Calories in Little Debbie Cheese danish with icing

WeightWatchers Points are estimated by carbohydrates, fats, protein and fiber in product. They are not an affirmation of better quality or nutritional value of the product or its manufacturer. Only way to count for dieters. Less points are better.
Read more at Weight watchers diet review

This includes both naturally occurring and added sugars. According to the USDA, every man woman and child in the US consumes approximately 80 pounds of caloric sweeteners per year! That works out to 25 tsp of sugars per day, or 400 extra calories!

Not all fats are created equal. Saturated fats are the ones responsible for bad cholestrol buildup in our blood vessels, as well as contributing to coronary disease.

* FoodPoints are calculated by Fooducate based on fats, carbs, fiber, and protein. They are not an endorsement or approval of the product or its manufacturer. The fewer points - the better.

This product is highly processed. If you'll take a look at its ingredient list, you'll discover new words to add to your vocabulary. Many of theses ingredients are required to increase the shelf life of the product and improve the flavor that disappears when food is not fresh.

Azodicarbonamide is a popular dough conditioner. It also bleaches the flour (makes it whiter). It's considered safe in the US at up to 45 parts per million, but is banned from use in Europe because studies showed it could cause asthma or allergic reactions. ---- Sources: Kim C, Cho J, Leem J, Ryu J, Lee H, Hong Y. Occupational asthma due to azodicarbonamide. Yonsei Med J. 2004; 45-2: 325-329. Normand JC, Grange F, Hernandez C, Ganay A, Davezies P, Bergeret A, Prost G. Occupational asthma after exposure to azodicarbonamide: Report of four cases. Brit J Ind Med. 1989; 46: 60-62. Vlastos D, Moshou H, Epeoglou K. Evaluation of genotoxic effects of semicarbazide on cultured human lymphocytes and rat bone marrow. Food Chem Toxicol. 2010; 48: 209-214. Ye J, Wang X, Sang Y, Liu Q. Assessment of the determination of azodicarbonamide and its decomposition product semicarbazide: Investigation of variation in flour and flour products. J Agr Food Chem. 2011; 59: 9313-9318.

Whole grains are a great source of fiber and other nutrients. Fiber is one of the most important nutrients lacking in the modern American diet. Unfortunately, this product does not contain enough whole grains, if any. If there is fiber in here, it's probably added fiber and not naturally occurring. Whole grains are not the only way to consuming fiber, BUT by choosing them instead of processed grains you've made a smart choice. If you'd like to eat a bit better, try for something that contains whole grains.

Carrageenan is an additive made from seaweed. It is used as a thickener in products such as ice cream, jelly, chocolate milk, infant formula, cottage cheese. It is a vegetarian and vegan alternative to gelatin. It has been used for hundreds of years in Ireland and China, but only made headway into modern food processing in the last 50 years. The processing steps after harvesting the seaweed include drying, grounding, filtration, treatment with potassium hydroxide, removal of cellulose by centrifuge, concentration by evaporation, drying, and grounding. Interestingly, the Philippines account for the vast majority of the world supply of carrageenan. In some animal studies, carrageenan was shown to cause intestinal lacerations and tumors. A 2001 meta-study of 45 peer-reviewed studies concluded that carrageenan consumption may result in gastrointestinal malignancy and inflammatory bowel. The FDA has approved carrageenan as safe, basing its decision on industry funded studies. European agencies and the World Health Organization have also deemed carrageenan safe, with the exception of infant formula. The fear is the a baby's gut may be unable to handle the large carrageenan molecules. In some individuals carrageenan may cause intestinal discomfort or worse. ---- Sources: Tobacman JK. Review of harmful gastrointestinal effects of carrageenan in animal experiments. Environ Health Perspect. 2001 Oct;109(10):983-94. Marcus R, Watt J. Seaweeds and ulcerative colitis in laboratory animals. Lancet. 1969 Aug 30;2(7618):489-90. Yang B, Bhattacharyya S, Linhardt R, Tobacman J. Exposure to common food additive carrageenan leads to reduced sulfatase activity and increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycans in human epithelial cells. Biochimie. 2012 Jun;94(6):1309-16. Bhattacharyya S, O-Sullivan I, Katyal S, Unterman T, Tobacman JK. Exposure to the common food additive carrageenan leads to glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and inhibition of insulin signalling in HepG2 cells and C57BL/6J mice. Diabetologia. 2012 Jan;55(1):194-203. Bhattacharyya S, Dudeja PK, Tobacman JK. Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced inflammation is increased but apoptosis is inhibited by common food additive carrageenan. J Biol Chem. 2010 Dec 10;285(50):39511-22. Bhattacharyya S, Borthakur A, Dudeja PK, Tobacman JK. Carrageenan induces cell cycle arrest in human intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. J Nutr. 2008 Mar;138(3):469-75. Bhattacharyya S, Borthakur A, Dudeja PK, Tobacman JK. Carrageenan reduces bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) and activates the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway in normal human colonocytes. Dig Dis Sci. 2007 Oct;52(10):2766-74.

Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) is a white to light-cream-colored dry powder. It is a very cheap milk byproduct of skim milk through a series of processes that includes ultrafiltration, evaporation and drying of the milk until it reaches a powder form. Some more info: - Most of the MPC's are imported as a dry powder from countries with lax food safety regulations (China for example). - MPC's are added to processed food products to increase the amount of protein without increasing the carbs. Some view the increased presence of MPC in food products as a result of the low-carb diet craze, others see it as a way to cheaply increase the nutrition of processed foods. Sources: ------ Huffman LM, Harper WJ. Maximizing the value of milk through separation technologies. J Dairy Sci. 1999;82(10):2238-44. Alvarez VB, Wolters CL, Vodovotz Y, Ji T. Physical properties of ice cream containing milk protein concentrates. J Dairy Sci. 2005 Mar;88(3):862-71. US Food & Drug Administration, Marketing & Policy Briefing Paper. U.S. Imports of Concentrated Milk Proteins: What We Know and Don't Know?, February 2003, Ed Jesse (University of Wisconsin) United States General Accounting Office. Imports, Domestic Production, and Regulation of Ultra-filtered Milk, March 2001, United States General Accounting Office

Mono and diglycerides are commonly used in processed foods to maintain stability in liquid products and "improve" quality in baked goods. These glycerides could be created using both hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils or animal fats. In theory, this may transfer a small amount of trans fats into the product. The glycerides are synthesized into phosphates by reacting with phosphorus pentoxide, a potential environmental hazard. But that's only part of the problem . . . The presence of mono and diglycerides should discourage you from buying a product for more than just these reasons: their inclusion in a product indicates that it is industrially processed. Choose products without mono and diglycerides not only for health reasons, but because you are getting a better quality food item overall.

Companies add artificial flavors to products to make them taste better. They are created in a lab and the formulations are guarded as trade secrets. Flavorings can compensate for flavor loss during processing, substitute for ingredients, lower production costs and increase shelf stability. Artificial flavorings are cheaper to source than natural flavors and are perceived as "worse" than natural flavors. They are more stable (and usually less chemically complex) than natural flavors. Artificial flavors are not necessarily bad for you from a health perspective. however, people with food sensitivities or allergies may want to avoid artificial flavors if they are unnamed. You can always contact the manufacturer for more information.

Companies add flavorings to make products taste better. They are created in a lab and the formulations are guarded as trade secrets. Flavorings can compensate for flavor loss during processing, substitute for ingredients, lower production costs and increase shelf stability. Natural flavorings are more expensive to source than artificial flavors, but tend to be better received by consumers. People sensitive to MSG, vegans, vegetarians and those with allergies should pay special attention to the phrase "natural flavorings" since glutamates, animal products or allergens may be the source of natural flavors. You can always contact the manufacturer for more information.

Calcium propionate (or calcium propaonate) is a preservative that inhibits mold and bacterial growth. Considered safe, but in the early 1990's it was linked to attention deficit disorder in children.

Xanthan gum is an emulsifier. It helps ingredients blend more effectively and stay blended while waiting on a shelf. For example – water and oil mixtures, as well as bits of spice in a salad dressing. Xanthan Gum is made by fermenting corn sugar with a bacteria, Xanthomonas campestris. It’s the same bacteria that creates black spots on broccoli and cauliflower. The result is a slimy goo that is then dried up and ground into a fine white powder.

Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate is a chemical similar to lactic acid used in the processing of food. The FDA and consumer organizations have found it safe. We don't think it's dangerous, however, it is an indicator that the product is processed. We like that it's biodegradable, but still . . . it provides no nutritional value and few consumer benefits. When buying food, keep in mind that the presence of Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate means that this item is processed. It makes bread look big and fluffy, icing look light and pillowy, and reduces the amount of fat and sugar needed in baked goods. Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate makes processed food cheaper, more beautiful and gives it a more appealing texture. We recommend avoiding it if because we like food to be processed as little as possible . . .