WhoNu? Cookies – Scam or Nutrition?

I just heard about the WhoNu brand of cookies, claiming to be “nutrition rich” compared to the other leading brands. Yes, they actually use the words “nutrition rich” in their marketing!

whoNu cookies marketing logo

So, I immediately thought okay, nutritious cookies must mean whole grains like oatmeal and lower sugar content, right? So I googled, and found their web site. Oh Lord, it’s virtually the same crappy highly processed cookie, but with a multi-vitamin and a little fiber thrown in for good measure.

Are WhoNu Cookies Nutritious?

Calories, sugar, & fat are all the same as the other “brands” they are comparing themselves to! What kind of a scam are they running here? They market this product to be “nutritious” but they are far Far FAR away from anything nutritious! Ugh. How are they allowed to get away with this?

That’s WhuNu’s nutritional info on the left, and the Oreos brand on the right.

whoNu chocolate cookies nutritional datacomparing whoNu cookies to oreo cookie nutritional data

Quote from their About Us page:

How come tasty treats are nothing but empty calories? Why can’t they be filled with healthy nutrition and still taste yummy? That’s what the people at Suncore Products wondered.

Thus, a new challenge was born – to create a delicious, nutritious snack moms and dads can give their kids, without an ounce of guilt.

Processed sugary foods like this are still “empty calories” no matter how you try to package them. What is the difference between their cookie and a original Oreo taken with a multi-vitamin? Nothing! You are better off eating the original version (bought on sale) and save yourself the marketing hype and extra markup price.

Parents should feel VERY guilty feeding this crap to their children! And it’s this kind of marketing that is making us fat because unfortunately parents are believing the hype without actually checking the facts or ingredients!

Ingredients?? Where are they Hiding the WhoNu Cookie ingredients?

Did anyone else notice that they are not listing any ingredient data on their web site!? If they are so proud of their product, then why hide any details? Sneaky sneaky!

So, I did some googling, and found a few other pissed off people offering screen shots of cookie packages.

Thanks to Hippie Health Nut for her screen shot!

Here are the ingredients for the WhoNu chocolate (oreo-like) cookies:

Sugar, Wheat Flour, Vegetable Oils (Canola, Palm, Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil And Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed And Coconut Oil), Cocoa, Dextrose, Polydextrose, Yellow Corn Flour, Corn Syrup, Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Monoglycerides, Vanilla Extract.

Vitamins & Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin C (Asorbic Acid), Iron Orthophosphate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Oxide, Manganese Gluconate, Iodine, Chromium Chloride, Vitamin E (Tocopherol Acetate), Vitamin A (Palmitate), Biotin, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Vitamin D3, Vitamin K (Phytonadione), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid.

and here are the ingredients from Oreo’s web site (ha! They didn’t try to hide their data!)

Sugar, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, Folic Acid), High Oleic Canola Oil And/or Palm Oil And/or Canola Oil, And/or Soybean Oil, Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cornstarch, Leavening (Baking Soda And/or Calcium Phosphate), Salt, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vanillin – An Artificial Flavor, Chocolate.

Not much different, eh? White flour, tons and tons of sugar, unhealthy oils, artificial flavors, and lots of GMO corn & soy. Actually, it’s funny that the WhoNu people kind of sneak in a few more sugary sources, like dextrose, perhaps to confuse & fool parents into thinking their ingredients are better.

Sad Promotion on So Many Mommy Blogs

While googling for WhoNu ingredients, I was shocked and saddened to see so many “mommy” bloggers are promoting these cookies. Google “WhoNu cookie mommy” and you’ll find pages of “give aways” from supposedly reputable mommy bloggers. Very sad.

Yes, I understand that children need a treat once in awhile, heck, adults need treats too! But we MUST learn the difference between a healthy and unhealthy treat, and WhoNu is trying to blur the lines way too much!

Stay far away from WhoNu cookies! Don’t reward profits to a company that is trying to mislead the public with their damaging exaggerated marketing ploys!

129 thoughts on “WhoNu? Cookies – Scam or Nutrition?”

  1. I couldn’t agree more.. The first thing I was trying to find out on their website was the ingredients but without much luck. so I tried to find information from their FAQ and I found the term ‘hydrogenated oil’… ewwww….

    No kidding, we need to differentiate healthy and unhealthy treats not just for ourselves but also for the next generations. If we don’t educate ourselves right now, the easier it would be for the next generations to fall into all these marketing gimmick traps.

    Thanks for posting this and I hope more people would be aware and walk away without a blink.

    There will be more misleading products like these flooding in the market soon and we all need to stay firm to win the battle.

  4. Thank you so much for posting this. I just heard about these cookies. I definitely will not buy them because of their deceptive claims.

  5. I just saw the commercial and searched this up! Thanks for the info, I definitely will not be buying this brand.

  6. Who knew WhoNu could be so good at misleading so many moms? It took quite a bit of searching to see the truth behind these misleading ads. Shame on all you mommybloggers for promoting these cookies! Thanks for your great post.

  8. It’s gratifying to see the drastic increase in consciousness about food ingredients and false advertising claims. Everyone should really ‘tell two friends…. etc.’ and make this a national shift- it will force food conglomerates to actually respect our health more or face financial consequences.

  9. i saw the commercial for the first time today, i knew it was too good too be true. its all about calories, fat and portions. like they were saying the hydronated oils are the worst offense. teh 100 calorie pack or rationing out the origional version is a much better choice.

  11. I am so annoyed that I wasted my money on these cookies! I ordered three boxes and when they do get here I will be calling their office for an explanation! I was dumb enough to believe their ads! I have had it!

  12. I was about to buy these, then I realize I forgot to think about it having that horrible BHT in it. Oh how I hate BHT! So, maybe I’ll stick to Back to Nature cookies, if that horrible stuff is in there.

  13. Jo, don’t even waste your breath.

    They’ll just give you a canned lawyer-authored statement such as:

    “as part of a healthy diet we recommend that you only eat the recommended service size on the nutrition facts label.”

    or “our cookies are intended to replace indulgent snacks that offer no nutritional value but in no way are they intended to replace healthy eating habits of which eating fruits and vegetables play an important part.”

    Blah blah blah. They’ll never admit that they are brainwashing people with half-truths and contributing to the major obesity problem in the country.

    I was just looking again at their Facebook page. OMG. There are so many delusional people, parents, grandparents are especially troubling.

    My favorite quote:
    These are so great! I can finally get my son to eat a full serving of veggies!

    Is she serious? Because of their sneaky product marketing, this mother actually thinks she’s giving her son vegetables in a sugar laden cookie!

  17. I shared this on Facebook because I completely agree with you. I had a sneaking suspicion that these cookies are actually crap, which was why I googled “WhoNu? review” and this is where I landed. Thank you for speaking the truth in a world that’s become cluttered with so much marketing spin that–as you said–many people are sadly and utterly confused about what to eat. And to the WhoNu “cookie mommies,” all I can say is FOR SHAME!

  19. Its a cookie.Of course its not healthy… and theirs nothing aweful with a few more vitamins rather than a cookie with nothing in them…If I have a coupon I’m buying them.

  20. I love the cookies. My 7 yr old son doesn’t like to eat. Getting calories of any kind into him is an every day struggle. He’d rather go to the doctor and get a shot of antibiotics if they are needed than to take them orally, in liquid or pill form. He will puke before he’d take a vitamin. He eats whole grain bread-w/o seeds in it, peas, apples, bananas, green beans, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti noodles-no sauce, Chicken nuggets(baked), fish sticks(baked), pancakes, french toast, chocolate cake with vanilla or chocolate frosting, oreos and chocolate chip cookies, goldfish, pretzels and doritos. Smarties, m&ms, plain chocolate.
    That’s it. We are working on getting him to eat mashed potatoes now, but it is a struggle. Several of those foods have only been added in the last 18 months or so.
    We bought a pack of WhoNu this week, yes they look just like Oreo’s and to him, they taste the same. I feel great that he is getting a few vitamins in with the junk food. Yep, I realize it’s “junk”. Yes, I am happy he’s getting some calories in his little body. He is active enough that he will burn those calories. No those calories aren’t exactly empty, they come fortified with 20% of vitamins that he is likely lacking because of his limited diet.

  21. Oh yeah, I wanted to add that the price is NOT more than other cookies and is less than most “health food” cookies. I paid $2.73 for the pack I bought without a coupon at Wal-mart.

  22. I just saw the commercials and thought I would give them a look.

    Your review is spot-on. Take a cheap multi-vitamin, roll it in trans fat, sprinkle an unhealthy amount of sugar and artifical sweeteners on it, sandwich it between a ton of bleached flours and dyes, and shove it in your pre-diabetic kids’ mouths.

    I’ll pass.

    Here’s the list of ingredients on their site…took FOREVER to find:

    http://whonucookies.com/Ingredients.aspx

  24. I agree with Lisa and Heidi. It is a cookie, not an apple. But, if I’m going to treat myself to something, I’d rather have it packed with a few extra vitamins. I think the crunchy chocolate chip cookies are delicious!

  25. NO, it’s not an apple, but you wouldn’t know it by Who-nu’s marketing scheme.

    And THAT is my point.

    The company is trying to make us all believe that it IS as healthy as an apple, hence their “nutritious” claims comparing cookies to blueberries, milk, spinach, oatmeal, etc.

    And I’d much rather waste my calories on something better than a processed store-bought bagged cookie. Maybe something from the actual BAKERY!

  26. Heidi,
    There’s lots of ways to set your boy on a healthy path. You’ve got a good start with his diet. If you mixed the noodles 1/2 & 1/2 with whole wheat noodles, eventually he’ll grow to love 100% whole wheat noodles. If your baked nuggets and sticks are organic, you don’t have to worry about the hormones and antibiotics passing from the animal flesh to your boy. Organic food will also keep him from ingesting insecticides and importantly – genetically modified foods such soy, corn, and the beets used to make sugar. It’s not totally grounded – yet – but there’s plenty of observing scientists that are concerned that GMOs are a cause for the rise in allergies and other disease.
    I wish you the best and offer that when we were growing up, it was rare that sweets were considered and certainly never if we hadn’t thoroughly eaten our nourishment first. A young active boy will eat if he’s allowed to be hungry. If you don’t get this one worked out, i.e. he has to eat what you provide, think of how it will be when he’s 14!

  27. I think these cookies are great. They are cookies, not a fruit or vegetable and a serving of 3, loaded with vitamins are a healthy snack. As long as you eat them in moderation, like any other treat, there shouldn’t be cause for concern.

  28. Never mind that I try my best to stay away from these kinds of goodies, but the ingredient list would have me putting this item back on the shelf. I work to keep out the corn syrup and the hydrogentated oils.

  30. Debbie, I didn’t say that. But if someone wants to splurge on a cookie as a TREAT, then having a cookie with vitamins in it is better than a cookie without!
    I try not to stress over little things like this. Put it in perspective, you’re talking about a COOKIE.

  31. I never thought from all the who nu commercials I’ve seen that they were anything more than a typical cookie with added vits & mins. If they were supposed to be vegetables that taste cookie like then they probably be called vege cookies or something else, but i it says in comercials they taste like regular cookies I expected that they were made with regular ingredients of those cookies that they taste like, just with extra vits & mins. & if a child isn’t eating much at all then yes McDonald’s is better than starvation and cookies with vitamins is better than cookies without. Cookies aren’t the cause of obesity, poor portion control is. If I eat a pack of who nu per day and salads for all 3 meals, I won’t likely become obese, especially if I’m active.

  32. I have read a lot of reviews on these cookies. And everyone keeps saying if I want a cookie I will just eat a cookie. I don’t understand maybe I am just nieve but if you are gonna eat a cookie anyways wouldn’t it be better to eat one with some of the vitiams and stuff you need for the day anyways. I understand the company is being tricky but I have a really hard time trying to get my boys to eat healthy food. But they are like their dad and don’t gain wieght so fat foods are not an issue for them.

