A Healthy Airplane Snack?

On a recent family plane trip, my husband bought a snack to keep my toddler happy for a few minutes.  He chose the $3 Cranberry Nut Mix, which contained "Raisins, Cranberries, Yogurt Raisins, Yogurt Cranberries, Almonds & Walnuts."  A healthy choice?

Not as healthy as he thought.  "Yogurt" confectioner's coating, according to the USDA, is 62% sugar and 27% fat.  (Ours also contained the artificial color titanium dioxide--that bright white doesn't come from yogurt!)  Sweetened cranberries are 65% sugar according to the same website.  Even naturally sweet raisins contain 59% sugar.

So what's the total amount of sugar in a 30 g serving of "healthy" nuts and berries?  16 grams, or 53%--the same as four mint Lifesavers.

We ended up protecting our child by eating the "yogurt" fruit ourselves.



This snack might be better named "Sugar Cranberry Nut Mix," since it's more than half sugar.  

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