What's in a Peep?

By Crave Health Intern Alyssa Rieser

Easter is almost here, and the grocery stores are stocking their shelves with chocolate bunnies, Cadbury eggs and, of course, Peeps. We were curious about what the colorful, marshmallowy Peeps are made of and how much nutritional value they have. After a little bit of research, I have some answers to share with you. Here's a rundown of what you'll see on the nutrition label:

• 140 calories per five-chick serving (28 calories per chick)

• 0 grams fat

• 15 mg sodium (1% of the DV)

• 26 grams carbohydrate (12% of the DV)

• 1 gram protein (2% of the DV)

• 34 grams of sugar - that's almost 9 teaspoons of sugar!!!

While the Peeps might seem like a good indulgence because they are low in calories and have no fat, consider that they also have zero nutritional value. Providing no vitamins or minerals, the consumer is getting 'empty calories'. And that's not the worst news. These are the ingredients for the yellow chicks: sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, potassium sorbate (a preservative), artificial flavors, yellow #5 (tartrazine), and carnauba wax. These ingredients are combined to form a 'food' that is nearly indestructible. Scientists at Emory University performed experiment on Peeps to see how easily they could be destroyed using agents such as cigarette smoke, boiling water, and liquid nitrogen. It was found that these cute little confections wouldn't completely dissolve in anything, including acetone, diluted sulfuric acid, and sodium hydroxide. It kind of makes you wonder what happens once a Peep is in your stomach, doesn't it?

Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manual, famously gave the advice that if your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, then neither should you. Food additives and preservatives have been linked to cancer, allergic reactions, and other deleterious health effects. Corn syrup is recognized as one of our nation's top dietary contributors to the obesity epidemic. You can check the safety status of any food ingredient on the FDA's website here.

In the context of an otherwise healthy, whole foods based diet, eating a few Peeps won't cause any harm but it isn't the most nutritionally sound choice. As an alternative treat for your Easter baskets, try Annie's Organic Tropical Treat Bunny Fruit Snacks. Each snack pouch contains only 70 calories, 18 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams of sugar, and 100% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C. Another good option is dark chocolate, which contains cancer-fighting antioxidants and other phytochemicals that are beneficial to heart health and stimulate the production of endorphins (promoting an overall feeling of pleasure and well-being). Bunny ears, anyone?

Alyssa