What Is Wrong With Eating Cool Whip?

   OK, I know that this is the holiday season and most of us have been trained in either baking a lot or eating a lot of baked goods and products. We break the rules for this season and promise ourselves that we will do better once the holidays are over.

   So, I hate to bring up disappointing news, although for many of my readers, this subject is nothing new. I thought I would write this just in case there are those who don't know yet.

   Cool Whip is not a healthful product. In fact, many of the ingredients are toxic. I do not consider Cool Whip as a food product anyway. We use it because it gives a cool texture to food when mixed with sugar and other food items that are not good for us either.

Here is a list of the ingredients in Cool Whip:
*Hydrogenated oils
*High fructose corn syrup
*Polysorbate 60
*Skim milk
*Light cream

   I guess they are processed together to make Cool Whip what it is. I am not going to go into detail about all of these ingredients but I did find this article at: http://thescienceofeating.com/2014/09/16/dangers-of-cool-whip/

   You can read the article on your own. There is also a link on the page for a recipe for a Cool Whip type of product.

   I personally use whipped cream as a substitute for Cool Whip when the recipe calls for Cool Whip. For the confectioner's sugar used in making homemade whipped cream, I now use 'Swerve' which looks exactly like confectioner's sugar but is made from erythritol, and oligosaccharides. Here is a description of Swerve. It looks totally safe to use.

Is it really possible? Zero Calorie, powdered goodness? With Confectioners Style Swerve, even cupcake frosting can be guilt-free! Swerve is a great tasting, natural sweetener that measures cup-for-cup just like sugar! Made from a unique combination of ingredients derived from fruits and vegetables, Swerve contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors. Swerve is non-glycemic and safe for those living with diabetes. Human clinical trials have shown that Swerve does not affect blood glucose or insulin levels. The secret to our zero calorie sweetness is a combination of erythritol and oligosaccharides that provide excellent baking and cooking functionality. And with the ability to brown and caramelize, Swerve is gonna be right at home in your kitchen. There are no conversion charts needed when baking and cooking with Swerve. If your recipe calls for half a cup of sugar... you simply replace with half a cup of Swerve!

   Another product that might seem hopeful to use (but probably expensive) is 'Just Like Sugar'. Here are the ingredients for this product:
Chicory root dietary fiber, calcium vitamin C, natural flavors from the peel of the orange.

   I am not sure how this would work in a Cool Whip substitute recipe, but it might be worth a try. I have not tried this product yet, but, a friend who has a friend who is on a restricted diet, recommended it to her, and she recommended it to me.

Happy Holidays and safe baking!!!