I posted about the fat in "Go Max Go" vegan candy bars awhile back (here), was called a "Food Nazi." Today, the American Heart Association released sugar intake daily recommendations that provide evidence for considering "Go Max Go" vegan candy bars a DOUBLE hit on your cardiovascular system. My original post was about the very high added oil/fat content in these products. Now, we know that it's also the sugar content that is threatening to our health.
The stodgy and conservative A.H.A. recommends no more than 100 calories from sugar per day for women, 150 calories per day for men. Here's some translations of note (primary source):
2) 1 teaspoon of sugar contains around 15 or 16 calories (4.2 grams of sugar)
3) 8 teaspoons of sugar (like, one 12 oz. can of soda) is 33 grams (around 130 calories)
4) 8 teaspoons of sugar is a little over 2.5 Tablespoons of sugar (1/2 cup of sugar)
AHA recommendations: max daily of 37.5 grams of sugar for men, 25 grams for women
Twilight: 29 grams of sugar (over a day's worth for a woman)
Buccaneer: 33 grams of sugar (over a day's worth for a woman and close to that of a man)
Mahalo: 18 grams of sugar
So, if you want an extremely high-fat high-sugar nutritionally useless vegan "treat" that has potential impact on you manifesting obesity, Type II Diabetes, and/or Heart Disease, I highly recommend "Go Max Go" candy bars. They are very effective fat and sugar delivery vehicles, and the most important bonus, they taste gud!
THE RANT: going vegan doesn't mean that using vegan "crappy food products" instead of the original "non-vegan crappy food products" is better for all animals. The animal not being saved, exchanging one taste addiction for another, is the human animal.
Something to think about the next time you read a recipe with 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of olive oil or Earth "Balance," and/or tablespoons of Tamari. Added fat, sugar, and salt are the "unholy trio." We vegans can, without knowing it, kill ourselves by what we eat by ignoring the "trio" just as efficiently and unknowingly as the omnivores doing the same. The only difference is that they increase their odds of disease by ingesting animal products and less fresh produce, and as a vegan, you can decrease the odds, but if you pay attention to added fat, salt, and sugar, you can drastically reduce those odds.
Just because a product is vegan, doesn't mean it's healthy. You newbies out there have a unique opportunity: this knowledge is readably available through the Internet, demonstrated by Science in recent years (known by such as Esselstyn, Ornish, Barnard, and McDougall for decades), and you lucky b*st*rds can take advantage of this early in life, extend your life, and enhance the quality of your later life... believe me, it's worth the initial effort.
All you need is a little discipline and will power to re-calibrate your tastebuds and food desires. The same abilities you used to become vegan in the first place. Reject what vegan and non-vegan companies would have you buy to fullfill your addiction, increase their profits, and instead, reboot your tastes.
"GO" for "MAXimum" health and optimal nutrition: stop buying and consuming unhealthy vegan products. Your heart, pancreas, brain, libido, and body, will thank you, and serve you even better.
Hi Mark,
I have been assisting a friend who got a scare when he visited his doctor recently i.e. high blood pressure, overweight etc.
An older man I advised him to stick to unproccessed foods and cut back on the beer and increase the plant foods. Although he still eats a little steamed fish or chicken breast of an evening mainly he has vastly increased his consumption of veggies (raw and steamed), beans and now he eats fruits. As a result he has already lost 9kg in about 6 weeks. He still has about 10 kg to go but he is enjoying the foods he is eating so this is sustainable diet . He uses no oil what so ever, no nuts (because he can't stop at a few)and the occasional avocado. I keep on emphasising to him to steer clear of processed foods. In addition he is walking close about 8km a day.
This story just confirms what you and I both know i.e. the vast benefits of a whole food low fat plant based diet. It's a message that's worth shouting about.
[Ah, Peter, you made my day... you are clearly a good friend for your friend and thanks so much for your comment... yup... it's the added fat AND the added sugar/and/or/salt that does it, whether vegan or not. The sooner the community realizes this the better.
I fear it will be an uphill slog as the word "moderation" is misunderstood, and too many people (and vegans) are addicted to added fat, sugar, and salt.
We do what we can... thanks again! Best regards, Mark]
Posted by: Peter | 2009.08.27 at 17:18