What is a frankenfood?

bekki1 · 01-30-2009, 06:26 PM

I am not sure but I see that word often and know I should not be eating them. But I may be since I do not know what they are.

hauermich · 01-30-2009, 06:32 PM

Basically it is a processed food....meal replacement bars & drinks, hot dogs, processed deli meats, etc.

Michele

Houston Heather · 01-30-2009, 06:34 PM

To me, it's a product that isn't readily found in nature.

I don't see bacon as a frankenfood, for instance. I do view sugarfree processed foods, meal replacement bars, shakes, and such as frankenfoods.

KlingonBabe · 01-30-2009, 06:35 PM

Strictly speaking, a frankenfood is a food that, by artificial means, pretends to be that which it is not.

I will leave out any wonderful recipes that, by virtue of great combination of whole ingredients, mimick high-carb foods. These are not frankenfoods.

However:
low carb bread
low carb tortillas
bars (low or high carb, they're all nasty)
shakes (unless you're talking homemade egg cream sans frankenprotein powder)
SF chocolates
low carb cereal in a box

you get my drift.

bekki1 · 01-30-2009, 06:43 PM

thanks, then I guess I am franken free!!!

jccj58 · 01-30-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bekki1

thanks, then I guess I am franken free!!!

LOL franken free....I like that one...franken freekin free...fantastic

John

SJK+ · 01-30-2009, 08:55 PM

My first time doing Atkins I went strickly by the book and avoided all the franken foods. Lost my sweet tooth completely! After losing 75 pounds I started buying the frankenfood products (bars, etc) and my sweet tooth came back, with the cravings.

Now 5 years later I am back, having put it all back on.

KlingonBabe · 01-30-2009, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bekki1

thanks, then I guess I am franken free!!!

I like it! Franken-Free!!!!

Kaimi2008 · 01-31-2009, 01:02 AM

Foods (I) eat.

JerseyGardenGirl · 01-31-2009, 03:37 AM

I lost my sweet tooth when I did Atkins originally (2000) never got it back. Frankenfoods are considered bars, shakes, anything fake that mimics real food. IMO.You're replacing one addiction for another it teaches nothing.
You're better off not even thinking about it. focus on healthy foods and whole foods your body will thank you for it!

gharkness · 01-31-2009, 08:23 AM

I am not big on buying processed things, but I AM big on cooking stuff at home that might be considered frankenfoods. For example: made some brownies this morning with oat fiber. I dunno....do you consider that frankenfoods? If so, I guess I will continue to be guilty.

See, it's just a term, and to say you should or shouldn't eat them is a matter of opinion.

To me, the big thing is: know what is in your food, then decide on THAT basis whether to eat it or not.

Charski · 01-31-2009, 10:49 AM

Frankenfoods are in the eye of the beholder, IMHO. I mean, we probably all agree that things like low-carb bars and chocolates are frankenfoods - but others might consider them also anything made to resemble a high-carb former favorite, which I don't agree on that one.

So it's up to YOU what you consider - for me, it's anything highly processed or containing HFCS or transfats or other questionable ingredients.

KlingonBabe · 01-31-2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charski

others might consider them also anything made to resemble a high-carb former favorite, which I don't agree on that one.

I don't agree with that one, either.

Let's take a simple almond flour muffin. Ingredients: almond flour, eggs, butter, baking powder, vanilla, Splenda.

I would eat each and every one of those ingredients (save the baking powder) either by itself or in other foods that I don't consider processed. So, putting them together does NOT make my muffin a frankenfood.

zelia · 01-31-2009, 11:47 AM

In general (i.e., in the world beyond LC boards), "frankenfood" is a slang term referring to genetically modified food, especially a fruit or vegetable. [FRANKEN(STEIN) + FOOD.]

disgal · 01-31-2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KlingonBabe

I don't agree with that one, either.

Let's take a simple almond flour muffin. Ingredients: almond flour, eggs, butter, baking powder, vanilla, Splenda.

I would eat each and every one of those ingredients (save the baking powder) either by itself or in other foods that I don't consider processed. So, putting them together does NOT make my muffin a frankenfood.

ITA. If you are taking some whole food products like almond flour, cream cheese, etc. to make something, that doesn't mean it's a frankenfood. Now, one or more of the ingredients that is in your recipe might be contributing to a stall, but I don't consider it frankenfood.

I think even low-fat diets have frankenfoods. I think of light/fat-free dairy products for one. Have you ever read the long list of ingredients that stuff has?

