What's In A Twinkie?

Ah, the 'I don't understand it so it must be bad for me' heuristic. :P

If it's a number or a chemical name, people automatically presume it's somehow bad for you. By the same token, if it's a herb or sounds 'natural', it must be good for you. So E260 is bad, while vinegar is good. Ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate and 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone are bad, but strawberries are good. Never thinking they are for all purposes the same things (those chemicals being responsible for the smell of strawberries).

We should always be vigilant, of course, of the additives such as colourings and preservatives used in food. But using 'if it's a chemical name or a number, it's probably bad' as a guide is simply being too lazy to learn a bit of science.

Silly customer, you cannot hurt a Twinkie!

I have never had a box of twinkies with an expiration date longer than a few weeks.. Also they changed the recipe, no trans fat maybe. They dont taste half as good now.

37 ingredients! Wow, I did not know it!I used to eat it so often but have gotten much better at eating other junk now.

ingredient one, deliciousness

I'll remember to bring a chemistry text along next time I go to the ValuMart.

There is a good book about this called Twinkie Deconstructed.

http://www.twinkiedeconstructed.com/

I'm pretty sure the only preservative in Twinkies these days is the always dangerous ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

The stuff inside of Twinkies is my 5th food group!

GAH!! I did my final in food science on Twinkies. I even made a trip to a small test kitchen, where I was treated to a freshly made one, that was made from the original recipe. It was freakin heaven. The ones you get in the store are nothing like the original recipe, freshly made one.
The original Twinkies only had a shelf life of maybe a week. They had fresh ingredients and they used fresh strawberries or bananas for their fillings (depending on the season)
The ingredients were simple, like cake. Eggs, milk, sugar, flour...etc.
The ingredients used in todays Twinkies are for a longer shelf life of a few weeks. When they are listed, they have to be broken down due to requirements by the government.

Frau, stop it! You're making me salivate.

"what's in a Twinkie?" Magical goodness carefully prepared by pixies.

Awe, Jason beat me to it! You should read "Twinkie Deconstructed." Fascinating stuff.

I don't know why so many people like them. They taste disgusting.

Man, I so want a twinkie right now. And on that external link, however random, those were pretty cool photos.

Antithesis? Get real...

Twinkies are for fat sick people who trust doctors with their health.

@TRC

"I don't know why so many people like them. They taste disgusting."

Bless you! I have never liked Twinkies. I will never understand how they manage to stay in business. But if you guys like them that's kool. Least now I don't feel like some kind of space alien.

Down here (TN) they have something called a Moon Pie. Has got to be the second most gawd awful thing made to be eaten. They even have three flavors I think. Talk about junk food! To make matters worse the best treat in the world here is a Moon Pie and RC Cola. The worst snack with the worst drink ever! Don't tell anyone I said that, am liable to get thumped bad.

(not saying I'm not mind you)