  33. Thanks for your comment, Brandy.

    In my opinion, if I am going to splurge on a cookie, I am not going to waste calories on a cheap supermarket cookie! The same should be taught to children. Why get them in the habit of crappy processed foods when home baked foods are so much more satisfying, with better control over ingredients.

    If I want vitamins, I’ll eat fruits and veggies, thank you. People rely too much on vitamins in a bottle…same with fiber. The fiber that is added to this cookie is not the same as fiber in whole grains.

    But again, it’s just how I feel. Why support a company that resorts to trickery in their marketing! There are so many other healthier options.

  34. While this is one way to look at it and beat down on these cookies, the fact still remains that people, kids included… will consume cookies no matter what. So instead of beating down on them embrace them… they are surely healthier that Orea or any other cookie out there!

    I personally would rather have a cookie with vitamins and more nutrition in them as opposed to one without. A similar analogy can be whole wheat pasta compared to regular pasta – only thing switched there is the fat content… the point however is that either you substitute something which has less of the “bad stuff” or increase the “good stuff” … Whonu cookies did just that!

  36. Well, at least they’re not poisoning people by using BHT as a preservative. You want to feed your kids cookies, you’re better off going organic.

  38. fiber is a carb, but there is soluble fiber and insoluble fiber, theres a difference in how your bdy metabolizes it, just the same as sweet potato, vs. whiote, the sweet, metabolizes slower, takes longer to digest and keeps u fuller longer, same concept for wheat vs. white. white is the worst offens. as far as who nu, its a cookie, its deceiving, but as a satple cookies should not be in the house, only with kids maybe and low sugar, low fat and whole grain notprocessed is the better choices.

  39. Yeah, I guess it’s okay that they add vitamins and minerals, but it’s definitely no excuse to say that they’re now healthy. We need more healthy fats, more protein and more vitamins/minerals. There are plenty more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc that whole foods have that this cookie just doesn’t. I take a multivitamin now, I’d rather skip the cookie part. I prefer to eat pickled cucumbers as a snack. Low calorie, and the vinegar and sodium help with muscle-related cramps I get from strenuous weightlifting. There’s always a better and more customized snack you can have than these cookies.

  40. I just visited a site called cornsugar.com obviously created by those in the industry saying that HFCS is just like sugar and wonderful and safe. B*S* in my opinion. Just like they said aspartame (Equal) was safe. NOT!!!!! Of course the people that use it in their products want you to believe there’s nothing wrong with it. I have thrown out everything in my kitchen with HFCS in it and won’t buy anymore.
    What is your opinion of HFCS?

  41. Good for you, Marcia. I think reading labels and throwing out the bad stuff is a great step. I wish you continued success on your journey.

    As for HFCS, yes it’s a highly processed food and it should most definitely be avoided, but I also think the same about most sweeteners.

    Sugar, in any form, is dangerous. White sugar isn’t any less of a problem than HFCS or even other so-called “healthy” sweeteners like Stevia and agave.

    In my home, we use pure maple syrup, sucanat and local raw honey and I use them sparingly.

    I’m a sugar addict and compulsive eater and personally, I know it’s difficult at times to keep away from sweets. I do treat myself to the occasional “sugary junk food” like chocolate cake, cheesecake, etc without regard to the ingredients, but I must watch myself as its so easy to lapse back into a sugar coma.

    Thanks Marcia! Good luck!

  42. If I may say clearly whonu cookies are filled with vitamins and I’m looking directly at the box as we speak and the two packages you are comparing are not whonu!get your facts strait before you post something completely irelevant!

  44. Well after reading all of these comments, I have decided to go buy some. I do believe that homemade is best but when you have a child that is low in iron, these cookies will work well. I agree that advertising is misleading but if I boycotted all the misleading advertising out there, I wouldn’t know what to buy!

  46. They do have their ingredients listed. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and it’s the last link. If your child is low in iron, the best solution is giving iron rich foods with vitamin C and NOT with calcium. If your child does not like veggies, you can try blending spinach or kale in a fruit smoothie. Sugar in any amount is never good for a developing child, no matter the Iron content.

  47. …thought of this post when I read “The 5 Most Pointless Supermarket Foods” in Men’s Health:

    Most Pointless Supermarket Treat

    WhoNu? Nutrition Rich Chocolate Cookies
    160 calories
    7 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
    14 g sugars

    “Nutrition-rich” cookies? WhoNu the food industry could stoop so low as to market sugary, high-carb treats as health food? These cookies are advertised as being an “excellent source of calcium, iron, and vitamins A, B12, C, D and E” with “3 grams of fiber and 20 essential vitamins and minerals,” but they’re really just a processed junk food with some nutrients thrown in. You know what else has 4 grams of fiber and 20 vitamins and minerals? Apples. As do bananas, blueberries, grapes, nectarines, and dozens of other naturally sweet fruits that come without the refined flour and genetically modified ingredients found in these health-food wannabes. If you want a healthier version of a classic cookie, go with a less sugary, whole grain treat like Kashi’s oatmeal chocolate chip option, and get your vitamins in the produce aisle.

    http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/5-most-pointless-supermarket-foods

  48. My husband bought these cookies yesterday for the first time. They taste like chocolate cardboard.
    In as much as I don’t care for Oreos and never have, I would choose Oreos over the Whonu hands down.

    Having raised children and grandchildren, I have a solution to this problem; bake your own cookies!
    At least you know what the ingredents are plus you know they’ve been made using sanitary conditions.

    There’s a bonus if you have young ones around.
    Invite them to pitch-in with the measuring and mixing.
    They’ll be using their math, reading and reasoning skills.
    Let them watch the cookies bake through the oven window, too. It’s good old-fashioned family time plus the cookies taste much better! Enjoy!

