ZIGGY (the emperor parrot) & GEORGE (his companion human)

POLLY WANT A CRACKER?

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ZIGGY ON TOP OF HIS CAGE
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His cage is mostly for decoration since he is out virtually all the time.

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CRACKER NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

DO PARROTS REALLY LIKE CRACKERS?
 

Do bears you-know-what in the woods?  Zig is no exception to the rule:  he loves crackers.  Unfortunately, virtually all name-brand crackers are made with partly hydrogenated oils as well as a plethora of salt.  Food made with partly hydrogenated oil can hardly be considered fit for human consumption, let alone parrot consumption--notwithstanding the fact that the FDA has allowed it to be foisted upon us all these years. Thankfully, the FDA has finally mandated that artificial trans-fats be eliminated from processed foods, but that won't be effective until 2018.

 

Until recently, if you wanted a cracker without such oils, you had to go to a "health" food stores or a large supermarket with a "health" food department.  Even Wal-Mart® carries a few healthier items, like Kashi® brand crackers (about $2 for an 8 ounce box.)  Kashi products are decently low in fat, have at least some whole grain, and have no partly hydrogenated fat.  If you get the cheese-flavored Kashi crackers, hide them from your bird!  They are addictive. Triscuits®, surprisingly enough, now come in a whole grain version without hydrogenated oils. Check out the Center for Science in the Public Interest website on the trans-fat issue (visit the CSPI at http://www.cspinet.org/).

 

When it comes to such foods, we have to be concerned about salt content, fat content itself, the type of fat, as well as the presence or absence of phytonutrients in the product. Whole-grain products will possess more phytonutrients. My advice, if you insist on consuming crackers, chips, or related products, is to buy something that is, if not “healthy” per se, is at least “less unhealthy,” and keep that on hand to give your bird while you are feasting on whatever your bird can’t have. For instance, I keep some no-salt-added Garden of Eatin’ blue corn chips on hand so that my bird can be psychologically pleased by communal eating of our “flock.” Those chips do contain too much oil, but, at least, the grain is not only whole-grain, it is blue corn, which contains phytonutrients I like having in my diet. And, of course, the only sodium in the product is whatever was naturally present in the corn.  And, there’s no trans-fat. http://www.gardenofeatin.com/product/?product=1037&category=695

 

 

Even "healthy" crackers--like those available at Whole Foods--have too much fat in them.  Look at the picture [below] of crackers on green paper; they are Whole Foods' own branded crackers given a few hours for the oil to leach out.  The fact that it is not trans-fat in this case does not take away from the fact that it IS fat, and we don’t want extra fat in our diets. You can't deny your bird an occasional snack; I don’t see this on the corn chips, but crackers, if you can find some decent ones, will leach a lot of their fat out if you store them in a paper towel, so keep a few handy inside a paper towel if you insist on letting your bird have a nibble.

 

Regarding sodium intake, you have to be careful about reading labels, because food makers select an arbitrary "serving size" for nutritional information, and, to make the sodium content appear lower, they often select an unrealistically small serving size.  What is important is the amount of sodium per ounce, not per serving.  A good example is Vinta crackers, made by Dare Foods.  The label states only 110 mg per serving, but a closer examination reveals that their serving size is only 13 gm.  Who among us has enough willpower to eat only 2 crackers?  Examine the chart above, and you will be shocked to discover that the least salty crackers in the list are Triscuits®.

 

Kashi has made additions to their TLC line ("Tasty Little Crackers").  The fire-roasted vegetable flavor--small crackers in a 9 ounce box (upc 0 18627 61005 2)--and the roasted garlic and thyme flavor--a larger cracker in a 6 ounce box (upc 0 18627 61008 3)--are both delicious.  The large crackers are especially addictive but, alas, more expensive per ounce.  Another alas:  they seem to get stale more quickly.  [Most of Kashi's other products are 100% whole grain.]

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FAT IN CRACKERS

Google
 

ZIG SCOLDING

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Avoid fats, but especially avoid trans fats.  Some fast food places have eliminated them, and a few sane localities exist that ban trans-fats in restaurants.  If you insist on processed foods, and, after all, who can resist an occasional potato chip or cracker, you have much better choice these days.  See THE TRANS-FAT ISSUE.

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White bread is slightly more nutritious than toilet paper.  The way they make white flour is to remove the wheat germ and the bran, both of which contain a myriad of nutrients.  Then, because what is left after removing those bothersome parts is almost devoid of nutrition, they add a few nutrients back and have the nerve to call it "enriched." 
 
Many consumers are aware of the importance of those missing nutrients these days, and food makers, never missing a trick, try to take  advantage of our increased awareness by advertising products as "whole grain" when the actual whole grain content is minimal.  Clearly, some whole grain is better than none if you don't have a 100% whole grain alternative, and I understand that there is an issue with the texture of the end product.  At least try to choose something with as much whole grain as possible. The Food for Life company has some of the most nutritious bread available. 
 

This is a personal web site, not a business.  If you find any of the information here useful, please consider a donation.  Help keep Ziggy the most spoiled parrot in North America!  Thanks.
 
All content on this site, including pictures, is copyrighted, ©2006 through 2016, by George A. Butel.  All rights are reserved; text may be quoted freely with attribution, but critical commentary must give me the opportunity to reply.

Visit our hints for cancer patients Google page, which tells you some of the things I learned during cancer treatment, including a few things that "they" forget to tell you, such as having to be a little bit "anal" about trying to prevent opportunistic infections. I never had any during my treatment, so I think my obsession paid off.


LEGAL STUFF

This site has tips and observations about dealing with parrots, and a few of my own views about human and parrot health concerns. I have a degree in biochemistry, so I am qualified to make some statements about foods, medicines and supplements, but I am neither a veterinarian nor a physician, and I do not practice human or veterinary medicine. You should certainly double-check any ideas you might get from me, or anything that you might construe as advice, by consulting with an appropriate legally licensed professional.  All content on this site ©2006 through 2014 by George A. Butel.  If you see any typos or any information that you feel is inaccurate or ambiguous, please contact me by clicking here.
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