I was hoping this would be one of my special, happy, upbeat posts today. Unfortunately, Oprah had other plans. When I caught wind that my favorite author, Michael Pollan, was going to be interviewed by the grand dame of television, I popped over to Oprah.com to find a link to share with y'all.
Instead I found this. The most confused, misleading post in the history of blogging.
"The World's First Guilt-Free Ice Cream!" blabs the headline. It then goes on to talk about how great Laloo's Goat Milk Ice Cream is.
It's made from the milk of goats that freely graze the hillsides of Sonoma Valley and the lush farmland near Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin. Spoon into a bowl of Deep Chocolate (or Black Mission Fig or Capraccino) and you'll find a rich, velvety frozen treat that you'd never guess has about half the fat of your average premium cow's-milk brand. We could tell you that goat's milk contains less water and more solids (which means no need for added cream). Or that it has more of certain minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium) than cow's milk. Or that the goats in question are free of antibiotics and growth hormone.World's first nuthin'. Is this the world's first cruelty-free ice cream? No. Is it the world's first goat ice cream? No. And claiming that the minerals and reduced fat make it guilt-free is like saying it hurts less to be shot by a .22 caliber bullet than a .357. Yes, technically, it might be true, but you're still getting shot.
Then Oprah's post goes completely schizo, completely changing it's tune and ending with this doom-and-gloom link to another article: "Just because it says "low-fat" doesn't mean it's good for you. Here's how to master the art of reading nutrition labels."
And for the record, the second ingredient in every, single flavor of Laloo's ice cream is sugar or evaporated cane juice, which is just a highfalutin' way of saying sugar. This stuff is pretty good, as far as ice cream goes, but there's nothing guilt-free about it.
Just stick to giving away cars, Oprah. Leave the nutrition up to the experts.
*snaps* You told her.
ReplyDeleteIt's ice cream. It's not a health food; it's an indulgence. O Magazine isn't saying Laloo's is some miracle food that you should everyday, just that it's a better choice than other ice creams. I know I feel a lot less guilty eating Laloo's than other ice creams. A serving of Laloo's Vanilla Snowflake has only 140 calories per serving, 50 from fat, while Ben & Jerry's Vanilla has 230 calories, 130 from fat. And you said it yourself: "The stuff is pretty good."
ReplyDeleteBut it's not "guilt-free." It's "slightly less guilt-inducing."
ReplyDeleteGuilt-free implies you can eat it with impunity, which you most certainly cannot.
Broccoli is guilt-free.
I hate Oprah. There, I said it. Sorry but I do. And I don't think I'm the only one although I'm sure to get railed for saying it.
ReplyDeleteHmm, can't really say I hate Oprah, though I haven't watched her in years.She does do some good. My husband hates her, does that make you feel better? Allison, you are not alone. :-D
ReplyDeleteI can't say that it's guilt-free; I always feel a little guilty after I down a pint, myself. However, I'm glad LaLoo's got some press. It's an underrated and under-the-radar product. Yes, the article was crap, but maybe it will encourage more people to try this delicious hidden-treasure of a dessert.
ReplyDelete