol and water.

●        Baking soda: is sodium bicarbonate, it is an alkaline substance used as a leavening agent.

The Bottom Line:
600lb Gorilla isn't Too Good to Be Food!  Take a bite out of these and you won't be getting any hydrogenated oils, colors, dyes, high fructose corn syrup, unhealthy preservatives, gums, and artificial sweeteners found in many store bought products.  But don't get overzealous just yet...there are a whole lot of ingredients in these cookies.  If you are looking for a pre-made, conscious indulgence, these are an okay choice.  However, there is nothing better than whipping together some whole wheat flour, coconut oil, dark chocolate chips, brown sugar, a fresh egg, and a little baking soda for a hot out of the oven homemade treat! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1 cookie
Calories: 130
Calories from fat: 60
Total fat: 7 g
Saturated fat: 3.5 g
Cholesterol:  10 mg
Sodium: 85 mg
Total carbohydrates: 16 g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 8 g
Protein: 2 g