Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about WiO SmartFoods, specifically their Double Chocolate Chip Muffin, which claims just 48 calories, 3 grams of carbs, 0 grams of fat, and 9 grams of protein. But wait, the nutrition label tells a very different story. How can both numbers be true, and is the science behind this product the real deal or just clever marketing? Jenn digs into the brand's proprietary inhibitor technology, its FDA-compliant yet eyebrow-raising dual-label system, and some ingredients you may not recognize. There may be something to the science, or there may not. Either way, Jenn has plenty to say about what is actually in this muffin to help you decide whether it deserves a spot in your kitchen. Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes of new releases every Wednesday. Have an idea for a nutrition nugget? Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/

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Nutrition Nugget: David Bars

KEYWORDS: Jenn Trepeck, Nutrition Nugget, Salad With A Side Of Fries, Health Tips, Wellness Tips, High Protein Snacks, WiO SmartFoods, Double Chocolate Chip Muffin, Low Carb Foods, High Protein Snacks, Sugar Free Foods, Net Carbs, Nutrition Label, Digestibility Corrected Label, Carb Blockers, Fat Blockers, Modified Cyclodextrin, Natural Inhibitors, Food Science, Ultra Processed Foods, Allulose, Tagatose, Stevia, Soluble Fiber, Blood Sugar Impact, Glycemic Index, Low Calorie Sweeteners, FDA Compliant Foods, USDA Regulations, Whey Protein, Plant Based Ingredients, Non GMO Foods, Organic Ingredients, Weight Management Foods, Healthy Baked Goods, Low Carb Baked Goods, Digestive Health, Food Marketing Claims, Proprietary Ingredients, Carbohydrate Absorption, Fat Absorption, Health Food Review, Nutrition Facts Label, Code Of Federal Regulations, Food Label Transparency, Clean Eating, Ultra-Processed Food Marketing and Label Transparency in the Health Food Industry, Low Carb, Are WiO SmartFoods Labels Too Good To Be True, How Do Carb and Fat-Blocking Foods Really Work

[00:00:29] So shout out to Mary Ann B., who submitted this one from Instagram. So before I share Mary Ann's message, if you have an idea, send it in. Website is asaladwithasideoffries.com or social media, I'm @jenntrepeck. If you want your submitted topic to be given priority, be sure you're a member of the Happy Healthy Hub.

[00:01:13] How can both be true? Is it a gimmick?" So Mary Ann, I'm so glad you asked. Admittedly, I'm not familiar with these. I did... So in the message to Mary Ann I was like, "By the way, can you send me the link so I make sure I'm looking at the correct thing?" Because I don't know these. So as always, I start with their site.

[00:01:54] So they say, "Breads, meals and snacks engineered by food scientists to deliver fewer carbs, more [00:02:00] protein and zero fat. Third party tested, FDA compliant, low carb, high protein, sugar free, 10,000 plus five star reviews." So their categories are baked goods, meals, snacks and desserts. Snacks and desserts is one category.

[00:02:37] Clinically proven and 100% safe. We use premium, chemical free North American ingredients and our proprietary organic inhibitors to create our 60 plus healthy food options. The inhibiting action- Is they use natural inhibitors to encapsulate carbs, most carbs, and all fats, preventing your body [00:03:00] from absorbing them.

[00:03:20] So they say, "Our goal is simple, to provide people a way to improve their state of health without limiting the types of foods they wanna eat. Through the inhibitors in our foods, we've created the ability to limit the amount of carbs and fats in our food that are absorbed by the digestive system." While people think they've invented a new science or discovered some biological breakthrough, they say they really haven't.

[00:04:03] I think we need to be careful. I'm also gonna come back 'cause I'll say more in a second. So then they say, "For more than 40 years, doctors have been prescribing medications that could limit the amount of fats and carbs or sugars that are absorbed by the body. We incorporated and refined that science into our products.

[00:04:39] So again, they're telling us right out, they're creating a food taste, not really giving you quality food. They do talk about FDA compliance, and this is FDA compliant, and this is where, Maryann, we get to the crux of your question. So their foods [00:05:00] have both a nutrition label and a digestibility-corrected label, or a DC label, and that label is based on what they're saying your body is absorbing versus everything that's in there because their inhibitors are blocking, or really it's inhibiting some carbs and blocking all fat that's in there, so that's how they're adjusting the label.

[00:05:52] Now, they give some studies on their website. I looked up, so they say the specific thing that they're using is called [00:06:00] modified cyclodextrin. So I did a little bit of a search on modified cyclodextrin, and I didn't find necessarily the studies that they're talking about that they listed on their site.

