Nutrisystem on the Go!

One of my best friends, Cindy, recently visited me from Florida.  Cindy has put herself on a “diet” to lose weight.  This so-called diet called Nutrisystem consists of eating boxed food that the company provides.  Cindy had to take a bag full of these items on the airplane.  She then rented a car and drove to my house.   Of course, I was so happy to see my friend but what in the world were those boxes of food in her trunk? 

I wanted to take my friend to a nice organic deli, which is part of an excellent health food store.  Cindy insisted on bringing her box of Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing with Diced Chicken.  She informed me that she just needed to buy a salad and would put the diced chicken and dressing over it.  Am I missing something?  I thought chicken had to be refrigerated?  This chicken came in a pouch with modified food starches, salt and sodium phosphates.*   The salad dressing consisted of over 40 ingredients!  I couldn’t believe how long the list was!  Included in those ingredients were refined soybean oil, sodium benzoate, caramel color (contains sulfites) and calcium disodium EDTA.**  In her haste to get the box out of the trunk, Cindy accidently left her pocketbook with the car key in the trunk.  Now she had NO KEY, NO CAR, NO MONEY....JUST A BOX OF CHEMICALLY PRESERVED CHICKEN AND SALAD DRESSING!

Needless to say, she had to get a locksmith to jack open her car so she could get out her pocketbook and key….lol.  I’m so glad my friend had a sense of humor!

The next morning at breakfast, she took out of her trunk a packet of Nutrisystem Chocolate Chip Scone ”naturally and artificially flavored”.  In addition to eating her scone, she must eat some fruit and an egg.  I asked her, “Why can’t you just have the fruit and egg?”  She told me she must eat the scone.  “It’s part of the diet.”   WHAT???????!!!!!  How is eating a scone that contains sodium carboxymethylcellulose, natural and artificial flavors and potassium sorbate*** (among other ingredients), part of a healthy diet?  Am I missing something?

I had to go online to check out the company website.  How do people lose weight eating pouches of food preserved with chemicals?  The Nutrisystem program consists of meal plans that teach you what, when and how to eat.  Of course, you order these perfectly portioned meals from them.  The basic 4 week plan that contains auto delivery costs roughly $240.00.  That’s right…it will cost you nearly $250.00 for a month’s supply of food preserved with chemicals.  Yet, people do lose weight!  Why?  I’ll tell you.  Because there are only TWO raviolis in the cheese and spinach ravioli and meat sauce box!  That’s right…TWO!  I would lose weight too if I just ate two raviolis for dinner!  The portion size may make you lose weight but does not teach you how to make a healthy choice.

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*Modified food starch – Synthetic; starch treated with chemicals, some of which are toxic, may be GE.

*Sodium phosphates- Buffer; Believed safe in foods at low levels, contact can cause skin irritation, erythema, blisters

**Refined soybean oil – Genetically Modified

**Sodium benzoate – Preservative; Asthma, hives, hay fever, contact dermatitis, mount and skin irritation, hyperactivity, cardiovascular, liver, skin, gastrointestinal, kidney and neurotoxicity.

**Caramel color – Coloring; May affect reproduction, liver and stomach hyperactivity, caused blood toxicity and convulsions in animal tests.

** Calcium disodium EDTA-Preservative; Muscle cramps, blood in the urine, intestinal upset, kidney damage, mineral imbalance, chromosome damage, may increase the uptake of heavy metals, may affect liver and reproduction.

*** Sodium carboxymethylcellulose-Thickner; Poorly absorbed, flatulence; large amounts can cause diarrhea and abdominal cramps, caused cancer and tumors in animal studies.

***Potassium sorbate- Preservative; Allergic reactions, asthma, eye and skin irritation, behavioral problems.

REFERENCES

Statham, Bill. What’s in your food?, Philadelphia, PA: Running Press Book Publishers 2006

(This is my opinion, protected by my First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech)