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November 15, 2007 at 3:24 pm
That’s exactly what I wanted to find out. When I wrote my blog on trans fats, entitled “The Evilest Loophole,” a kind person commented and told us all to look out for monoglycerides and diglycerides, saying that they were very similar to trans fat and could be considered the NEXT trans fat. I thought, hmm … I ought to look into this.
It turns out that just like trans fat (hydrogenated vegetable oils), mono- and diglycerides are everywhere! They’re found in many food products – but especially in bakery products like breads and bagels and pastries. Just look at the ingredient list on a bakery product and I can nearly guarantee that you’ll see mono- or diglycerides present in the list.
So what are mono- and diglycerides?
Well, almost all fat comes in the form of triglycerides, a term I’m sure you’ve heard of if you’ve been to the doctor recently – doctors like to check “triglyceride levels.” If you take a batch of triglycerides, which have three (thus the “tri-”) fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule, and mix them with the right chemicals, some of those fatty acid chains will dissociate from their glycerol molecule, resulting in mono- and diglycerides. A monoglyceride has one fatty acid attached to a glycerol molecule while a diglyceride has two fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule. Simple enough. But trans fats are simple enough, too, right? And they’re terrible for us! So what about mono- and diglycerides?
It’s really hard to say, actually. I didn’t come across any conclusive research that says either way. But I did find out what mono- and diglycerides ARE, and I’ll tell you and then let you decide if they sound natural and healthy or not.
Mono- and diglycerides are emulsifying agents – they are both hydrophilic (attracting water) and hydrophobic (repelling water), so they are soluble in both water AND fat, which makes them unique – but not necessarily natural. They are used to keep oils from separating out of products and used to increase shelf life – the same reasons that trans fats are used in most products. Just think of traditional peanut butter – it is smooth and creamy right out of the jar because the trans fat in it prevents the oil from separating out. In fact, you’ll find mono- and diglycerides in many varieties of peanut butter in addition to bakery products – and you’ll even find them in most margarines, another product where trans fat runs rampant.
It seems that trans fat and mono- and diglycerides go hand-in-hand – in fact, I used to see a particular brand of whole wheat lavash (tortilla-like bread) that used to have partially hydrogenated oil in it but now has mono- and diglycerides instead. Are food manufacturers taking out the trans fat and adding mono- and diglycerides to replace the trans fat? The compounds seem to work in the same way – they keep oils from separating out and they extend shelf life and help products taste more “smooth.” I really can’t help but think that trans fat and mono- and diglycerides are related – and thus equally dangerous.
You know what, though? There just isn’t enough research out there to tip the scales either way at this point. So even though I have become very wary of any product that contains mono- or diglycerides, I’m going to leave it up to you, loyal readers. You have the information now – you make the decision. Are mono- and diglycerides part of a healthy diet? Are they okay for human consumption? Are they the sneaky, underhanded cousins of trans fat?
I have my own suspicions. And like I said, I’m very wary now. What do you all think? What have you heard about mono- and diglycerides? Please comment! 
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Jennifer a great article on mono- and diglycerides.I have to comment that I am a vegan and very very particular on what I consume. Although now I have found out that circulation problems in my hands are linked to the BAD food additive mono- and diglycerides,particularly in 100% whole wheat bread.And like you said in your article that this is a smoke screen from the food manufactures for there trans-fat campaign.All I can say is people read the label and if it contains this nasty additive be fore warned I have health implications from consuming this product. The only people who benefit from this product are the manufactures themselves and down the line vascular surgeons, to which I am sure they know and look out for this product in there choice of foods.
Comment by Andrew — December 6, 2007 @ 11:44 am
Hi Jennifer, how are ya???
Sounds like out with the bad and in with worse!! I’m starting to think that anything mass produced isn’t good for you. Peanut butter, for example, uses these additives to prevent separation as you mentioned because people don’t like how natural “looks”. Sometimes, separation or sediment at the bottom of a beverage is a good thing.
Keep up the great info Jen…have a great holiday!!
Comment by York — December 7, 2007 @ 4:42 pm
hello! Well, mono and diglycerides can be animal, or vegetable derived. Mono and diglycerides ARE EVERYWHERE! It drives me nuts! I get so hungry, but I stick to my plans. It’s best to contact the company and ask what type they use. Best of luck!
Comment by Nazeehah — January 31, 2008 @ 5:29 am
Hello, I like a lot of you, am also being driven to near insanity in the search for healthy food that HAS NOT been screwed with. Somebody commenting previously probably had it right when they said that ALL processed food is probably bad for you!
What prompted me to this point, was a closer look at the “triscuits” that I was consuming as what I thought was a healthy alternative to most of the junk available.
What caught my eye one recent day as I looked closer at the box info., was that it read:”0g Trans Fat”, and then below (in much smaller print), “per serving”.
My understanding of that BS is that, overall they are really admitting to Trans Fat and I have heard that food manufacturers petitioned the FDA (who of course have OUR best interests in mind, boys and girls) to enable them to still use the vile substance and be able to claim (LIE) that they don’t.
If I am a food manufacturer and want to use trans fat, it seems to me that if the FDA requires (as far as I have heard) up to 1/2 gram of trans fat per serving as allowable (claiming zero), then all I have to do to get around this is to tweak the “serving size” until I get to the magic number, and claim,”voila, No Trans Fat!”
Of more interest may be that as one does the numbers w/ the “Nutrition Facts” on the side of the box, you can see the claim of “Total Fat” per serving of 4 grams. Right below, it then lists the fats: Saturated Fat, 0.5g; Trans Fat, 0g; Polyunsaturated Fat, 2g; Monounsaturated Fat, 1g.
I’m not a math whiz, but the fat they admit to is overall, 4 grams, but they only add up to 3.5 grams if you add up the other three fats, minus the Trans Fat!
Kind of makes one wonder, eh?!
Comment by Bernie — February 15, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
I have been researching very curious about Triscuits myself. Good job Bernie! I was reading wondering what the hell mono- and diglycerides were and was lead to this web page. Also I heard the same thing that they do not have to report transfat if it’s below .5g. So it can be .4 and stack one after another with each serving. I noticed that small per serving on the box too, that really is admitting to the crime.
Comment by Minutes — March 6, 2008 @ 7:12 am
I read an onine article about mono- and diglycerides a few of years back when low-fat or non-fat snacks were flooding the market. It said that mono- and diglycerides were not classified as food, but as food additives, which made the fat content on the label look low, as the fat content was calculated according to the food ingredients but not the food additives. E.g., use 5g of margerine + 5g of diglycerides = 5g fat on the packaging label. So it is a “low fat” snack.
Unfortunately, I didn’t pay enough attention at the time to track the reliability of the article/writer or remember the source.
Like artificial sweetners, reports about their potentially harmful effects don’t seem to show up until the products have been in the mainstream market for about a decade, when the next new substitute is ready to be launched and marketed. Remember how aspartame replaced saccharine? And now Splenda seems to be the less harmful sweetner than aspartame.
Comment by Food Snob — March 17, 2008 @ 4:26 pm
it really a shame how the manufactures and the FDA work hand in hand, who governs who here. Enjoyed this site cause I had always heard bout mono and dyglycerides but had wanted to investigate for myself. If I could grow and produce my own food or I guess take or have the time, I would. But as for now we are under the mercy of govermental agencies who decides what is “ok”. Anymore I just say grace and ask God to bless and keep me.
Comment by Horace A Facey Jr — March 18, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
Mono- and diglycerides can be derived from plant sources as well though, right?
Does that make them more healthy, or is it the same as if it came from an animal??
Comment by Healthy Mommy — March 22, 2008 @ 5:18 am
There’s a name for the faulty logic you’ve used in this article, but I’m too lazy to look it up. I understand our collective mistrust of corporate America–I’m right there with you. However, corporate America has distinguished itself with a tradition of deliberate misinformation and bad science. Do we have to stoop to the same level in our criticism of their tactics. The fact that trans fats are dangerous and mono and dyglicerides are being used to replacing simply does not add up to their being dangerous too. Fats are part of life, and human life doesn’t last long without it. Granted, some of them are better for us than others, and I wanted to know more about these specific fats. Knowing more means seeking out evidence, not conspiracy theories. For the record (and I find it too old to be of much value, but oh well), in 1973, the World Health Organization found these fats generally safe except “those containing long chain saturated fatty acids, especially stearic acid.” The study showed these fats to be detrimental to the liver, “as commonly seen in animals receiving a high fat intake.” If anyone else has leads to scientific data, I hope they’ll share. In the meantime, your article seems particularly void of evidence and misleading, even if you do urge the readers to decide on their own.
Comment by Reason First — April 4, 2008 @ 2:59 pm
I believe most mono- and diglycerides are derived from hydrogenated oils, so it is very plausible that they ARE trans fats.
Comment by Darien — April 15, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
I am so dissapointed in Becel margarine that they claim to be heart health approved, and if you read the ingredients it says partially hydrogenated oil., I can’t remember now which oil it is, because I don’t buy it any more. I think it is disgusting that more and more people can’t find a family doctor, at least in Canada, but if they would stop poisoning our food, maybe we would not need a doctor so often. But just because we know about this danger now, many people would get into a panic and try to change their habits all at once. Think about this, my mother was 82 when she died and Dad was 89, and they did not know about any of these dangers, so if we all ate healthy to live longer, imagine what our population would be.
Comment by Sherron MacLeod — April 17, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
In response to ‘Reason First’ – Do you work for the WHO? What makes you such a trusted fan of theirs? If they said in 1973 that they were safe, I read that they primarily started using them in the 1970’s – so I’m sure then they said they were safe. If you really read about it I can’t believe you would be criticizing anyone for being skeptical or especially not trusting corporate America or our government. What is wrong with questioning or looking for information – they are not going to hand it to us. Money is the reason for these hydrogenated oils no matter what the cost to our health. Why do they make it so confusing? – to be able to hide it. Why can they list 0 Trans fats and still contain it – how forthright is that? Make it simple – if it contains it – list it and don’t hide it behind all the different wording. I have read articles that have said mono/diglycerides, also something called interesterified (I think that’s spelled right) are all new for nothing other than partially hydrogenated oils. Why hide it? I’m suspicious of new ones popping up all the time to keep us from knowing for sure. We need to keep talking about this and trying to change the way our food is processed. Refusing to buy them is one way which would mean going back to basic cooking and not using pre-packaged quick meals. I know that can be hard to do. (To ‘Sherron’ – I think I found a margarine that doesn’t contain hydrogenated oil – Smart Balance – but I’m also afraid that in time I will find out differently. Also, in their earlier years your mom and dad probably weren’t eating the hydrogenated oils or much of it.) How many new diseases, cancers, ailments have we had since the 70’s? It makes me want to learn all I can – no matter how suspicious I have to be of anyone. I am for any site that will discuss this subject so I don’t have to depend solely on a biased corporation, government or organization for information.
Comment by suspicious — April 30, 2008 @ 5:57 pm
Yes, trans fats are bad. Fake ones, that is. Hydrogenated oils and shortenings are where “fake” trans fats come from. So when you check your nutrition label and see trans fat, yes that is a red flag.
However….
Trans fats also occur naturally, in meat and dairy. Grab a pound of butter and check the label: trans fat. Do you boycott butter? Of course not. According to all the various internet sources I have consulted (and my common sense), naturally occuring trans fats are totally fine; they are as important (in the correct balance) as the other naturally-occuring fats.
So, just checking nutrition labels and scrapping products the instant you see “trans fat” isn’t the answer; you must read the ingredients. Many products that contain dairy will have trans fat in it, but that doesn’t mean it’s the bad kind.
A great rule of thumb from Michael Pollan: don’t eat anything with more than 5 ingredients, or ingredients you can’t pronounce or don’t recognize.
Comment by keli Schmidt — May 1, 2008 @ 8:20 pm
Hi – A litle while ago somebody told me that mono and diglicerides were pork fat. The only food substance more prolific than mono and diglicerides is probably corn syrup. Thank you for your site.
Comment by drew — May 4, 2008 @ 2:47 am
bLaH BlAh bLaH BlAh
Comment by miranda — May 8, 2008 @ 9:07 pm
Actually, mono and diglycerides are quite often found in ice cream as well. The only two brands (coming immediately to mind) which do not include this substance in their ice cream are ben and jerry’s and breyer’s.
I have asked local store managers to (please) find some alternative products including bread and ice cream which do not contain this material, but to no avail.
More health conscious people need to learn to exercise their consumer rights. If we’d all come together and demand a higher quality of food, we’d get it. I still can’t believe we aren’t all up in arms about the new era of “food for profit, not for people” ushered in by the likes of monsanto and company in the form of genetically altered produce and cloned meat.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m just as concerned about mono & diglycerides as the next person, but we’d better wake up and smell the burning coffee. We’re all being sold down the river by these big money interests experimenting with our food. And, the long-term effects of what they’re doing hold implications for generations to come.
Also, I agree with the previous comment. The only substance more ubiquitous in the American diet is corn syrup.
