Just read a post about Dr. Cow's Cheese from the generally nutritionally oblivious blogger at:
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/11/dr-cow-tree-nut-raw-vegan-cheese.html
The blogger wrote, quoting directly from the Dr. Cow's website, that the "cheese" is low fat. Note that the product's website provides NO nutritional information on their products (just ingredients, why?). How does she know it's "low in fat?" She just posted some of the website text. How useful! What a fine bit of research in recommending this product. She even had the audacity to claim she was posting the "complete nutritional info" regarding the cheese.
Bull$hit. What's the fat and sodium content per serving? Information not available. I couldn't find it doing basic web searches.
The cheese? It's basically ground up nuts. And if mostly cashews, for example, than two tablespoons (1 ounce) would amount to 12 grams of fat. I'm guessing twice as much for a normal serving of that "low fat cheese." That's about a third of a day's worth of fat according to the American Heart Association (on a 2,000 calorie diet, 60 grams of fat per day), and a day's worth according to the guys who reversed heart disease through diet (Dean Ornish and Caldwell Esselstyn).
This kind of mindless parroting of a product's website PR without a little bit of research into the actual nutritional profile of a product being reviewed irritates the hell outta me. Kathy should be ashamed by making such "low fat claims" and that she's either too lazy or doesn't care enough to do better. IMHO, one shouldn't take ANY food product review seriously unless the reviewer has shown some respect for his/her readers and done the basic nutritional profile research and provided same.
Just because it tastes "gud" and the product's website says it's "healthy" isn't enough. I'd like to think that most people are smarter than this. And Dr. Cow is negligent in not providing nutritional information about their products. Kat is negligent in buying into it. It's NOT low-fat. Can't be, judging from the ingredients list.
It's not the taste that matters, it's what's IN what you eat that does. Read the labels. Ignore the silly blogger.
You need to relax and try to get out more. You accusing another blogger of being ignorant and irrelevant is a bit of a pot and kettle situation. Besides, Dr. Cow cheese is the best thing to happen to vegan food choices since vegenaise.
[Sorry to spoil your fun, but I have science facts and measurements on my side, as well as the only two people to reverse heart disease. Until you can do the same, I trust their opinion.
As to it being the best thing: hogwash. Fat is fat, and if people are willing to spend their money on buying processed fat (not even a real food) because it tastes good, well, that's their perrogative. Unfortunately, the coronary system runs on rules. Added fat promotes heart disease and fuels plaque that kills with strokes.
Appreciate your concerns for me, but I'm doing just fine. That you'd waste your time on this kind of comment tells me that perhaps you need find something else to do.
Also, anyone promoting any food product with knowing what's in it, isn't doing anyone any good. It's that kind of approach that part of the reason for the obesity epidemic.
Finally, you can make a very low fat (and nutritionally healthy) version of vegannise for pennies and in a few minutes. Guess vegannaise is great for people who don't know how to use a blender or food processor.
Mark]
Posted by: Richard McDonald | 2010.02.25 at 12:42
Here's the nutrition info (posted at Vegan Essentials)
http://www.veganessentials.com/catalog/dr-cows-tree-nut-cheese.htm
[Thanks... it wasn't available when I first did this post. Apparently Katy has update her post as well. I skimmed it quickly and I don't believe she's calling it low fat, although implying such by the cheeses she chose to compare.
Dr. Cow's Cheeses weigh-in at 7 grams of fat (1.5 saturated) per oz. Note that whole milk mozzarella has 6 grams of fat (4.0 grams saturated) per ounce. Cheddar (dairy) cheese: 9.4 grams of fat.
The thrust of my post is still valid. Kathy called this a "low fat" product without knowing whether it is or not, and it is not. Yes, it is significantly lower in saturated fat, though, but that wasn't the original statement.
Best regards and thanks again, Mark]
Posted by: Jane | 2010.02.07 at 15:29
So, what was your diet this week, with the nutritional breakdown?
I am interested in how to make your diet work for me as I wander through the minefield of my flexitarian diet.
[I don't keep notes on my diet, but I can tell you today's, and since there was no added sugar, salt, or fat (yeah, some in the tofu, but the slices were VERY thin), a nutritional breakdown isn't really useful:
Breakfast: grapefruit, local apple, and raisins fruit salad. Herbal teas until lunchtime.
Lunch: Pumpernickle bagel with grilled tofu and homemade sauerkraut, mixed lettuces with homemade fat-free dressing
Dinner: potato, sea vegetables, onion, carrot, collards, miso, and homegrown greens (green/red chard, shungiku, sorrel, garlic), some hot sauce, homegrown curly parsley (handful, chopped), oregano, soup, served on homemade wheat bread cubes. Simmered in crockette all day. Two helpings were consumed.
Local lager before meal, glass of chardonney during, merlot wine as late night desert.
Snack: Small tortilla with leftover grilled tofu slice with Dijon mustard (buffer for the alcohol).
A light day on the food side as I anticipated lesser physical activity (lotsa rain).
Thanks for your inquiry. I'm kinda swamped with stuff now, but would be willing to continue the dialogue if perchance it's useful to you. Maybe I should start keeping a diet diary to post if people are interested.
Anyway, hope that helps! It take around 14 weeks or so of no fat to re-calibrate taste buds. I been doing this for almost 3 years (since interviewing Dr. Esselstyn). Still stunned that I don't crave fat/sugar/salt.
Best regards, and thanks for the polite inquiry, Mark]
Posted by: Bob | 2009.12.02 at 19:18
It's not the taste that matters,????
[Yup... one get addicted to the taste of substances not healthy for you... over 60% of Americans are obese, largely from taste addictions to meat, dairy, salt, sugar, and fat... all encouraged by the food corporations.
Fortunately, one can re-calibrate one's tastes buds and savor the flavor of truly healthy food.]
How many people do you get to stay on YOUR diet?
[Those that recognize the reality of their addictions and want to decrease the probability of many diseases, including the biggest killer of us in this country: heart disease. It's been proven, and ain't a theory.]
Ignore the silly blogger.
[I'm trying to. Regards, Mark]
Posted by: Bob | 2009.12.02 at 18:15