Product Review - Moo Chew or Not to Chew?

Food nourishes our bodies and contributes to our overall health and well-being. Here at Healthy Snacks NZ, we value the importance of a balanced diet from an early age. Since becoming a mum, I have realised that feeding kids is not as easy as I thought it would be before having my two sons. Feeding little humans can be a tricky task. Any food is better than no food. Fortunately, the food industry is increasingly aware of consumers’ needs for healthier and more functional products.

As a food technologist, I can easily decipher the composition of the food product and understand the role of each ingredient on the nutrition label.  I am not saying I know everything, nor am I trying to convince you to purchase a particular product. With this post, I am launching a series of product reviews that we stock here at Healthy Snacks NZ, explaining why they are a healthier choice for my kids.

New Zealand is an agricultural country. We are fortunate to have access to fresh, seasonal produce, deliciously creamy local dairy, and high-quality meats all year round. New Zealand food manufacturers are highly innovative, offering a diverse array of delicious foods for every age group. Overseas, the phrase “Made in New Zealand” is associated with outstanding quality and value-added due to our rigorous food safety measures and the integrity of our country. New Zealand’s pasture-fed cows produce some of the best milk in the world. No wonder our dairy industry is well recognised and top-ranked worldwide.

 Moo Chew's dairy heritage dates back to 1920 and became well established in the 1960s on the broad plains of Canterbury. This dairy farm has flourished into what it is today, a herd of nearly 2,500 cows.  In 2016, the creative team at Moo Chew’s HQ conceived the idea of developing a special, value-added, and convenient milk product that would revolutionise the industry worldwide. This is when Moo Chews' milk bites were born.

Moo Chew™ is made in New  Zealand from top-quality local milk,  cream, and natural fruit powders. Their special gluten-free formula is irresistibly yummy and provides 20% of the recommended daily amount of calcium per serving.

Now let us have a look at the ingredient list to understand what Moo Chews (vanilla flavour) are made from:

Milk powder blend (74%) with Soy Lecithin

This means that 74% of Moo Chew is New Zealand milk and cream. Soy lecithin is a good natural emulsifier. It is added to produce a nicer, more free-flowing and less clumping dry product.

Dextrose 

A simple sugar (a monosaccharide) that is made from corn with a structure identical to that of glucose (blood sugar). It adds flavour and helps to extend shelf life. Dextrose is 20% less sweet-tasting than table sugar.

Regular table sugar (sucrose) is composed of glucose and fructose. It must be broken down before your body can use it. The presence of glucose increases the absorption of fructose and stimulates the release of insulin. This means that more fructose is used to create fat, compared to when glucose is eaten alone. 

Xylitol*

A sugar-free sweetener that does not spike blood sugar and helps prevent tooth decay.

*Interesting Facts about Xylitol

• One study in children with recurring ear infections observed that daily usage of xylitol-sweetened chewing gum reduced their infection rate by 40%. 
• Xylitol is generally well-tolerated, but in some rare cases, it might cause digestive side effects when consumed excessively.
• Xylitol (like grapes, raisins, and chocolate) is toxic to dogs, and the devil is in a dose.

We contacted the manufacturer to determine the amount of xylitol contained in a packet of Moo Chews. It is just under 0.9g per 18g packet, and 0.06g per bite. A stick of chewing gum contains 1g of xylitol per piece. The toxic dose of xylitol for a dog is 0.5g per kg. To put it in perspective, a 30 kg golden retriever must ingest 15g of pure xylitol (or over 16 packets of Moo Chews) to suffer from liver failure.

Also note that many brands of toothpaste contain xylitol. If you brush your dog’s teeth, make sure to use pet-specific toothpaste.

Fortunately, the amount of xylitol that goes into Moo Chews is tiny, and the risk that a dog will get sick from eating it is small. But better better be safe than sorry, so please do not share Moo Chews with your fur babies and keep their paws away from it!

Calcium mineral blend
Calcium enriched for an extra nutrition boost.

Natural flavouring
Provides vanilla flavour.

Magnesium stearate

A “flow agent”. It prevents the individual ingredients of Moo Chews from sticking to the machinery when being made.

Keep in mind that Moo Chews are not dissolved easily so save it for the experienced eaters of age three and over. Remember to always keep an eye on your little one while eating to prevent choking.

The bottom line is, Moo Chews are an excellent source of calcium and a nutritious snack on-the-go or when travelling. I regularly add it to my kids ’lunchboxes as a healthy treat that won’t make my toddler bounce off the walls and cost me an arm and a leg on dentist bills in the future. 

 

Moo Chews avaliable in four delicious flavours in our store now:

 

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