Calories in Sheetz Dreamy bacon croissant

WeightWatchers Points are estimated by carbohydrates, fats, protein and fiber in product. They are not an affirmation of better quality or nutritional value of the product or its manufacturer. Only way to count for dieters. Less points are better.
Read more at Weight watchers diet review

Not all fats are created equal. Saturated fats are the ones responsible for bad cholestrol buildup in our blood vessels, as well as contributing to coronary disease. Some recent studies are refuting this claim. They explain that removal of saturated fats from our diet and their replacement with processed carbs has led to an increase in obesity and heart disease. There is no doubt that processed carbs are bad for you. But that does not mean that returning to saturated fats is good.

Americans consume 4000 mg of sodium daily when the maximum recommended amount is 2300mg for healthy adults. Many people should not exceed 1500mg. Most of the sodium (65%) in our diet comes from processed foods, not home cooking or the salt shaker. Excess sodium intake increases blood pressure, causes hypertension and other heart problems. That’s why most of us need to cut back.

* FoodPoints are calculated by Fooducate based on fats, carbs, fiber, and protein. They are not an endorsement or approval of the product or its manufacturer. The fewer points - the better.

This product is highly processed. If you'll take a look at its ingredient list, you'll discover new words to add to your vocabulary. Many of theses ingredients are required to increase the shelf life of the product and improve the flavor that disappears when food is not fresh.

Carrageenan is an additive made from seaweed. It is used as a thickener in products such as ice cream, jelly, chocolate milk, infant formula, cottage cheese. It is a vegetarian and vegan alternative to gelatin. It has been used for hundreds of years in Ireland and China, but only made headway into modern food processing in the last 50 years. The processing steps after harvesting the seaweed include drying, grounding, filtration, treatment with potassium hydroxide, removal of cellulose by centrifuge, concentration by evaporation, drying, and grounding. Interestingly, the Philippines account for the vast majority of the world supply of carrageenan. In some animal studies, carrageenan was shown to cause intestinal lacerations and tumors. A 2001 meta-study of 45 peer-reviewed studies concluded that carrageenan consumption may result in gastrointestinal malignancy and inflammatory bowel. The FDA has approved carrageenan as safe, basing its decision on industry funded studies. European agencies and the World Health Organization have also deemed carrageenan safe, with the exception of infant formula. The fear is the a baby's gut may be unable to handle the large carrageenan molecules. In some individuals carrageenan may cause intestinal discomfort or worse. ---- Sources: Tobacman JK. Review of harmful gastrointestinal effects of carrageenan in animal experiments. Environ Health Perspect. 2001 Oct;109(10):983-94. Marcus R, Watt J. Seaweeds and ulcerative colitis in laboratory animals. Lancet. 1969 Aug 30;2(7618):489-90. Yang B, Bhattacharyya S, Linhardt R, Tobacman J. Exposure to common food additive carrageenan leads to reduced sulfatase activity and increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycans in human epithelial cells. Biochimie. 2012 Jun;94(6):1309-16. Bhattacharyya S, O-Sullivan I, Katyal S, Unterman T, Tobacman JK. Exposure to the common food additive carrageenan leads to glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and inhibition of insulin signalling in HepG2 cells and C57BL/6J mice. Diabetologia. 2012 Jan;55(1):194-203. Bhattacharyya S, Dudeja PK, Tobacman JK. Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced inflammation is increased but apoptosis is inhibited by common food additive carrageenan. J Biol Chem. 2010 Dec 10;285(50):39511-22. Bhattacharyya S, Borthakur A, Dudeja PK, Tobacman JK. Carrageenan induces cell cycle arrest in human intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. J Nutr. 2008 Mar;138(3):469-75. Bhattacharyya S, Borthakur A, Dudeja PK, Tobacman JK. Carrageenan reduces bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) and activates the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway in normal human colonocytes. Dig Dis Sci. 2007 Oct;52(10):2766-74.

Sodium erythorbate is an additive chemically similar to ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). It is used in processed meats to prevent nitrosamines (cancerous agents that develop from nitrate preserved food) from forming. Any food preserved with nitrates is liable to develop nitrosamines, either from frying or during digestion. Sodium erythorbate is used interchangeably with ascorbic acid to prevent the formation of these cancer-causing chemicals.

Companies add artificial flavors to products to make them taste better. They are created in a lab and the formulations are guarded as trade secrets. Flavorings can compensate for flavor loss during processing, substitute for ingredients, lower production costs and increase shelf stability. Artificial flavorings are cheaper to source than natural flavors and are perceived as "worse" than natural flavors. They are more stable (and usually less chemically complex) than natural flavors. Artificial flavors are not necessarily bad for you from a health perspective. however, people with food sensitivities or allergies may want to avoid artificial flavors if they are unnamed. You can always contact the manufacturer for more information.

While cholesterol has been shown to be less harmful than once believed, you should not consume more than 300mg a day. This product contains more than 10% of your daily cholesterol intake. If you're on a low cholesterol diet, make sure you pay attention to portion: 10% of your daily allowance can quickly become 50% when a hamburger turns into double cheeseburger. Trouble sticking to daily goals? Try limiting your meat, cheese and dairy intake to one item per meal and avoid items with multiple sources of cholesterol (like chicken with ham and cheese, breakfast sandwiches with sausage and cheese or bacon cheeseburgers). Opt for items like BLT's, chicken sandwiches with veggies and meatless pizza. Choose water and not milk for your main mealtime beverage.

Calcium propionate (or calcium propaonate) is a preservative that inhibits mold and bacterial growth. Considered safe, but in the early 1990's it was linked to attention deficit disorder in children.

Lecithins are oily substances that occur naturally in plants (soybeans) and animals (egg yolks). Soy lecithin possesses emulsification properties. This means it can keep a candy bar “together” by making sure that the cocoa and the cocoa butter don’t separate. It is also used in bakery items to keep the dough from sticking and to improve its ability to rise.

Xanthan gum is an emulsifier. It helps ingredients blend more effectively and stay blended while waiting on a shelf. For example – water and oil mixtures, as well as bits of spice in a salad dressing. Xanthan Gum is made by fermenting corn sugar with a bacteria, Xanthomonas campestris. It’s the same bacteria that creates black spots on broccoli and cauliflower. The result is a slimy goo that is then dried up and ground into a fine white powder.

Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate is a chemical similar to lactic acid used in the processing of food. The FDA and consumer organizations have found it safe. We don't think it's dangerous, however, it is an indicator that the product is processed. We like that it's biodegradable, but still . . . it provides no nutritional value and few consumer benefits. When buying food, keep in mind that the presence of Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate means that this item is processed. It makes bread look big and fluffy, icing look light and pillowy, and reduces the amount of fat and sugar needed in baked goods. Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate makes processed food cheaper, more beautiful and gives it a more appealing texture. We recommend avoiding it if because we like food to be processed as little as possible . . .