Hostess Brands Inc., the makers of American icons Twinkies and Wonder Bread, filed for bankruptcy protection today. They cited numerous reasons for the filing, ranging from a rough economy and fierce competition to high medical and pension obligations, according to the Wall Street Journal.
In a time when obesity is rampant and even epidemic in the United States, the possible downfall of two of America's favorite symbols of empty calories raises wonder (pun intended) as to the future of the Hostess Brands company.
The ingredients of Twinkies are an incredibly wide assortment of bizarre, some of which you might be able to pick up at your local grocer, and many that only seem to come from processed food wonderland. According to Wikipedia, the ingredients for Hostess Twinkies are:
Enriched wheat flour, sugar, corn syrup, niacin, water, high fructose corn syrup, vegetable and/or animal shortening. The also contain one or more of the following: Partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed and/or canola oil, beef fat, dextrose, whole eggs, modified corn starch, cellulose gum, whey, leavenings (sodium acid pyrophosphae, baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), salt, cornstarch, corn flour, corn syrup, solids, mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin, polysorbate 60, dextrin, calcium caseinate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, wheat gluten, calcium sulphate, natural and artificial flavours, caramel colour, yellow #5, red #40.
According to Answers.com, a Twinkie au natural has 150 calories, while the more exotic deep fried Twinkie comes in at 425 calories. Twinkies were invented in 1930.
Wonder Bread was invented in 1921. We would like to give you the ingredients, but apparently it is a well guarded secret. Many places list the nutrition info for Wonder Bread, but the ingredients list is much harder to find than articles complaining that the ingredients list is almost impossible to find.
While they won't tell what goes into Wonder Bread they do offer up this sage advice - "Just SIX slices of bread each day - three from whole grains - helps keep your weight in control and reduces your risk of certain diseases."
Really? Is it any wonder that America has such a weight problem?
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