Emma Miller
Choosing quality cookies was not the easiest task. The expert explained what to look for.
Most of the cookies we see on store shelves do not meet quality standards and can be dangerous to health. Food quality expert Olena Sydorenko explained how to choose a quality cookie and what should immediately alert you to the product.
According to the expert, 90% of biscuits contain high-grade flour, a huge amount of sugar, vegetable oils, margarine or confectionery fat, or fat substitutes. At the same time, even those products that were previously considered safe – for example, bagels, and dried goods – may now contain confectionery fats.
“It’s dangerous, it’s allergenic, it causes cardiovascular and cancer diseases,” the expert noted.
Virtually all industrial biscuits contain hydrogenated fats. According to the standards, their content should not exceed 8%.
There are some conscientious manufacturers, but many do not indicate the percentage of refined, processed fat. In addition to hazardous fats, the product may contain other hazardous ingredients, such as preservatives, flavors, and dyes.
As Sydorenko explained, the highest quality cookies are those that contain butter. Such a product usually costs two to three times more.
“If it contains butter, different types of flour, if sugar is not in the first place or is absent at all, but a vegetable component with a sweet content is added, you can pay attention to the cookies,” she advised.
The food quality expert also told us which cookies should always be avoided in order not to harm your health.
“If the labeling says: vegetable fats in the solid state, bleached butter, refined butter, margarine, confectionery fat, butter substitute, this is a beacon that says that these cookies should be put aside,” said Sydorenko.
“If the package simply says ‘vegetable oil’ and does not indicate the condition of the oil, these cookies should be put aside, because this hides information from the consumer,” she added.
