A beautifully-shot deconstruction of the Twinkie offers a scientific look at its contents

Breaking down the deleteriously toothsome Twinkie, photographer Dwight Eschliman documents the Hostess confection by exposing all of its ingredients in a simple format. From mundane sugar to the alien Red 40 (above), the petri-dish-style portraits offer a concerning view of that old adage, "you are what you eat."

Highlighted on Good, the photos are also available in his book "37 Or So Ingredients."

See selected images in the gallery below.

• Water

  http://www.coolhunting.com/assets_c/2010/06/35Twinkies-8-thumb-autox450-20569.jpg

• Sugar

  http://www.coolhunting.com/assets_c/2010/06/35Twinkies-9-thumb-autox450-20570.jpg

• Animal Shortening

  http://www.coolhunting.com/assets_c/2010/06/35Twinkies-3-thumb-autox450-20564.jpg

• Diglyceride

  http://www.coolhunting.com/assets_c/2010/06/35Twinkies-4-thumb-autox450-20565.jpg

• Soy Protein Isolate

  http://www.coolhunting.com/assets_c/2010/06/35Twinkies-5-thumb-autox450-20566.jpg

• Riboflavin

  http://www.coolhunting.com/assets_c/2010/06/35Twinkies-6-thumb-autox450-20567.jpg

• Whole Egg

  http://www.coolhunting.com/assets_c/2010/06/35Twinkies-7-thumb-autox450-20568.jpg