The Jackson Citizen Patriot: It is maligned, it is copied, but most importantly, it is loved by millions of Americans.
The Twinkie is celebrating its 75th birthday this year. Yet, this simple yellow sponge cake filled with vanilla cream has managed to generate interest and even a bit of controversy over the years.
Meanwhile, a number of myths have cropped up over the years about Twinkies, including that the snack is top-heavy with calories.
“A Twinkie has only 150 calories and 5 grams of fat, lower than eating three Oreos cookies,” said Kevin Kaul, Hostess brand manager in Kansas City, Mo..
Another is that they are created from only artificial ingredients.
“We use eggs, flour and sugar and some preservatives to keep them fresh, but there is nothing artificial about a Twinkie,” he said.
Twinkies are made in seven plants scattered across the United States, and from the time they are made and packaged, Kaul said, they have a shelf life of 25 days.
“It’s one of those myths (an indefinite shelf life) we’d love to see die,” he said.