Comment by Pam — May 10, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
Hey everyone I just found a new bread without the mono and diglycerides on the label …Natures Own now makes and organic wheat bread I ate it tonight and it lists vegetable oil not that generic term that doesn’t tell us the source and by the way it is very tasty
Comment by joy — May 13, 2008 @ 1:17 am
In a recent discussion of the good&bad stuff we eat, the subject of ‘glicerides’ came up… As the name implies, I was a baker for many years… Your local bakery isn’t likely to have the info you want about their particular products… They buy the ingredients from their suppliers who are also acting as tech advisor… Thus, if the baker is looking for a certain characteristic, he/she will make a few calls, get some suggestions, run some tests, and voila, the supermoist cake or soft cookie you would ‘die for’ is now ready for sale…
The major manufacturers are another story… They actually do the research… Food manufacturing is an applied chemistry… Some of the foods we love to buy repeatedly, are formulated to perform in your mouth where the flavor, texture, aroma, and desolve point, satisfy us so well…
Mono & Di-glicerides started showing up in margerine/shortening and dressings when I was just learning my trade… They hold stuff together…
I have to ask… Is the digestive system working overtime to break down fats that are held together with the liquids… This can’t be ‘good for ya’ One of the worst is buttercream frosting/filling…
made from hi-ratio shortening (mono&di)
Comment by TheOldBaker — May 14, 2008 @ 1:49 am
I’m reading the ingredients on a loaf of Oroweat Original Oatnut bread and do not see any glycerides or hydrogenated anything. BRAVO Oroweat!!! It tastes so very fine with Kirkland Creamy Peanut Butter and sliced strawberries or cucumbers.
Comment by Paul — May 23, 2008 @ 5:28 am
Alot of stuff that advertises as ‘0g of trans fat’ actually has small amounts of trans fat in it. I presume it is the ‘dosage’ per serving that allows for this loophole.
Some things however, say ‘Trans fat FREE’ and yet list mono & di-glycerides… So, are they or aren’t they hydrogenated oils? If they are then that is some BS right there.
Comment by ? — May 30, 2008 @ 1:59 am
thanks, every one for doing the study, I am not informed, I am glad you are here. gail
Comment by gail lamb — May 30, 2008 @ 2:43 pm
http://www.dldewey.com/columns/monodyf.htm
You can check this site out. A journalist reporting for sometime on hydrogenated oils and he also adresses mono- and diglycerides (meaning they are just another name for hydrogenated oils).
Comment by wendy — June 9, 2008 @ 5:57 pm
Thanks for the great discussion. I am so frustrated! The only heavy cream I could find for a special treat had polysorbate 80, carrageenan, and mono – diglycerides…which is what brought me to this site. The first taste is ok, but after that, it has an unnatural, “plastic” taste and feel on the tongue. Why can’t we get REAL, unadulterated food?!! I have started growing my own vegetables and have seen the benefit in my energy and checkbook, but I can’t get a cow!
I agree with Pam, we have to start putting pressure on suppliers and food producers to stop undermining our health with the substandard junk they pimp to the public. On the other hand, we need to have the discipline to choose food with our long-term best interest in mind and not always cater to the tongue appeal. Like OldBaker noted above, the food industry researches what will appeal to and satisfy our sensations, and very likely trigger repeat buying. Is our consumption of the junk in our food part of the reason succeeding generations of children are having increasing health problems at earlier ages?
I am tired of being manipulated so that the food industry can make a fortune at my expense…my health and well being are too important to me. I’m on my way to google Michael Pollan and want to repeat the advice given above “don’t eat anything with more than 5 ingredients, or ingredients you can’t pronounce or don’t recognize.
Comment by Leanne — July 10, 2008 @ 4:29 pm
Hi, I just found out my 2 year old has a minor allergy to soy. I have been doing research and trying to find out hidden soy names. Do you know if mono- and diglycerides in commerical food product are made from soy?
Thanks, your blog is has been very helpful.
Comment by mary — July 12, 2008 @ 8:22 pm
Everything that I have read says that monodiglycerides are soy, so I would suggest you stay away from them if you have an allergy.
Comment by Christi — July 14, 2008 @ 7:19 pm
Thank-you this information was very informative.
Comment by Louise — July 22, 2008 @ 5:14 am
The “mono & diglycerides” intake for an individual depends entirely on the metabolism of that indiviual. If the trans fat is low in a diet and the basal and active metabolism (engergy burned at rest and exercise) are high; then there may not be a problem. On the other hand, there was one women that was very fit, ate a perfect diet (fish, friuts vegetables, etc.) BUT had extremely high cloresteral and trycleride levels. After a puzzeling and long process of elimination, it was discovered that the very little “non-fat” cream she was adding to her coffee (2 cups a day) was triggering her levels. When she quit adding the cream to the coffee, the levels dropped like a lead ballon. It all depends on the individual. If it’s broke, fix it; If it’s not, don’t worry about it. (just keep an eye on that blood work)
Comment by Henry Norris — August 2, 2008 @ 2:34 am
i have researched about mono & diglycerides, it can be animal or vegetable, sometimes it is made of animal source
in my opinion the manufacturer must write in their product`s ingredients its animal source or vegetable source
Comment by sara — August 3, 2008 @ 12:28 am
Thank you for the good read, I’m trying very hard to convince my girlfriend not to eat things that are processed without reading the ingredients. I think it’s sick how a manufacturer can settle with the fact that there are trans fats in their product, and at the same time knowingly and willingly divide the servings so that the trans fat becomes trans-parent.