When I think frankenfoods, I think of what has been mentioned here......shakes, bars, candy, cereal, processed snacks, ..............before when I did Atkins, I had these all the time. NOT this time. I'm trying to be as clean as I can. Other than 1-2 splenda in my tea/coffee everyday, I haven't even had anything sweet so far. Twenty-three days without sweet stuff.......you guys have no idea how BIG that is for me.

sinderstorm · 01-31-2009, 03:21 PM

IMO anything with ingredients I can't readily identify or pronounce.

BrianSCohen · 01-31-2009, 06:16 PM

The term frankenfood is also applied to any food that is highly processed and made to appear as something that it is not. I put veggie burgers in this category. For the low carber, this would be all the foods that mimic the typical sugary carb laden fare that we now avoid. These chemical creations I deem "frankenfood." I would even go so far as to say atkins bars verge on frankenfood.

If you can't clearly visualize where the food came from and how it was made maybe you shouldn't eat it.

KlingonBabe · 01-31-2009, 07:29 PM

Brian, I would say that Atkins bars ARE frankenfoods.

foxieroxie · 01-31-2009, 09:55 PM

If you can't hunt or gather it, I would question it

Blood Sugar 101 · 02-01-2009, 06:17 AM

If you really want to know more about what is in Frankenfoods, read a book called Twinkie Deconstructed.

The author took the Twinkie label ingredient list and tracked down all the ingredients to find out what they were and where they were made. Many of them turned out to be byproducts of petroleum refining and then processing at Chinese factories. Half the stuff he discusses was stuff most of us think of as benign and stemming from food, which it doesn't.

A worthwhile read.

oobladee · 02-02-2009, 02:42 PM

It can be a fun term, and I am okay when people use it to describe things like milkshakes that won't melt, ever. It's good to make people stop and think about what they put into the mouth, too.

I am less okay when people call all nutrition bars the same word because maybe they are not familiar with ingredients or it's not a product they would ever use.

Just the judgmentmental use of the word can be harsh, that's all.

01-30-2009, 06:26 PM	#1
bekki1 Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Snohomish, Washington Posts: 2,524 Gallery: bekki1 Stats: 172.1/156.2/150 WOE: HCG Start Date: 4/9/12	What is a frankenfood? I am not sure but I see that word often and know I should not be eating them. But I may be since I do not know what they are.

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01-30-2009, 06:32 PM	#2
hauermich Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 298 Gallery: hauermich	Basically it is a processed food....meal replacement bars & drinks, hot dogs, processed deli meats, etc. Michele

01-30-2009, 06:34 PM	#3
Houston Heather Guest Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Houston Posts: 9,854 Gallery: Houston Heather Stats: 228/166/160 Waist: 42/31/31 WOE: Atkins 2002 Ongoing Weight Loss/pre maintenance Start Date: Feb 26, 2008 (second and last time)	To me, it's a product that isn't readily found in nature. I don't see bacon as a frankenfood, for instance. I do view sugarfree processed foods, meal replacement bars, shakes, and such as frankenfoods.

01-30-2009, 06:35 PM	#4
KlingonBabe Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wandering around the Delta Quadrant Posts: 2,182 Gallery: KlingonBabe Stats: Miserable/Sane/FABULOUS	Strictly speaking, a frankenfood is a food that, by artificial means, pretends to be that which it is not. I will leave out any wonderful recipes that, by virtue of great combination of whole ingredients, mimick high-carb foods. These are not frankenfoods. However: low carb bread low carb tortillas bars (low or high carb, they're all nasty) shakes (unless you're talking homemade egg cream sans frankenprotein powder) SF chocolates low carb cereal in a box you get my drift.

01-30-2009, 06:43 PM	#5
bekki1 Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Snohomish, Washington Posts: 2,524 Gallery: bekki1 Stats: 172.1/156.2/150 WOE: HCG Start Date: 4/9/12	thanks, then I guess I am franken free!!!

01-30-2009, 08:55 PM	#7
SJK+ Senior LCF Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 860 Gallery: SJK+ Stats: 275/225/175 WOE: Atkins OWL Start Date: 2002-05, restart AGAIN 11/17/09	My first time doing Atkins I went strickly by the book and avoided all the franken foods. Lost my sweet tooth completely! After losing 75 pounds I started buying the frankenfood products (bars, etc) and my sweet tooth came back, with the cravings. Now 5 years later I am back, having put it all back on.

01-31-2009, 01:02 AM	#9
Kaimi2008 Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 11,711 Gallery: Kaimi2008 Stats: 197.2/181.0/155 (for now) 5'6" WOE: Jenny Craig At-Home Start Date: November 2, 2012	Foods (I) eat.