  49. I’m not totally thrilled with these, and haven’t seen the marketing campaign, but being a mom with a non-functioning oven (thanks, landlord) and no way to bake my own cookies, these are a nice option if I’m at the store, they’re on sale, and the kids want Oreos or Chips Ahoy. I buy them processed snacks very rarely and they are given sparingly; the older ones are teens and know that they’re junk food, the 4 yr old is still learning but certainly knows that a carrot has more vitamins than a cookie. We’ve actually made a game of it (“I’m eating my veggies! I’m gonna GROW!” “No, I want you to stay tiny! Eat this instead, it doesn’t have vitamins!” “No, I *will* eat vitamins and grow!” etc) but I agree that parents should be aware that a cookie with vitamins is still a cookie. I’m more worried that so many parents don’t recognize that a sugary breakfast cereal is essentially a cookie, too :(

  50. but oreos are enriched…i prefer the whonu cookies because they arent enriched and they have more vitamis too.

  51. Fun to see all the posts from the WhoNu employees on this blog. Like we don’t know who you are lol

  52. As I suspected when the wife came home with the “magic cookie”. Pure junk. We were amazed that any company could be so brazen about their product,

  53. Would you feed your kid oreos or even homemade cookies? Empty calories are everywhere. Would you allow your child to eat anything that is not organic? Like government funded school lunches?

    It’s ok to draw the line and call the cookies unhealthy, yes. However, you are looking at fat and calories in COOKIES. Think about it. These cookies are almost dietary water soluble vitamins, do you give vitamins to your children?

    I don’t feel, that in moderation, that these cookies are BAD. Treat them like a treat for your children and they won’t kill them. Get them to exercise more to be healthy. To all the worried mom’s relax a bit play outside with your kids, instead of trying to save the world by blogging.

  54. Joe, yes, I know cookies can be eaten in moderation. That wasn’t my point!

    My point was these cookies are marketed to be healthy, comparing them to blueberries, oatmeal and milk. Sorry, but processed sugary cookies are not healthy, no matter how many vitamins they shove into them.

    There are parents out there that ARE mistaking these cookies as “vegetables” because of their sneaky marketing, and it’s 100% wrong.

    And no, I’m not trying to “save the world” with my blog…just trying to get the word out that these cookies are no healthier than oreos. Synthetic vitamins are not the same as whole foods like broccoli!

  55. I purchased this brand after seeing it on the aisle a few times and in my haste with naptime looming I purchased them. I tasted them and thought ‘too good to be true’ and started Googling it. Might give my son one or two of them, but won’t be purchasing anymore. Thanks for putting the blog up!

  56. I agree with your sentiment with regard to misleading advertising, but here’s the deal: I actually like these things, in a weird way. I eat oreos on occasion, and while these cookies don’t taste quite as good, I like the idea of some added supplemental constituents in my sporadic indulgence.

    Thanks for getting the word out to those who are seeking more information, but my guess would be that those who take the time to research the topic have at least some regard for healthy eating habits. The issue as I see it is that most people that buy a product like this never bother to look at the nutrition facts. This is a gimmicky empty food. As much as I may be tempted to purchase again, I won’t. The marketing tactics are just too misleading.

  57. Definitely not a healthy alternative to oreos or chipsahoy but if you had the choice between the two, what would you eat? And please don’t tell me any of you fully bought in to the idea that one could eat these like a dietary staple and besides the marketing you would never have bought a product similar.

  58. Joe, I have screen shot of a mother’s comment from the WhoNu facebook page (last Sept): These are so great! I can finally get my son to eat a full serving of veggies!

    Are you telling me that she didn’t “buy into the idea that one could eat these like a dietary staple”?

    And there are plenty of similar comments. Yes, I do believe that consumers are 100% believing their deceitful marketing hype.

  59. I believe that the cookies I eat are better for me than veggies because they contain nutrition of a glass of milk, oatmeal, and bowl of berries!

    I am only kidding. I certainly hope that quote you posted is a marketing ploy from the company. If not, those people should be forced to surrender their children to the state. The idea that someone would believe that a cookie is nutritionally equal to a veggie or any organic matter even if wrote on a box is laughable to myself. I respect your fact finding and believe that everyone should do the same and check the box of whatever they are buying. However, I have a feeling some people may in the future buy packaged cookies for their children. This product MAY be the lesser of the evils in a sense. So in conclusion, I feel if anyone warns “Stay far away from WhoNu cookies!” it should also go for nibisco or comparable products. I feel that other companies should get the wag of the finger before Whonu?, but that is only my opinion.

    People should live and eat smarter to live longer. Thank goodness for evolution, the people that turn their diet to cookies to live because of this box are holding down our human race and might be better off eating their way to a premature death. I just feel for the children of the less than intelligent consumers that believe the marketing 100%.

  60. Thanks Joe! Unfortunately, because of our wonderful modern medicine (ie Big Pharma), these dummies will be kept alive for a long time taking a pill to “fix” their heart conditions and type 2 diabetes. No such luck for a premature death. We’ll be paying for their medical bills for years to come.

    There are so many more comments on their facebook page. Here are some more recent ones:

    #1 Thanks! MY MOM HAS ALZIMERS AND SHE REFUSES TO EAT SOME TIMES. I GIVE HER THREE AT A TIME PLUS SOM BOOST. SHE WILL EAT THE COOKIES AND SAY SHE CAN’T DRINK THE BOOST. LOVE YOU GUYS

    #2 Just wanted to let you know that your products are an absolute godsend for my family! we have a child with autism, whose diet is EXTREMELY limited. Its all visual with him, if he likes a food, it has to look the SAME way everytime. Bc your cookies look very similar to “other brands”, he loves to eat them, and the health factor makes it brilliant. Keep up the good work!!!

    and this lil gem:

    #3 I’m a type 2 diabetic and just had a triple bypass. Are Whonu cookies okay for me (in moderation of course!)?

    #4 Love them! As a family we switched from regular junk food to these and the kids didn’t even know it!! Now I don’t feel bad when they ask for more!

    #5 I can only find the chocolate creme ones where I live but they sure are tasty! Now I don’t feel bad if I eat the whole box!