Bottom line: Ingredients you should avoid.
——————————————————————————–
Partially and Fully Hydrogenated oils, Mono & Diglycerides.
http://www.treelight.com/health/nutrition/PartiallyHydrogenatedOils.html
-copy and paste-
Comment by Roman Langrock — August 19, 2008 @ 1:42 am
MonoDiglycerides are just hydrogenated oils disguised under a
different name. Journalist Dewey solved this problem a number of years ago. If you check out his piece on them
http://www.dldewey.com/monody.htm
you will see that they are nothing more than hydrogenated oils.
It lists a company and their different oils and they are all hydrogenated.
check out his other article also, tons of information and research
material – thank God there are a few good journalists like him
that report the truth. His article is the best I’ve found on the internet!
http://www.dldewey.com/hydroil.htm
Comment by Sarah Miller — August 23, 2008 @ 6:31 pm
Like you said, you don’t know for sure but you sure make inferences. Lecithin is also an emulsifier from soy, both lecithin and mon-diglycerides are emulsifiers. They are not hydrogenated unless they are mixed with water and 99% are not. These replies prove that a piece of paper will lie absolutely still and allow any uninformed person write what they think, but then if they really thought, openly, like the author did, they would not jump to ridiculous conclusions. It goes study, research, learn and then write, not the reverse.
Comment by Fred Mesler — September 2, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
On the radio last week I was listening to a physician who specializes in nutrition. I can’t remember his name. He said, however, that unless mono-diglycerides on a label is followed by (from vegetable sources) that it very likely is from animal sources. I just checked the breads I have on hand — hamburger buns, english muffins, Poulsbo bread — and, yep, they all have mono-diglycerides — non-specific, so I assume they could be from animal sources. I’m going to go back to baking my own. Family likes it better anyway. I use Earth Balance natural buttery spread. It tastes good and has no mono-diglycerides. In fact, it states on the container that it’s vegan. Hooray!
Comment by trying to eat vegan — September 7, 2008 @ 3:24 pm
I happened here after discussing nutrition and social patterns with a vegan couple that are friends with my oldest son because she looked on our peanut butter jar and found mono-diglycerides. They had eaten before coming over to discuss their future wedding plans. I had just made five gallons of delicious brunswick stew that cooked for 24 hours and we wouldn’t eat it in front of them since they wouldn’t join us.
Since it is obvious most on this site has no trust in government, it’s regulatory agencies or companies who must make a profit to hire workers and maintain business, and will believe in folks with no chemistry, nutrition or other education; but take the word of those who fear words that sound bad or have uninformed logic.
I don’t believe everything I hear or am told without searching for evidence of truth. What you will not find is this: anyone who knows for certain what the effects of additives are on the human race. You will not find dieticians who understand the nutrition guidelines, nor physicians that believe in natural remedies over medicines that are like food ingredients, that we have no idea what they do for or against us.
I know this much, if you want to start growing your own for purity and to keep your foodstuffs out of the hands of people who have screwed up our foods, then prepare for tough times ahead. People have demanded food to be available and in great variety, in all seasons, and be convenient.
The companies whom are being blamed for conspiring to kill off the very people it depends on to support a continued economy by not reporting anything less than 1/2% of a point, doesn’t add up either. Why purposely harm your customer base…think about it. The gov. isn’t covering the companies but yes they do work together to produce safe products for the consumer. Think about the health dept. and a restaurant, they work together to provide an evironment that can provide safe food for the patrons whom they serve.
My final comment will be along these lines to you who will pick at the most miniscule detail and stress over it. Hearts don’t do as well with stress as it can with fats. The couple sitting at my table were strict vegans but told stories of drinking too much alcohol, staying out late (wee hours) hanging around independent music bars where cigarette smoke is far more damaging to you than a mono-dyglyceride in your diet. Driving both sleepy and intoxicated (more than one) seems to pose a far reaching health scenario.
I’ve observed the thought patterns here on this blog and find that generally speaking most are worried about themselves more than others. That instead of wasting the time and effort taken to discern information that you can never know, why not live life as you have been given, be thankful we have food, live each day as if it were the last you’ll have and love others more than yourself. If you were to do these things, mono thoughts of love would become poly thoughts of love to mankind. The differences between men and women, the colors of skin, the level of education, the social position would become less of an issue and stress over everything from free radicals to food ingredients will become items of less interest and will free up hours of your day and maybe then you’ll recognize the beauty that is all around you.
