Low Carb Products to AVOID
 

I think we should start compiling a list of "low carb" products that contain hydrogenated oils, and should be avoided all together. Especially for those who are less informed, and automatically assume a product labeled as LC will be healthy, so, pitch in and list any products you know belong to the list:


1. Special K LC cereal - contains partially hydrogenated oils
2. AdvantEDGE Morning Bars - contains partially hydrogenated oils

AVOID Both!

Add to the list

Yossi
 

I think this is an excellent idea and would appreciate other people's input like this.

Also maybe the bad tasting ones too as well as unhealthy.

Sandy

Carb options peanut butter

Scott, why Carb options peanut butter?

It has transfats and natural PB is similar in carbs and just has 'peanuts, salt'. :)

Featherz is right.

carb options peanut butter - contains partially hydrogenated oils

I think some people are under the assumption that it contains very small amounts of hydrogenated oil. I'm skeptical. Hopefully when/if the FDA ever puts trans fat labeling regulations into effect, we'll see the truth. Or maybe they'll just make the serving size reeeeeally small so that it comes up 0 trans fats. Grrrrrr.

Total PROTEIN is disgusting

I like Total Protein. It's my favorite low carb cereal.

Really, I thought it was one of the most vile things I have ever put in my mouth, but I guess everyone has different tastes

Cheetos edge. They are disgusting, don't waste your money.

I agree golflady... Horrid. I spit it in a napkin and guzzled some water.. DH loved them tho.. Go figure.


Angel

I'm keeping my Carb Options peanut butter. I've probably eaten worse things through the years. Eating a dab of peanut butter once in awhile isn't going to be that bad. Besides, I've cut out a lot of other things.

Thanks for the reviews on the cereals and the Cheetos Edge. I won't waste my money trying them.

There are so many low carb foods with the transfat problem, among other things--I always read ingredient labels. Here are a few frustrating ones:
Mission Low Carb Tortillas (I emailed them and told them to use nonhydrogenated lard)
Zcarb peanut butter bars (this is such a shame. I love all of their other products and I realy hope they change their formula)
Carborite shortbread, peanut butter, and chocolate chip cookies (these really are mostly transfats, which annoys me to no end, as only the chocolate chip one has any non-erythritol polyols.)

Atkins Banana Nut muffins mix
 

Gross

I tried this and it was so gross I threw it out and that is hard to do when money is tight.

I find the banana mini muffin recipe I make off of here is much better.

Sandy

Futurist, I am thoroughly annoyed by carborite cookies as well. Actually... more than annoyed. To sell a low carb product with THAT much trans fat in it shows a blatant disregard for the lc woe and the precepts that support it.

Sometimes Carborite is so inovative (I think Atlast bars were possibly the first LC candy w/ erythritol and inulin) yet they have not fixed their major trans fat problem and they just keep putting out new products which I don't eat b/c most of them still have a huge amount of maltitol. The only thing I eat by them is their Mint Chocolate Atlast bars. Those are very good.

I refuse to give up my Mission LC tortillas, trans fats or not. I can't stomach most of the other brands out there and they make my life SO much easier. I love the fiber, too. (And I'd hate for them to use lard, because the vegetarian and kosher members of the family wouldn't be able to eat them anymore.)

Sorry you could not go for the lard. This other post I made helps explain why I recommended it:
"I have read some in the Hampton's Diet book and from the evidence I suspect MacNut Oil is extremely heathy and I ordered some for my mother, as I like to research and help design food, rather than actually prepare it.
I also wrote to them that they should create and sell MacNut oil Mayo and other dressings and such.
I also believe that olive oil*, avocado oil, almond oil, hazelnut oil, pecan oil, high-oleic sunflower oil*, high-oleic safflower oil*, and even super canola oil due to their very high monounsaturated and decent, if not perfect omega ratios are healthful oils and should be used in foods according to their various smoke points.
I also find Enova very intriguing (http://www.enovaoil.com/) -- I am very pro-technology and specialty items.

In terms of saturated fats I think cocoa butter (1/3 stearic acid, 1/3 monounsaturated fat) and non-hydrogenated lard (45% monounsaturated) are probably best and I hate it when I see hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils in low carb foods and I often email companies to complain about this."
*these are best used for salad dressings and baking below 300 F.

Most companies won't use high quality monunsaturated oils because of the expense. I really like Carb Watchers tortillas by Labrada (I tried the Sun Dried tomato version), but they use soy oil which is not the best as it is mostly polyunsaturated.

carolyn c,

i have to agree with you, total protein is one of the best low carb products, i have tried, i just love it.

