Sep
What happened to the protein in mayonnaise?
That might seem like an odd question for a writing blog, but then, writers are curious about all sorts of things, and most importantly, writers are readers.
If you’re like me, you read anything and everything–including such things as signs, cereal boxes, and mayonnaise labels.
All too often, reading one thing leads to reading another . . . and another . . . and another. And we call this “research.”
So, in the course of keeping a food diary for a few days to figure out just exactly what I was consuming in terms of calories, carbs, fat, and protein, I read a lot of food labels. I’m sure I’ll use this “research” for a character somewhere down the line.
Mayonnaise, I know, is made primarily from eggs, which I know are a good source of protein. 6 grams per egg, if you’re interested. And I know that because after I read the mayo label, I had to go and look up what was in eggs. But despite being made from whole eggs and egg yolks, among other things, my bottle of “REAL” mayonnaise contains 0 grams of protein. ZERO.
How can this be?
I don’t have the answer for that. That’s research for another day. If anyone knows or has any ideas, I’d love to hear them.
I’d also love to hear your own stories of the things you read–besides books, that is.
I admit it–I’m a label reader! I like to know what’s in what I’m eating. I also find myself reading billboards, bumperstickers–which can give a person eyestrain in this political season–and signs. I don’t, however, read the newspaper. They leave copies of the Lincoln Co. Journal at the end of the road, but we never happen to pick them up, unless I’m needing newspaper for wrapping things or to use as mulch in my garden. So much for keeping up on local events. . .
September 10th, 2008 at 8:22 pmAmy, how fascinating! I pick up the paper at the end of the road most of the time, and it stays in it’s plastic wrapper until I decide to pile them up to save . . . for the garden.
I almost never read it unless we are looking for a farm auction to go to.
September 11th, 2008 at 1:55 pmThis may sound weird (like most of my stories), but I’ve always been fascinated with reading the descriptions on food labels and cartons. I think it’s fun. Ever read what it says on the small container for Tobasco Sauce? You can learn history and geography. How about a label on a bottle of whiskey? Frontier America! The one I always loved, though, was the label on Worcester Sauce - “from the recipe of a gentleman in the country.” I think that’s what it said, but that’s close enough. Every time I read that, I had visions of an English country estate with its master sitting there sipping samples of his own concoction. How romantic! Even cereal boxes can disclose the secrets of longer life, nutrition, and access to countless prizes. When all else fails, read a label! Your life will be enriched.
September 21st, 2008 at 2:55 am