Comment by The Concerned Chef — September 27, 2008 @ 3:44 am
Thanks for posting this up. i really appreciate it but one thing that still didn’t answer my question was,how are mono diglycerides made from animal.It would be very nice if u could explain that..Thank you very much
Comment by Hannan — October 9, 2008 @ 11:22 pm
To: The Concerned Chef
Touche and thank you for your perspective!
Comment by Kelsie — October 10, 2008 @ 7:06 pm
Once Americans had become aware of what Partially Hydrogenated Oils are, It seems the food industry began taking the name out of ingredients and simply replaced it with mono-diglycerides, it’s my understanding that butter, coconut oils, and other better oils are far to expensive to use in the processing of foods. Those little chewy candies are Hydrogenated Oils to give a better idea of “partially hydrogenated oils”. It’s also my understanding that these fats keep out good fats and because of the “retarding” of the glycerol molecule it is uncapable of functioning correctly which allows all sorts of radicals to reek havoc in our bodies. That’s what i’ve determined through reading, I’m just a graphic artist captain! not a chemist!!
Comment by Roland — October 17, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
Concerned Chef; I just read your post and that stew sounds really really good, it must have been like butter or Partially Hydrogenated oil..lol..but really i would like to think less of all this stuff and maybe i will, who knows what the truth is really, i guess its all in the mind.
Comment by Roland — October 17, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
Hi i am wondering if mono and Diglycerides contain any type of animals b/c i to am a vegen so does it?
Comment by Aleisha — October 19, 2008 @ 11:51 pm
Thanks Jennifer for your thoughts. I agree with you 100% and to those who argue that it is unfair to cast opinions and thoughts without having research and evidence to do so are just impractical. If that logic was being followed then perhaps the FDA would do it’s job and test things more thoroughly instead of exposing us to all sorts of things that stick around in our food for decades before being discovered. No one really cares about the consumer’s health, as long as it doesn’t kill you quicker than you can reproduce then the market will be fine =).
It takes far to much time for the issues with consumer products food or not to be tested properly as they should be before they are allowed to be consumer products. Not to say that we aren’t better serviced now but I mean come on look at the early 1900’s people were consuming, injecting, painting with, and applying radium to everything! It was supposed to be some kind of magical elixir, and once questions started to arise about it’s safety it took well over nearly 30 years for manufacturers using the stuff to even be sued by the workers they had exposed on production lines to the issues while the scientists who dealt with the stuff at the SAME TIME were using lead shielding already.
Don’t trust others with your health, your dollar is worth far more to them.
Comment by Justin — October 30, 2008 @ 7:07 pm
Just to shed some light on the “are they plant fats or animal fats” question, they are usually derived from plant oils because those are much cheaper to get a hold of. HOWEVER, what makes the fat in hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils so dangerous isn’t its animal/plant origin, its the molecular structure of the fat. The body isn’t used to processing these shapes of fats because they don’t appear in nature and so they just sort of stick to places they don’t belong and fail to perform the function that a normal fat would. Mono and Diglycerides are created from hydrogenated oils, so, I would try to keep them out of your system if you can…
Comment by Scooby — November 6, 2008 @ 1:18 am
Funny I should stumble across this website and see the banter about the government/food industrial complex that is filled with a bunch of old white guys who are trying to figure out a way to clog the arteries of the unknowing public.
Let’s try this approach. Moderation. Yes. Have a donut. One – not three. Get your fiber in your diet. Do some excercise. Have a beer or two. Have a steak once in a while or a piece of fish. Treat others like you would like to be treated. While I am not a purist I do search for the facts – over and over and over I reald this “may” cause this and that “may” cuase that. I was told recently by a food scientist – voted for Obama by the way – there is zero clinical evidence linking preservatives to any form of cancer. Yet, all the vegans have declared their JIHAD on anything, let’s say, not natural. Again, as a baker, I strive to make great tasting stuff naturally but artificial vanilla carries flavor far better than “real” vanilla which is mostly alcohol and steams off in the oven. It’s not the mono’s that are going to kill you. I would like to meat one vegan purist who didn’t BONG their way through their twenties and thirties.
