Product Review-Pillsbury Eggless Choco Cooker Cake Mix

 



 
 
 
 
 
 
Summary Feedback
Pillsbury Choco Cooker Cake is a new product launched in India recently.
It is a cake mix with a very high amount of added sugar at 45.1 gm per 100 gm pack. High added sugar is a strict no-no for those with diabetes and lifestyle diseases. Due to its high sugar and
simple starches content we believe that this food must be eaten very sparingly and in very small amounts even  by the healthy.
The product is a packaged food containing preservatives, edible vegetable oil, bakery shortening and hydrogenated vegetable oils which contain trans-fats.
Partially Hydrogenated and Hydrogenated fats are a source of trans fatty acids or “transfats”, which are harmful to health. Transfats increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other ailments.
Transfats are toxic and some cities like New York have banned them from use in restaurants.
Transfats have been shown to consistently be associated, in an intake-dependent way, with risk of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death. They may also be responsible for alzheimer’s disease, cancer, liver disease and many more ailments.
It also contains edible vegetable oil and does not specify which edible vegetable oil has been used. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to avoid clearly stating what ingredients have been used.
Certain vegetable oils contain very large amounts of biologically active fats called Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which could be harmful in excess. Excess polyunsaturated fats may react with oxygen and oxidised Omega-6 fats can damage body functions and perhaps even vital structures like DNA. In addition, consumers need clear information about the type of vegetable oil used, so that they can take action to maintain a healthy balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acid consumption.
Due to the presence of hydrogenated vegetable oil, bakery shortening and an unspecified edible vegetable oil and for other reasons mentioned below, we do not consider Pillsbury Cooker Choco Cake as recommended food for most people.
The foodnetindia rating for this product :-
foodnetindia safety rating: 4 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unsafe to very safe)
The cake mix contains 45.1  gm of sugar per 100 gm serving. High sugar consumption is detrimental to the health and wellness of all those who consume it.
As the cake is made of refined wheat flour or maida, it is a  high glycaemic simple starch base. In our opinion, the high sugar and simple starches content make this  unsuitable for diabetics and also for those who have lifestyle disease.
It contains hydrogenated vegetable oil and bakery shortening. Partially Hydrogenated and Hydrogenated fats are a source of trans fatty acids or “transfats”, which are harmful to health. Transfats increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other ailments.
Transfats are toxic and some cities like New York have banned them from use in restaurants.
Transfats have been shown to consistently be associated, in an intake-dependent way, with risk of coronary heart disease, the leading caulse of death. They may also be responsible for alzheimer’s disease, cancer, liver disease and many more ailments.
foodnetindia wholesomeness rating: 4 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unbalanced nutrition profile to excellent nutrition profile)
The cake mix contains milk solids and cocoa solids which are nutritious but also contains a lot of ingredients which may not be good for health. High sugar quantity of 45.1 gm per 100 gm pack and the use of hydrogenated vegetable oil and bakery shortening is a worrying factor as kids and adults both eat it in huge quantity without worrying about the ingredients on the food label.
Ingredients of concern in Pillsbury Cooker Choco Cake Mix

• Sugar
• Edible vegetable oil
• Edible common salt
• Bakery Shortening
• Hydrogenated vegetable oil
• Synthetic food colour- IN 127, IN 122

Sugar
This food product does not specify which sugar has been used. This is also important because different sugars have different metabolic effects. For example, Sucrose (Cane Sugar) is very different from Fructose (Fruit Sugar). Some foods use high fructose corn syrup which may be harmful in much lower quantities than sucrose. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to not clearly state what ingredients have been used.
Sugar is a carbohydrate found naturally in a host of different foods from lactose in milk to the fructose in fruit and honey. In fact, we need some sugar in our diets to supply ready energy to fuel our muscles and keep our brains active. The problem is that many processed foods have added sugar which supplies energy in the form of calories – and very little else. This means our body has to draw on the nutrients from the rest of our diet to process it and this can affect our health, including our immunity – leaving us more prone to bugs and colds. A high intake of sugar causes our blood sugar levels to shoot up, giving us that feel-good ‘high’ followed by a crashing slump which leaves us tired, irritable and craving more sugary foods. It’s a vicious cycle that may be contributing to our weight problems as well as health concerns like diabetes and heart disease.
Edible vegetable oil
Certain vegetable oils contain very large amounts of biologically active fats called Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which could be harmful in excess. Excess polyunsaturated fats may react with oxygen and oxidised Omega-6 fats can damage body functions and perhaps even vital structures like DNA. In addition, consumers need clear information about the type of vegetable oil used, so that they can take action to maintain a healthy balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acid consumption.
In addition, some people may be allergic to specific oils. Food allergies can sometimes be life threatening.
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Partially Hydrogenated and Hydrogenated fats are a source of trans fatty acids or “transfats”, which are harmful to health. Transfats increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other ailments.
Transfats are toxic and some cities like New York have banned them from use in restaurants.
Transfats have been shown to consistently be associated, in an intake-dependent way, with risk of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death. They may also be responsible for alzheimer’s disease, cancer, liver disease and many more ailments.
Bakery Shortening
Bakery shortening is another word for Hydrogenated Vegetable Fats. Partially Hydrogenated and Hydrogenated fats are a source of trans fatty acids or “transfats”, which are harmful to health. Transfats increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other ailments.
Transfats are toxic and some cities like New York have banned them from use in restaurants.
Transfats have been shown to consistently be associated, in an intake-dependent way, with risk of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death. They may also be responsible for alzheimer’s disease, cancer, liver disease and many more ailments.
Hydrogenated fat is widely used. We see it listed in the ingredients of margarine, biscuits, cakes, frozen meals, fried foods, sweets, crisps, fish fingers and many dairy products. It’s popular with food manufacturers because it gives food structure and does not feel or taste oily.
Synthetic Colour
Azorubine IN 122
Since it is an azo dye, it may elicit intolerance in people intolerant to salicylates. Additionally, it is a histamine liberator, and may intensify symptoms of asthma. In combination with benzoates, it is also implicated in hyperactivity in children.
Erythrosine IN 127
Few side effects in the concentrations used in foods. Increased hyperactivity has been reported in a few cases, as well as a possible connection with mutagenicity. Erythrosine causes an increased photosensitivity in people with sensitivity to sunlight. In high concentrations erythrosine interferes with iodine metabolism. However, these concentrations cannot be reached through the consumption of food.
Ingredients present in Pillsbury Cooker Cake-Choco which are not a concern:

• Wheat Flour
• Cocoa Solids
• Milk Solids
• Baking Powder
• Modified Starch-IN 1442
• Raising Agent: INS500(ii), INS341(i)
• Emulsifiers: INS477, INS471
• Topping Mix: Dextrose, Corn starch, Emulsifier INS 477
• Sugar Sprinkle (Sugar Confectionary): Corn starch, Acidity regulator IN330, Milk solids, Class II Preservative INS202, Synthetic Food Colour INS133, INS102

Disclaimer – The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information. foodnetindia encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
The ingredients list of the products may have changed since this page was published. Consumers are encouraged to read warnings, labels, ingredient lists, etc.
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