    #6 I love these freakin cookies, not too sweet, slightly filling, and they don’t make me sick if I have a row at a time. Keep it up :D

    And lastly, my ultimate fave:

    #7 Ahh my dream finally came true! Cookies that are good for me?
    Goodbye carrot sticks & celery stalks…..heehee!!!
    THANK YOU WhoNu?!!!!!!!!!

    As a society, we are doomed, I’m sorry to say. When people equate cookies to a health food, we are goners.

  61. Its a cookie! Oreo used to be promoted then why not give then one with a as a great snack as well. If you’re going to give yourself or your children a ‘treat’ then why not one with a bonus? Most people are smart and realize it IS still a processed sugary cookie.

  62. Wow! had no idea. how can they get away with saying this stuff?? thanks for letting me know and telling the truth :)

  65. I don’t know about the other aspects, but the fiber content is most definite by my experience. These things will make you crap like a goose. I have read over the ingredients list and frankly can’t figure out what is in them that does it, but if you eat a handful, about 10-12 hours later, you WILL need to sit down on the throne.

  66. I am not a whonu employee but I figured they were regular cookies with vitamins and fiber thrown in for kids who need extra. That’s why I bought them. There are plenty of natural cookies sweetened with fruit juice or date paste but my kids won’t eat those.

  68. Well, I looked at the FB page and some people do indeed think these are healthy cookies. There are no “healthy” cookies (that I know of). There are better choices you can make in cookies, though. Let me state, I really do like these cookies. I may, every couple of days, have a few with a glass of 1% milk. For me, it’s a far better choice than having a slice of my oreo cheescake (which is soooooo good) but I’m not kidding myself that it’s any healther (less fat, though).

    I hope people don’t think they can eat the whole box but after some of the FB comments, I wonder. If people think cookies can take the place of fruits and vegetables, we have some serious problems.

    I’ll still eat them in moderation and that is the key to just about anything you eat. Stay hungry, my friends.

  69. Thanks Jim for your comment! You definitely have a healthy attitude!

    Personally, for a treat, I’d rather something decadent like the oreo pie, because if I’m going to treat myself, then I’m gonna make it worth it!

  70. Hey all, I bought a box of whonu cookies recently and I don’t think they’re as bad as you all think. I checked the ingredient list before buying and there was no dextrose or corn syrup or any of that crap, because obviously then I wouldn’t have bought them

  71. Hmm, not sure which one you purchased, but they really are that bad.

    I just checked on the whonu web site and every one of their cookies had dextrose and/or polydextrose, along with other ingredients like sucralose, artificial flavors, soy, corn syrup, and one definitely had high fructose corn syrup.

  72. You folks are making my head swim. These are COOKIES! Cookies are cookies.

    I bought the vanilla ones and to me they are much better than oreos, but then, I don’t care for Oreos.

    No one is suggesting that one go on a full diet of them, only that one eat them as a healthier snack than most other cookies.

    For me, I need fiber because of regularity issues. I eat on cookie with lunch, and one after dinner, and it “takes care of business.

    I can’t see where there is anything in these cookies that would hurt anyone if they ate two or three cookies a day.

    Respectfully IMHO, if you are spending time worrying about what that amount might do to harm you, you need to have more meaningful things to busy yourself with.

  74. Yeah, they’re cookies, but they’re being marketed as a health food. AND consumers are believing their lies. Sorry you feel the need to laugh, but if we keep turning away from issues like this, it’s only going to get worse. Or maybe you think our nation is in a good place, healthwise???

  75. Debbie, they are marketed as a healthier alternative to many of the other cookies on the market, but they are marketed as COOKIES!

    Get a grip. Everybody knows that cookies are NOT health food.

  76. Tim, I guess you didn’t read some of the comments over on facebook, stating that they were feeding their children the equivalence of vegetables… they are marketed as a health food first, cookie second. Maybe YOU should get a grip!

  77. I think you might ought to go back to their Facebook page and look again. They market them as nutrition rich cookies. All their recipes are dessert recipes, and I sure can’t find a single place where they suggest replacing any food with them.

    That said, if people opt to step off the plane of reason and try to replace a normal diet with them, well that is their prerogative.

    Grip retained!

  79. ANd what would it hurt for someone to replace oatmeal, blueberries or milk with these cookies? I almost never eat any of those things and I get along just fine. I “get along” much better since I started eating 2 cookies a day.

  80. Tim, if you have to ask that question, then there is nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. If you think being “regular” is the only sign of health then good luck to you, you’ll need it.

  81. No Debbie, there is absolutely nothing that says that anyone needs blueberries, oatmeal or milk in their diet. Here again, these people are only suggesting that one might eat NO MORE THAN 3 cookies a day. It is silly to suggest that this serving would hurt anyone.

  82. Yes Tim, as I said there is nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. I’m done trying.

    You, on the other hand seem strangely obsessed with defending these cookies. Perhaps all that sugar is making you hyper.

  83. I completely agree with Tim. It is fairly obvious that they are marketed as a healthier alternative for some cookies, but a cookie is still a cookie. It isn’t like they are in the market to compete against fruits and veggies.

    Are they healthy/does the box say healthy cookies? No, they are cookies and cookies are bad period. Do they have more nutrition then their counterparts/does the box say nutritious cookies? Yes, according to the nutrition facts, they are.

    When it comes down to the wire, they are more nutritious then most other cookies and cheaper in price (that may just be a local thing).

    Now, there are even healthier cookies with more nutrition out there, very rare, that are an even better alternative and more people should be promoting those if they really want to support cookies,

  84. You are honestly an idiot, sorry but there is no other way to say it. First of all, you cant even read the ingredients …they dont use white flour as you state, they use wheat. There are more discrepancies in your “blog” than I care to explain as you probably wouldn’t understand. There is a HUGE difference between the Whonu and Oreo. Anyone who takes time to read the label and knows the ingredients would know that

  86. yes a joke on the nutrition part and what a joke trying to open them ill go back to my Oreo to put these people out of business i would like to see thanks for all the info Jeff

  88. Well, at least the “Nu” didn’t stand for Nutrasweet. That would have really been the last straw

  89. I am of a healthy weight for my height, and I enjoy my occasional short Oreo stack. I don’t need to change my regimen regarding that, since moving around is more important than eating obsessively healthy (after all, if Mr. Naughton can lose 12 lbs. and lower his HDL by eating only Mc Donalds for a month, there’s probably more to being active in a healthy lifestyle rather than the implied reliance on diet strewn throughout this blog).

