Calories in Ians Mac & no cheese

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.
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* 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.

The Iron in this product comes from real food, not as a fortified ingredient. This is important because it means you are getting hundreds of additional nutrients from the real food.

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.

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 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.

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide that is used as a food additive. A polysaccharide is a type of carbohydrate. It is produced from starches of corn, wheat, potatoes or rice. Its flavor can be slightly sweet or almost flavorless. Maltodextrin is used as a bulking base for artificial sweeteners, for example in Jell-o it is used in conjunction with Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium. It is also the bulking agent in Splenda.

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.