Yeah I know, I’m rambling. But I’m tired of the hate/conspiracy baloney – oops I said baloney – look at all the vegans out there bristling. (That’s what we need another extremist group in the world). Anyway, I own a HUGE commercial bakery and I love to bake and make great tasting stuff. Today I am experimenting with both “animal” and “vegetable” mono and diglycerides in my new chewy gooey cinnamon bun. I will sell the one that tastes better and gives people the satifaction of spending their good money on something that puts a smile on their face. And, again, my recommendation is to eat one as a reward for all that working out your doing. NAMASTE for God’s Sake.
Comment by jimmy the commercial baker — November 28, 2008 @ 2:10 am
Take about “junk science” this website is full of it. 99.9% of of mono & diglyeridesM&DG) these days are from a vegetable sorce(kosher). They are used at such a small amount in most foods(bottom of the ingrediant statement) that you would ingest more trans fat walking by the dounut shop. I am sure,but it would take some research ,that since natural oils are triglycerines they also would contain some M&DG. The fact is food manufacturers would love to remove M&DG if consumers would buy and not return foods that seperated and do not have a smooth mouth feel. It is a shame in a world that many people do not have enough food to eat that we are so picky . We forget that inceasing the shelf life reduces waste, that artifical flavor are more “green”(less energy & transportation to produce)and organic foods yeild less. In a world full of risks are we spending to much time and energy worrying about tiny bits of emulsifiers in our foods that pose little or no risk to our heath as long as we eat a varity of foods in moderation.
Comment by Warren — December 30, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
I know that “m & d” comes from animal (PIG) or vegetable. I also know that, in order to verify the source, it is necessary to contact the manufacturer, in that “m&d” derived from vegetable will not hurt you. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE with an earlier poster that stated that it should be LAW to divulge exactly where the products and contents of a certain product come from!!
I am a vegetarian, and I will not buy a product if it has “m&d” and I don’t know the source!
We called Blue Bunny Ice Cream, and was told that it is VEGETABLE; however, before we learned this we would not buy it!! THANX!!
Comment by Ernie — January 2, 2009 @ 11:19 pm
Baby name meaning and origin for Mono…
Description for the baby name Mono, the origins of the name and its meaning…
Trackback by Baby-Parenting.com — January 3, 2009 @ 12:10 am
Hey just wanted everyone to know that i agree that mono and diglycerides are bad for you, and im excited reading this blog. i recently started questioning the margarine i used (smart balance), and tried to do research on a couple of the ingredients, one of them being vegetable monodigycerides. I have came to the conclusion that smart balance is unhealthy and the product i once loved, i now denounce. Smart balance is so far away from being natural, it’s a tub of chemicals. To anybody who is using it thinking it;s a healthier choice than butter, please look at the long lengthy ingredient list of unnatural products.
Comment by Ebony — February 10, 2009 @ 12:24 am
I was curious, so I wrote to Oroweat. Below is their reply!
Thank you for your recent inquiry. We appreciate your interest and concern.
Our suppliers specify that the fatty acids in the mono- and diglycerides in all of our Oroweat, Mrs Baird’s, Bimbo, Marinela, Entenmann’s and Tia Rosa products are derived from vegetable sources.
We hope that this information is useful to you because we value you as a loyal customer. Once again, thank you for contacting us.
In summary, Oroweat’s whole wheat breads are safe for vegans.
Comment by Aria Parn — February 19, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
Gut!
Comment by wohnung berlin — March 1, 2009 @ 11:59 am
Sehr wertvolle Informationen! Empfehlen!
Comment by gesundheit — March 12, 2009 @ 10:55 pm
My frustration is that I can be very allergic to soy and that may be listed on the label, BUT if the Natural flavors, mono and diglicerides or oil is from soy, it is NOT considered as an “allergen” and often not listed at all.
When I consume such things that are not “protein” I still have a reaction, a delayed reaction EVERY time. Usually about 24-48 hours later, grogginess, slurred speech, cannot hold eyes open at times, You’d think I had been drinking too much, but it can ALWAYS (really) be traced back to something I ate not knowing there was soy in it. Recently it was a pizza sauce that the smaller cans (15 oz) did not contain soy (or it wasn’t listed) yet the super large cans that we were using for our pizza fundraiser, looked EXACTLY like the smaller, same company, every thing identical, yet the larger can had soy it it….
Being sleepy may not seem like a big deal but when you are driving/traveling and you cannot stay awake or you have to avoid eating almost anything unless you cooked it/brought your own, it’s a big deal!
I had a reaction one day on the way home from the grocery because I bought some hard candies that were totally soy free, or so I thought, after struggling to get home I called the company and they assured me the candies were soy free, I kept insisting I was having a reaction so the lady did some more research and found that the assembly line was coated with a powder to keep them from sticking that was made with SOY…..