    However, rather than eat simply empty calories, I have chosen to eat three of these to have some other benefit other than the taste. I consider them, as the box spells out: a slightly healthier alternative considering the circumstances. Nowhere on this box does it claim you should eat the entire thing as a meal substitute. It, like many other foods, lists a portion size. It is not up to a company or the government to control someone’s intake on food, or what choices they make when deciding consumption habits. America is a great place!

    The only reason I am commenting is because of the comment section; I found the author getting in to a insulting argument with a commenter a rather egregious error in being personable and promoting actual discussion, and I find it a reason to avoid this blog in the future. Bias is no reason to imply people are “hyper on sugar” and are somehow obscured in their judgements. You don’t eat for them, despite the food obsession blog. I just felt I should participate before I reprimand you for punishing people for interacting with you in a way that doesn’t automatically agree with you. It’s a lonely road no woman should tread without being absolutely prepared.

  90. Ok Ladies,

    First, yes, The advertisement is misleading. Which ad isn’t?! The entire backbone of the American economy, and any leading economy on a worldwide level IS a capitalist, GREEDY, corporate-based, self-interested economy. At the core of business capitalism is advertising, which includes competitive marketing, which is exactly what WhoNu engages in.

    WhoNu is not trying to replace fruits, vegetables, etc. All they do is compare their product with Oreo’s and show how their product is a healthIER alternative than Oreos simply by making a very clear and effective comparison through nutritional representation of fruits and vegetables and oats.

    They are clearly MORE nutritional than Oreo’s and actually have less calories. I am currently sitting next to a box of them purchased yesterday and the Nutritional Info has either been changed since this was originally posted, or the author of this article is spreading incorrect information to prove a point she clearly has no viable points about. So for those of you who love to jump on the bandwagon about what a horrible company WhoNu is, wake up and think before you speak.

  91. To “CommonSense” I am a little confused because first you agree that the WhoNu company is misleading, then you go on to say that they aren’t. Not sure which side of the fence you are really on, but THANK YOU so much for pointing out that they now have LESS calories than oreos.

    I took a look at their web site, and yep, they now have less calories because they made the cookies smaller. hehee. Another good marketing ploy.

    Their current nutritional data states 3 cookies = 33 grams, with about 13 servings per box. Back in July, 2011 when I first wrote this post, 3 cookies = 36 grams and 12 servings. I guess they fiddled with their super secret healthy recipe to reduce the calories and reduce the serving size too.

    I’ll stand by my original point, that most of you seem to be missing, it’s a highly-processed, GMO-laden cookie with a few synthetic vitamins & minerals and a dash of extra fiber. I will also stand by the fact that they are NOT a HEALTHIER version of oreos.

    Consumers are being fooled into thinking they’re eating something healthy, and they are not.

    Again, here is a direct quote from someone on their Facebook page a few months ago: “These are so great! I can finally get my son to eat a full serving of veggies!”

    And just in case you missed my other prior comment, here are a few more Facebook quotes:

    #1 Thanks! MY MOM HAS ALZIMERS AND SHE REFUSES TO EAT SOME TIMES. I GIVE HER THREE AT A TIME PLUS SOM BOOST. SHE WILL EAT THE COOKIES AND SAY SHE CAN’T DRINK THE BOOST. LOVE YOU GUYS

    #2 Just wanted to let you know that your products are an absolute godsend for my family! we have a child with autism, whose diet is EXTREMELY limited. Its all visual with him, if he likes a food, it has to look the SAME way everytime. Bc your cookies look very similar to “other brands”, he loves to eat them, and the health factor makes it brilliant. Keep up the good work!!!

    #3 I’m a type 2 diabetic and just had a triple bypass. Are Whonu cookies okay for me (in moderation of course!)?

    #4 Love them! As a family we switched from regular junk food to these and the kids didn’t even know it!! Now I don’t feel bad when they ask for more!

    #5 I can only find the chocolate creme ones where I live but they sure are tasty! Now I don’t feel bad if I eat the whole box!

    #6 I love these freakin cookies, not too sweet, slightly filling, and they don’t make me sick if I have a row at a time. Keep it up :D

    #7 Ahh my dream finally came true! Cookies that are good for me?
    Goodbye carrot sticks & celery stalks…..heehee!!!
    THANK YOU WhoNu?!!!!!!!!!

    These quotes are from people who 100% believe their marketing hype. And it’s very sad that so many comments posted here are coming from people that feel the need to defend this company.

  93. In the end the “nutrition” claims don’t matter. These cookies taste awful. I don’t know about the other varieties, but the Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip tastes disgusting. I had to use mouthwash to get rid of the horrible after taste, after just one cookie! Don’t buy them!

  94. If you want nutrition, you shouldn’t even be looking at cookies. These are a better alternative for treats than many other brands. If you don’t like it, don’t eat it. Stick with fruit if it bothers you so much. Who Nu people could be so silly to think they would be getting nutrition from a cookie. It’s a COOKIE for goodness sake. A TREAT. Not a health food.

  95. just manage ur cookie intake. jezzz dont over endulge and be happy that ur kid is taking vitamins. No different than the multi-gummybear- vitamin.

  96. i am just all confused by all of these comments. I started giving my 15 month old these cookies after hearing she was low in iron and after having a couple myself i thought what a good treat for her. i think kids need treats. i am 34 and a first time mom. Josie goes to her dads every other weekend and a couple weeks ago she came back with a grab bag full of candy from a birthday party. So God knows what he is giving her over there. i rather give her a cookie than candy and i’m sure she enjoys them both.

