Question/observation on macros and NI info.

Josyurtos23

I don't want to spark a heated debate but I will ask based on information I see.

From what I understand (from multiple resources) a gram of fat = 9 calories, gram of protein = 4, gram of carb also = 4 calories. All equal your calories...

If you multiply each and then add together, I found that the calories add up to at least 10 more at times. My question is base upon the above it seems like I'm still eating way too many calories. Please explain.

Could it possibly mean that a better gauge would be to track macro nutrients to get a better grasp on how many calories you are eating rather than relying on the calorie count in the NI label?

I'm discouraged on my weight now (haven't started a plan) and I may be over analyzing labels.
Thank you in advance.

cheshirecatastrophe

There is a decent amount of room for estimating and rounding error.

Not all carbs are exactly 4 calories per gram, and so forth. Values can be rounded down to the nearest 10 or nearest 5, at least in the US. (This will burn you if you eat a ton of artificial sweeteners, which generally squeak just under the labeling threshold with 2-4 calories per serving). Also in the U.S., insoluble fiber IS included in the carbohydrate count but NOT in the total calories, because it is not digestible.

And to top it off, news stories periodically break about inaccurate nutrition info from various companies and restaurants (assuming you go in for processed food, which I certainly do).

The good news is: all the room for error seems to balance out. Otherwise there would be no "Success Stories" forum here.