Friday, April 9, 2010 - Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwich

Sorry I am posting so late, I spent the day in Raleigh with my mom and after a lot of research was able to find every little ingredient that is put into a Jimmy Dean Sausage Biscuit. Today I went into Danieley Commons to finish up a homework assignment before leaving for Raleigh. I ran in grabbed a breakfast sandwich and a cup of water. When I sat down to eat it although not exactly the taste I wanted, it satisfied my hunger. After leaving class on Thursday with the discussion of the numerous ingredients in my food in which I could not even pronounce, I wanted to know what was in this sandwich. Here are the ingredients the website lists:

BISCUIT: BLEACHED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (MAY CONTAIN MALTED BARLEY FLOUR AND ENZYMES, CONTAINS NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), WATER, VEGETABLE SHORTENING (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OILS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BETA CAROTENE [COLOR]), DRY BUTTERMILK, DEXTROSE, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: SODIUM BICARBONATE, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, SALT, VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, PRESERVATIVES (CALCIUM PROPIONATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SORBIC ACID), XANTHAN GUM. COOKED SAUSAGE PATTY: PORK, WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: SODIUM LACTATE, SALT, SUGAR, SPICES, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, SODIUM DIACETATE, CARAMEL COLOR. CONTAINS MILK, SOY AND WHEAT

Now if you ask me, this really means nothing, but if you look deeper and define some of these it really should mean something to you. For example take bleached enriched wheat flour, now if you ask me, bleach in food, that doesn't sound good at all. When I googled this, the website www.vegetarian-restaurants.net came with the quote, "When flour is highly processed and bleached most of the fiber is taken out and most of its normal nutritional value is depleted. Plus a bunch of chemicals are used in processing the flour and chemicals are added in the form of artificial vitamins so these products can say on the label they contain certain vitamins. It is best to use organic wheat flours or other organic grains." I then looked up the nutrition facts: Calories: 360 Calories from Fat:220 Total Fat: 24 grams Saturated Fat: 8 grams Carbohydrates: 26 grams.

All in all, yes this product is very convenient and easy for on the go but is it practical? Nutritionally speaking is this really healthy? Many of you may be able to recall the multiple Jimmy Dean advertisements on T.V. referring to the sandwich as a morning pick me up or the perfect source of energy. Is this true, or just false advertisement. I believe that will be the last Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwich.

Goodnight!

Andi Cochran