  97. The fact is, they may not be what they say they are. They may be smaller. Whatever. If people are going to feed their kids three oreos, but feed them 3 of these, they are in fact eating 90 less calories. So they may not be as advertised, but they still have less calories.

  98. I think a cookie is a cookie! If these cookies have a little extra vitamins then wouldn’t that be better than a regular cookie. If you are comparing eating one cookie against another. I think people are smart enough to know cookies are not healthy but want to know which one is the better option if you want to have a cookie. The who nu cookie doesn’t have high fructose in it the Oreo does. The Oreo doesn’t have extra vitamins at all. Now that being said they both taste good so which one is the better option? Neither should replace healthy food in your diet that is obvious.

  99. These cookies ARE nutritious.

    Believe it or not, calories aren’t the only thing that determine how healthy/nutritious a food is. Not all people in the world are fat. I’m a skinny person who has no problem with eating high-calorie foods.

    Yes, these cookies are indeed nutritious. The fact that three cookies contain 30% daily value of your calcium and fiber is pretty impressive from a nutritional standpoint. I have a feeling that the vast majority of people out there are deficient in calcium and fiber in their diets. Instead of just simple-mindedly worrying about calories, these people need to start worrying about other nutrients.

  100. A bunch of kneejerk going on here. Common sense thinking.. If they made cookies that tasted like broccoli , no one would like them. Whonu is a cookie with vitamins. It still tastes like a cookie. No big deal. Your trashing them for having corn starch, BHA BDTY BDOF BUDOF hell I dont know what all that is.. Your making it sound like nuclear radioactive waste. Remind me not to go to your party.

    People are fat because of inactive lifestyles. You can eat what you like, in moderation and stay thin. Compare 3 whonu’s to 3 oreos. Why trash talk the better option. Ive onyl bought one box of these.. came online to see what the fuss was and found abunch of whatever is being said on this board going on. OMG its processed wheat flour and corn syrup.. IN A COOKIEZZ!!!!… Makes me laugh. If anyone bought the cookies thinking they were going to be the miracle cure for being overweight, I laugh harder. Seriously, when I bought the one box of Whono cookies I read the nutrition content labels. If it involves disecting every grain and molecule of what its made out of, I quit..

  101. Dang…just when i thought i found a healthy treat. You’ve ruined it for me. Seriously though, thanks. Now I will go back to eating no cookies like before. I feel stupid for falling for the marketing. I shoulda known…I read my dog’s food labels better than my own sometimes…

  102. I agree with Tony and John. A cookie is a cookie. Maybe later on ” Who Nu” will come out with a cookie just as nutritious with less fat and less sugar. I hope so. My 16 month daughter loves the cookies. She is not under weight but still small. I just want her to eat more than she does now. i still have to give her formula instead of whole milk because she has low iron. I enjoy giving her a cookie a day for a treat. Why not a cookie with vitamins instead of the other?

  103. …and we wonder why 2/3rds of Americans are either overweight or obese; we are now feeding 16 month olds cookies. Shame.

  104. … don’t you mean Twerp? I feel sorry for the children in your household , i mean not being able to have a cookie. Also, its a little over a third(37.5%) of Americans that are obese according to CDC.

  106. Thanks, Debbie.

    As an economist (and a nutrition Nazi), I have an affinity for numbers and was going to respond to Ms. Kisha…whose children would be better served were she spending her time looking for more healthy alternatives than researching statistics to take me to task…but I digress.

  107. thanks for the blog when I bought the cookies I new what I was getting into. the main thing that got me was the fiber nothing else. I get my other minerals and nutrients from other sources. Fiber I have a hard time with. But anyway my main issue with these cookies (just like with anyother American processed product) is the fact that it says Artifical flavoring. Like realy what is the base of this flavoring petroleum or papermill waste? That’s my main concern.

  108. another the sources of this nutrients are questionable. The fiber to my knowledge comes from the oats (or oat fiber) those other nutrients are just like dietary supplements they will only help boost your nutrient intake if you are regularly taking in actual nutrients from the actual source. Most people do not know that ASCORBIC ACID is not Vitamin C but a small part of it. Also pure ascorbic acid is white where as impure is yellow. This is just a short example.

  109. I never thought they meant them to be a healthy cookie just a cookie with benefits in it… you dig? If you were ok with giving your kids ( or yourself) oreos as a treat wouldnt it be better if that oreo also had some nutritional content as well? Its not that the cookie is any lower sugar or fat its that they have fortified it to have more nutritional value. On the package it says its essentially a dessert or indulgent treat, it doesnt say its 100% good for you it says its better for you. By the way they are delicious. I dont eat a ton of sweets but I tried these and they are as good as an oreo, the vitamins are nice too.

  110. I very much like these cookies as an alternative to chips ahoy and oreo cookies. I don’t see how the marketing is misleading… “so, be good to yourself, go for a walk, get lots of sleep. eat your fruits and vegetables. Watch a funny movie. And when you want and indulgent snack, pick the cookie with great taste and real nutrition baked right in..WhoNu?”

    I agree it tastes good and is better for you than regular chips ahoy and oreos. They never claim to be a main source of calorie consumption. I understand you get more responses in your blog by being contfrontational but settle down. People like cookies and why not have a slightly better cookie to offer?!?! WhoNU people would be so negative in response to an improvement to the standard grocery store cookie!?!?!

  111. There is only one thing I’m wondering,

    As a person familiar with the difference in medication regulation and food regulation, I thought about buying these for one reason. If you claim your food does something, thanks to FDA regulations, your ingredients are thoroughly checked to make sure it does contain what you say it does. It’s much harder to lie about food than it is about vitamins, which are notorious for not being consistent because they don’t go through the same process normal medication does. Say someone wants to eat their vegetables like normal and use WhoNu as their one serving snack- would the vitamins being back checked by the FDA be more suitable as a compliment to your health along with proper diet?