[00:06:40] And just as I sort of think about this, I'm not 100% sold on this ingredient. Like I said, I work with some nutrients and botanicals that have inhibiting properties around carbohydrates, but again, the way they're talking about this, it's even unclear the quantity of this that's in [00:07:00] these. And so I don't know.

[00:07:25] And long story short on that one, they basically own... I don't remember if they own the patent or the manufacturer, but they're basically preventing anybody else from using it. By the way, did you hear that the David bars lawsuit was dropped?

[00:07:40] Jenn Trepeck: I haven't gotten all the details, but interesting.

[00:08:10] All in, I'm on the fence about this specific ingredient. And like I said, Marianne, I think the digestive facts is what their claims are based on versus the nutrition facts that you read. So going to the label specifically for the double chocolate chip muffin, the nutrition facts say one muffin is a serving size, 400 calories- 108 calories are from fat because it's 12 grams of fat, five grams of saturated fat, then 64 grams of total carbs, 24 grams of dietary fiber, eight grams of sugar, nine grams of protein.

[00:09:18] And then eight grams of sugars, nine grams of protein, so a little over about one ounce of protein, a little more. Then they say the FDA-approved plant-based inhibitors, 100% natural, non-GMO, organic and plant-based carb and fat blocking to block all the fats and some of the carbs and lower the calories without changing the taste.

[00:10:07] The ingredients on that one. So you get Weo Smart and Sweet, which is made of tagatose, I might be saying that wrong, soluble fiber, allulose, stevia, milk, applesauce, Weo flour, trademarked ingredient, we don't know what's in that, eggs, Weo dark chocolate, cocoa powder, whey protein, Weo fat inhibitor, which is made of chiral hydrophilic polysaccharide plant extract.

[00:11:05] It's a low glycemic sweetener. In high amounts, it could create some digestive upset. Tagatose was new to me. This is also the first ingredient in their proprietary ingredient called Sweet and Smart. It's another low-calorie sugar substitute like sucrose. It's supposed to have minimal impact on blood sugar.

[00:11:45] So I don't know. That's a lot of low-GI sweeteners, and again, maybe they're trying to keep each of those amounts small enough, but then collectively, does it create some digestive upset? I don't know. I do think maybe it's a lot to give you some [00:12:00] digestive discomfort. I think bringing this home, answering Marianne's question, their assessment is from the digestive facts, which they're saying is a function of their ingredient blocking some of the carbs and all of the fat from your body absorbing them.

[00:12:39] I think the piece that sticks with me and is maybe helpful for all of us to remember is that this is absolutely an ultra-processed food, and from that, I think each of us can then decide, like, well, where do these then fall in the mix of our health choices and our nutrition choices? On occasion, might this hit the spot?[00:13:00]

[00:13:26] I'd maybe try one just to see, but I don't think I would buy them. I don't think I would keep them around. Steph, thoughts?

[00:13:45] Yeah. And I asked the Redditors, and I... They had similar questions to Marianne. They're like, "Is the label, like, too good to be true?" And, you know, most people were kinda like, "Yeah, like, sometimes it's..." Yeah.

[00:14:04] The bottom line is you don't really have a way of knowing that for yourself-

[00:14:08] Jenn Trepeck: if it's happening that way for you. And again, I don't know if this ingredient is so magical. Why isn't everyone using it?

[00:14:20] Jenn Trepeck: Yeah. No. Anyway, like I said, I think for me, I'd taste one, but I don't think I'd buy these.

[00:14:43] Jenn Trepeck: Exactly, and it's funny the way they even describe it in so many places on their site- Yeah ... of it not actually being food.

[00:14:51] Jenn Trepeck: All right, friends. Well, as always, I'm your host, Jenn Trepeck. Connect with me on all social media. I am @jenntrepeck, [00:15:00] J-E-N-N-T-R-E-P-E-C-K. Website is asaladwithasideoffries.com.

[00:15:15] Steph: Thanks for having me. I loved the '90s throwback. It's always fun.

[00:15:18] Jenn Trepeck: know. And this nutrition nugget is still a little '90s throwback of, like-

[00:15:23] Jenn Trepeck: mini muffins?

[00:15:25] Jenn Trepeck: muffins. Oh, maybe these are the Snackwells. Well, yeah,

[00:15:28] Jenn Trepeck: Yes. Amazing. Well, of course, everybody, if you are not a member, join us in the Happy Healthy Hub.

[00:15:59] [00:16:00] Well, friends, that's it for today's episode of Salad with a Side of Fries. Congratulations for making yourself and your health a priority. Thanks so much for joining us. Be sure to click subscribe or follow on your favorite podcast platform, share us with a friend, and we'll be back next week. Always remember, you deserve it and you are worth it.