Health Food or Junk Food: The Complete Cookie
My sweet tooth said, “I have to try them.” I soon found The Complete Cookie at my corner drugstore. There
were only two flavors available in store and each individual cookie cost $1.99.
But, online Lenny & Larry sell 11 flavors:
snickerdoodle, chocolate chip, birthday cake, coconut chocolate chip, double chocolate
peanut butter swirl, double chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate
macadamia, lemon poppy seed, oatmeal raisin, and pumpkin spice.
These cookies are vegan and Kosher. They’re made without
high fructose corn syrup, soy, artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and
partially hydrogenated oils. They must be healthy, right?
What makes them
healthier than most?
Half a cookie provides 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of
fiber. Whether I make cookies at home or
buy them at a store, they don’t usually have that much protein and fiber.
Additionally, there’s no partially hydrogenated oils to contribute
trans fats. And, because it’s vegan, it naturally doesn’t contain any
cholesterol. They even contain a little bit of flax, which provide important
omega-3 fatty acids.
So, why are they
still junk food?
The main reason is because they contain a lot of added
sugar. Half a large cookie contains 15 grams of sugar. Some recommend eating
only 25 grams of added sugar per day. So, if you eat that whole cookie, you’ve
already exceeded your limit for the day.
It’s not natural sugar from fruit, vegetables, or dairy. That sugar comes from cane sugar and molasses.
(If you want a cookie that gets its sweetness from fruit, you can make drop
cookies with this recipe.)
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| Whoa. That's a big cookie. |
Another complaint I have is that they are made with refined
flour.
You’d think a cookie with 4 grams of fiber would be made
with whole grain flour or whole oats. Nope. These are made with enriched flour,
which doesn’t have the fiber that whole grain flour does. So, Lenny and Larry
added oat fiber and chicory root fiber to the cookies for more fiber.
To be clear, I’m not complaining that there’s fiber in
these. I think it’s great there’s fiber in these cookies, unlike most cookies
on the market. But, I think they could have been made with whole grains.
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| Moderation: A cookie is two servings; eat half if you can. |
Like most cookies, it contains a lot of added sugar, which we should all be trying to limit. But, if you’re going to eat a store-bought cookie, this might be one of the better ones, because it provides protein and fiber without trans fats or cholesterol. If you’re interested in replacing your current cookies with these, you can use discount code BA67521 to get 20% off your order at www.lennylarry.com. Just remember, eat them in moderation.
Healthier Option:
If you’re looking for a snack that provides protein and fiber, try an apple
with peanut butter or cheese on whole grain crackers.
Have you tried these or other protein-packed desserts? Share your thoughts on them.
Disclaimer: I was not paid to review this product nor did I receive a free cookie to try.
Have you tried these or other protein-packed desserts? Share your thoughts on them.
Disclaimer: I was not paid to review this product nor did I receive a free cookie to try.