I also like Total Protein. With a paqcket of Splenda, a few blueberries, and hood milk, it is very good.

I would add International Delight low carb flavored coffee creamers to the "avoid" list. I saw this on sale last week and picked up a bottle. It went right back on the shelf as soon as I read the ingredients. When will they figure out that most low-carbers are lable-readers and we don't want all that crap in our bodies? Good grief, SUGAR as the second ingredient? Why would I use that when real cream and DaVinci syrup is just as easy?

ummmm.... I might be the only one here, but Hood milk (white)... YUCK!
:Puke:

I don't like the regular Hood Carb Countdown white milk, but the 2% version is much better. (I was surprised because I'd assumed that full fat would taste best.)

i'm sick of seeing sugar in lc products as well. how can they call it low carb?

anyway, almost all of the carborite candies and cookies have trans fats. (or ARE trans fats, as someone stated. fun experiment: drop a cookie in a cup of tea. turns your tea to slime.) i think the most disgusting bar i've ever tried was the chocolate toffee carborite candy. ugh!

Walden Farms "No Carbs" strawberry fruit spread. I haven't tried any of the other flavors, but the strawberry was really artificial tasting. (Duh!) What was I expecting?! lol

Aside from the taste, though, which is somewhat bearable, considering what it is, the absolute worst part is the coloring that's in it. Be warned! If you get it on your hands it is very difficult to get off! We're talking scrub your fingers under scalding hot water with brown laundry soap and steel wool. I shudder to think what might happen if I got it on my clothes. It's not that I'm a messy eater. It's just an occupational hazard when one tries having a PB&J on a low carb wrap. . . Squirt city. Anyway, you have been warned.

BTW, nice avatar, Pecan. My wife & I have a baby female albino hedgy. :)

Hi guys....
Ok, I haven't been here in a while but I came on just to tell you about the worst thing I've had in my whole life and got distracted by the recipe page for about 3 hours. Anyways ...It's that Keto instant oatmeal. BLECH!!! I opened a packet, mouth watering thinking "Oh boy, I can eat oatmeal now instead of flaxseed meal all the time." I was grossed out immediately, started looking around to see which of my four kids had barfed . REALLY! I'm not kidding!!! Not seeing anything, I proceeded to pour the hot water in. Then the smell got worse and I realized that it was coming from the bowl of oatmeal. I immedately threw it down the disposal! Not only did it smell like barf, It looked that way too. My kids thought so too! It took all day to get rid of the smell in my kitchen. I probably shouldn't have put it down the disposal but rather dumped it down the toilet. YUCK! I'm confused though, there is a recipe for oatmeal cookies that someone said they used keto oatmeal in, I'm wondering if it was different than the instant junk I bought, like just oats or something. I'm afraid to buy the other stuff. Oh...and...actually the other thing not to buy is those donut mixes in the Atkins magazine. I took one bite and spit each of the two kinds out, I bought 3 kinds, tried two (the 2nd one I made my daughter make cuz I didn't want to even deal with it- but she wanted me to try one cuz SHE made it so I did, against my better judgement) and I still haven't had the guts to try the third kind. They're not Atkins brand but they're in his magazine. Can't remember the name of them right now. Anyways, I need to get some shuteye..I haven't been on in soooo long that I sat and read recipes and realized now that it's almost 3 in the morning. I'm going to be dog tired tomorrow, and I'm caffeine free now...bummer! :( Oh well, maybe a small cup won't hurt. Annie

I dont think those tortillas are worth your life are they? There are plenty other low carb tortillas that are better than the mission and have no trasnfats in them. Try these for example:

http://www.netrition.com/tumaros_tortillas_page.html

very very good, and no transfats.

Other foods with transfats:

Doritos Edge
Cheetos Edge
Many of the low carb ice-creams

AnnieFelac,

I have the Keto hot cereal in strawberries and cream, and it is very good. You might try that instead of the oatmeal.

Ok... have to throw my two cents in... Total Protein is good for something crunchy (I sometimes put it in a baggie and pretend I have a little bag of chips). And yes it is good with some berries and Hood 2% milk (I also tried the regular and found it icky) HOWEVER! I wish they wouldn't put sugar and corn syrup in it. Seems like they could have used something else (splenda?!?).

I also wish there were more low-carb options available that didn't use soy protein. I have to be very careful not to consume too much because it messes with my thyroid medication.

I tried the Keto hot blueberries and cream once... and only once, I'll take my home-made flaxmeal cereal over that anyday!

Soy messes with thyroid medication?? Uh oh.