01-31-2009, 03:37 AM	#10
JerseyGardenGirl MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 2,962 Gallery: JerseyGardenGirl Stats: 242/195/125 -- 5'3 -- 30 yrs old WOE: Low Carb (thanks to Atkins!) Start Date: restarted (for the last time!) 12/15/08	I lost my sweet tooth when I did Atkins originally (2000) never got it back. Frankenfoods are considered bars, shakes, anything fake that mimics real food. IMO.You're replacing one addiction for another it teaches nothing. You're better off not even thinking about it. focus on healthy foods and whole foods your body will thank you for it!

01-31-2009, 08:23 AM	#11
gharkness Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 1,676 Gallery: gharkness WOE: RNY Gastric Bypass 02-02-2007	I am not big on buying processed things, but I AM big on cooking stuff at home that might be considered frankenfoods. For example: made some brownies this morning with oat fiber. I dunno....do you consider that frankenfoods? If so, I guess I will continue to be guilty. See, it's just a term, and to say you should or shouldn't eat them is a matter of opinion. To me, the big thing is: know what is in your food, then decide on THAT basis whether to eat it or not.

01-31-2009, 10:49 AM	#12
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,795 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Frankenfoods are in the eye of the beholder, IMHO. I mean, we probably all agree that things like low-carb bars and chocolates are frankenfoods - but others might consider them also anything made to resemble a high-carb former favorite, which I don't agree on that one. So it's up to YOU what you consider - for me, it's anything highly processed or containing HFCS or transfats or other questionable ingredients.

01-31-2009, 11:47 AM	#14
zelia MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Evergreen State Posts: 1,559 Gallery: zelia Start Date: November 2001	In general (i.e., in the world beyond LC boards), "frankenfood" is a slang term referring to genetically modified food, especially a fruit or vegetable. [FRANKEN(STEIN) + FOOD.]

01-31-2009, 03:21 PM	#16
sinderstorm Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 3,425 Gallery: sinderstorm Stats: 250/205(post twins)/150	IMO anything with ingredients I can't readily identify or pronounce.

01-31-2009, 06:16 PM	#17
BrianSCohen Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,009 Gallery: BrianSCohen Stats: 205/206/210 WOE: Modified Berstein 30-50g/day Start Date: August 2006	The term frankenfood is also applied to any food that is highly processed and made to appear as something that it is not. I put veggie burgers in this category. For the low carber, this would be all the foods that mimic the typical sugary carb laden fare that we now avoid. These chemical creations I deem "frankenfood." I would even go so far as to say atkins bars verge on frankenfood. If you can't clearly visualize where the food came from and how it was made maybe you shouldn't eat it.

01-31-2009, 07:29 PM	#18
KlingonBabe Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wandering around the Delta Quadrant Posts: 2,182 Gallery: KlingonBabe Stats: Miserable/Sane/FABULOUS	Brian, I would say that Atkins bars ARE frankenfoods.

01-31-2009, 09:55 PM	#19
foxieroxie Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Central Coast of California Posts: 354 Gallery: foxieroxie Stats: 276/207/130 WOE: Atkins Start Date: Re-start 8/9/10	If you can't hunt or gather it, I would question it

02-01-2009, 06:17 AM	#20
Blood Sugar 101 Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New England Posts: 2,895 Gallery: Blood Sugar 101 Stats: 1998-2009 170/142/145---2010 138/142/138 WOE: 80-100g per day. Metformin (no more prandin!) Start Date: First LC diet 1998, goal 2003, continual vigilance	If you really want to know more about what is in Frankenfoods, read a book called Twinkie Deconstructed. The author took the Twinkie label ingredient list and tracked down all the ingredients to find out what they were and where they were made. Many of them turned out to be byproducts of petroleum refining and then processing at Chinese factories. Half the stuff he discusses was stuff most of us think of as benign and stemming from food, which it doesn't. A worthwhile read.

02-02-2009, 02:42 PM	#21
oobladee Senior LCF Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Far North, Cali Posts: 644 Gallery: oobladee Stats: Top BMI: 37; Currently: 30-31 WOE: Moderate fat & cals/hi protein/low carb Start Date: March 2006	It can be a fun term, and I am okay when people use it to describe things like milkshakes that won't melt, ever. It's good to make people stop and think about what they put into the mouth, too. I am less okay when people call all nutrition bars the same word because maybe they are not familiar with ingredients or it's not a product they would ever use. Just the judgmentmental use of the word can be harsh, that's all.