If everyone was not so selfish and self-promoting and more concerned about their dollar, they might consider the health and lives of others…..if I fall asleep and killl someone else, I hope they also sue the food companies for being LIARS and the FDA for not making/enforcing the TRUTH in all labeling!
Just my .01 worth….
Comment by Very Soy Allergic — April 22, 2009 @ 8:10 pm
I am Muslim and I am trying to find out if this product is of animal source or plant source or possibly both. It is impossible to eat all whole foods in today’s society. Even if we pay the extra money to buy the products at home, even if we send our children with lunches with whole, nonprocessed foods, our children will still be offered foods at school that are against our wishes. I had this experience with my children. The school told me that it is impossible to have the teacher control every food item he chooses. I asked about their procedures for students with allergies and was told that that is a different situation. It is difficult!!!
Comment by Faye Rahman — May 8, 2009 @ 11:53 pm
I came across this blog while searching about mono and diglycerides. Thanks for sharing all the info. I find it frustrating that while I’m trying to eat healthy, there are hidden little things that may compromise my goal. I noticed these ingredients on alot of the products and it caught my attention. Although I still have yet to find enough info on this subject to conclude either way, like the author, I find myself wary!
This is off subject, but for everyone who is concerned about their health and try to be aware of things that might compromise their health, I would also strongly encourage you to check into environmental situations that you might otherwise not notice. Some could be right in your town! Most notable are chemical processing facilities, coal-fired power plants, sludge ponds, etc. Some of these plants are among the top polluters in the nation and expose the public to toxic chemicals, many of which are cancer-causing.
Comment by Brian — May 14, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
I don’t think I have seen any in organic foods around here. I wouldn’t think that would be organic at all. I wouldn’t think it would be vegan either, so I wouldn’t eat it.
Comment by Sarah P. — May 18, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
I just wanted to make a quick note.
I stumbled onto your blog trying to find out info on mono -diglycerides. I love your site and have bookmarked it as a reference to read up on many things. Thank you for all you do. I look forward to reading your other blogs.
Comment by Stephanie K — April 23, 2010 @ 11:33 pm
I’ve been told that mono and diglycerides come from animal fat, usually from the pig. since my family doesn’t eat pork we stay away from products containing any kind of glycerides. no one ever has a straight answer so we never know exactly what type of fat is in each of these products. I have noticed that more and more of our food now contain mono and diglycerides. some of my favorite foods and snacks I can no longer because the ingredients have changed. like u read the lable on everything.
Comment by Treasa — April 29, 2010 @ 3:38 am
I read the comment from Leanne who was not able to find heavy cream without a bunch of “bad stuff” in it. There is hope. Health stores aren’t everywhere, but it seems that they are becoming more and more common. For instance – Whole Foods Market doesn’t even allow mono and diglycerides, any hydrogenated fats, anything artificial whatsoever. If you look at their website, they have an “unacceptable ingredients list” that goes on for miles. And that’s just for their packaged food! They have other standards for their body care, meat, seafood, etc. They get a bad rep for being expensive, but I’m a mother of two and I do price comparisons everywhere I go. The food that they sell at Whole Foods that is free of all the horrible ingredients you’ll find everywhere else will usually be about $2-$5 more expensive than any other “normal” store! I’ve even tried a place called Trader Joes. Even though they have better deals sometimes, they don’t have such high expectations for their foods. I’ve read many labels at that store and they still have some pretty bad ingredients listed in their food that they are okay with. I’m now a Whole Foods customer regularly. My sons both have some allergies and my husband and I are also sensitive to certain foods. They have so many choices there. However, even without the food allergies we’d be dedicated customers. They are a much more genuine and real company than what people think. I’ve done extensive fact searching and found what they’re really about – and you can find anything there that you’d normally buy at a “conventional” store but you can be sure that you won’t have to check every single ingredient listing because they simply don’t allow the “bad stuff” in there. I’m a fan!
Comment by Informed Mommy — August 27, 2010 @ 4:31 pm
I think I mis-spoke myself – what I meant to say was that the food products that you buy at Whole Foods will actually be more expensive elsewhere if you actually price compare. It won’t be for everything, but almost everything. I’ve tried finding my favorite brands at other stores and found them to be $2-$5 more expensive than what they will sell it for at Whole Foods – thus making Whole Foods actually cheaper. I hope that made sense this time. Thanks for the wonderful blog. I’m now a reader!
Comment by Informed Mommy — August 27, 2010 @ 4:37 pm
Generally, if it is vegatable, then it is stated as such, -vegatable mono and diglycerides -
Comment by educated — August 30, 2010 @ 9:37 pm