  112. Really, Jordi? Are we praising the same FDA that allows “20 or fewer maggots of any size per 100 grams of drained mushrooms and proportionate liquid” in our foods? The same FDA that allows the following that it calls “defects:”

    ‘[D]efects are “insect filth,” “rodent filth” (both hair and excreta pellets), “mold,” “insects,” “mammalian excreta,” “rot,” “insects and larvae” (which is to say, maggots), “insects and mites,” “insects and insect eggs,” “drosophila fly,” “sand and grit,” “parasites,” “mildew” and “foreign matter” (which includes “objectionable” items like “sticks, stones, burlap bagging, cigarette butts, etc.”).

    Yea, the FDA is really looking out for our interests….clearly.

  113. The most deceiving part of the ingredients is the claim of fiber. Where can the fiber be coming from when there is no listing of whole wheat flour? Wheat flour is NOT whole wheat flour. There are some cookies on the market that are made with whole wheat flour, such as Kashi and Belvita. The term “whole flour” will be listed as such. These coookies have no more fiber than any other cookies on the market, and for that the FDA should file charges against them.

  115. Their claim isn’t “low in sugar.” Their claim is “nutrition-rich.” I am not aware of a standardized definition for “nutrition-rich,” but I think the vitamin percentages you showed could qualify under a reasonable definition. Is it the same as eating Oreos and taking a multi-vitamin … maybe, but you say that like it’s a bad thing. On a 1-10 scale, if Oreos are a 2, these are something higher than a 2 … even if only a 3. You may prefer to eat something that rates a lot higher, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that these cookies are marketed as a way to get kids and snackers eating something a little better for them. They are not marketed as a miracle food complete diet, which seems to be the standard to which you are holding them.

  116. I like to get these cookies because I love Oreos and Chips Ahoy cookies and these are better versions of those cookies. Sure they aren’t “health food” but they are at least a bit better than the originals! I don’t think anyone said make a meal of these, but as a treat, why not? There is nothing wrong with indulging in a little something everyday, its when you have A LOT of somethings that problems arise.

  117. I love these cookies. I eat 3 a day, that’s it. They help me go to the bathroom regularly due to the higher FIBER content. So I don’t need to get my fill of nasty Metamucil or whatever. Works like a charm and I am healthy as can be (knock on wood).

  118. I use to like these cookies and have commented before on how much I loved them but since they took out all the other vitamins and only left the calcium and fiber, I hate them. They even taste different! I bought a pack thinking they had all the vitamins that they use to, then i noticed they even changed the name to smart cookies! Whatever. Im done!

  119. Thanks for the info, Kisha.

    My guess is they were on the verge of a lawsuit or maybe the FDA was closing in on them because of all their “healthy” claims. Not that the FDA does enough to protect us, but I can’t imagine why they changed their name, and removed all the “nutrition” unless they were having legal issues.

    I’m sure they made a lot of $$ with their false claims, but now they are just like any other cookie on the shelf. I’m happy.

  120. Actually they are worse than any other cookie because the other ones taste better. I think who nu cookies should go out of business!!

  121. Yeah and if you read “organic” brand snack foods…guess what? Mostly the same ingredients or ingredients with similar drawbacks. You need to control your diet regardless of maker philosophies. You control the menu NOT the seller.

    Sorry but oatmeal mainly adds more fiber which is good for the mechanics of healthy bowels BUT is just as big a source of calories. At most organic brand additions add some trace nutrients which the human body of which really doesn’t need a lot. Otherwise berries are just another source of SUGAR. Dried cane juice is actually brown sugar.

    Lack of commercial refining does not reduce calories. Perhaps traces of sulfur from common refining is harmful – that is not clear as sulfur is an essential chemical in the human body.

    And while organic sources tout all the extra natural nutrients left in and assumed harmful chemicals of refining left out… the truth is most organics sources also include natural chemicals that might or are known to be harmful. (including natural plant protections versus pest and disease as well as molecules that are chemically similar to nutrients but different enough to cause problems).

    The difference between food and poison is often a matter of how much harmful chemicals are mixed in.

  122. I actually buy them because my son is autistic and actually eats Oreos. He does not eat much at all and I needed to add some calcium into his diet. The fiber was an added benefit. It is hard to keep a well-rounded diet for my son and these cookies, yes comparable to other cookies, actually helped his diet. He is limited to a certain amount a day. My problem now is finding them in the store.

  123. I know these are not perfect. No cookie is. However, try to find cookies that do not have high fructose corn syrup in them. Just about impossible in in the kinds they make. I have gout which is very painful. Way too many things contain this. Unfortunately for me high fructose corn syrup effects my gout. it’s wonderful to buy cookies that I know won’t hurt me. And yes, also now having a hard time finding them which for me is no fun.

  125. I am frustrated that I can no longer find these cookies. My 3 year old is allergic to milk and refuses all milk substitutes. It is a struggle to get calcium in her diet, and these cookies were a big help. I am saddened that so many people attacked this company, presumably to the point where the went out of business. At the end of the day, it is a cookie. Anyone who thinks that a cookie can ever be as healthy as oatmeal or a piece of fresh fruit is an idiot. If you are going to eat a cookie anyway, these were not a bad choice. If you’re trying to eat something totally healthy, don’t go down the cookie aisle.

  126. One of my carb-filled weaknesses (besides pasta, yumm) is COOKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since I’ll probably eat a couple anyway, at least I’ll get some much-needed calcium AND extra fiber without high-fructose corn syrup. The chocolate chip cookies are deelish. Please don’t take them off the market – not everyone is a complete health freak!!!

  128. They are delicious!!! There’s not a better tasting multivitamin out there!
    -From a gal who ate her Total cereal & never took a multivitamin growing up.

  129. Whonu cookies are awesome!!! They are better for you, unless you make them yourself with the rite ingredients tho!!! The ingredients I look for is, enriched flour, no one should be consuming this ingredient!!! The artificial sweeteners, if it claims to be sugar free, again no one should consume NutraSweet, aspartame, neotame, alitame, Truvia, sugar twin, as all those are artificial sweeteners and should be avoided, they are bad for everyone’s health!!!

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