Packaging inaccuracies
gothchiq
Posts: 4,590 Member
So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
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Replies
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So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
Weigh the food and then use the nutrition data provided. If you don't lose weight, eat less of it. That's the only thing we can really do. In the end, all of the numbers we throw around are estimates--bmr, tdee, calories, macros, etc. Absolute exact information is unnecessary. Analyzing outcomes and adapting behaviors is what matters in the end.8 -
Actually, the calories per serving weight shown on the label should be pretty accurate because companies are required to either do lab testing or use the USDA numbers for ingredients.So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
We weigh because, with solids, the weight isn't variable but the volume is variable. The nutritional information is based on weight but also shows volume because many don't use a food scale. Volume just isn't as precise for solids.
This is true too:In the end, all of the numbers we throw around are estimates--bmr, tdee, calories, macros, etc. Absolute exact information is unnecessary. Analyzing outcomes and adapting behaviors is what matters in the end.3 -
Okay, so the listed cals per weight should in fact be closer. That's good.2
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Actually, the calories per serving weight shown on the label should be pretty accurate because companies are required to either do lab testing or use the USDA numbers for ingredients.So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
We weigh because, with solids, the weight isn't variable but the volume is variable. The nutritional information is based on weight but also shows volume because many don't use a food scale. Volume just isn't as precise for solids.
This is true too:In the end, all of the numbers we throw around are estimates--bmr, tdee, calories, macros, etc. Absolute exact information is unnecessary. Analyzing outcomes and adapting behaviors is what matters in the end.
Nope. Example: a local grocery store sells pre-made take and bake pizzas. They SAY the package weighs 255 grams but it's usually about 400 something. So that 500 cal pizza turns into 900+ cals because the weight is sooooo off. I've stopped buying their pizza [Stew Leonard's if anyone is interested] for this reason. I can buy frozen pizza that has less calories or make it myself.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
This. So in addition to the package being off in weight compared to the nutrition label, the actual calories per gram can be off as well.
however, i want to mention the 20% margin can be BELOW the calories reported or ABOVE the calories reported, so atleast we've got that going for us, which is nice.
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That actually shows the point.Colorscheme wrote: »
Actually, the calories per serving weight shown on the label should be pretty accurate because companies are required to either do lab testing or use the USDA numbers for ingredients.So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
We weigh because, with solids, the weight isn't variable but the volume is variable. The nutritional information is based on weight but also shows volume because many don't use a food scale. Volume just isn't as precise for solids.
This is true too:In the end, all of the numbers we throw around are estimates--bmr, tdee, calories, macros, etc. Absolute exact information is unnecessary. Analyzing outcomes and adapting behaviors is what matters in the end.
Nope. Example: a local grocery store sells pre-made take and bake pizzas. They SAY the package weighs 255 grams but it's usually about 400 something. So that 500 cal pizza turns into 900+ cals because the weight is sooooo off. I've stopped buying their pizza [Stew Leonard's if anyone is interested] for this reason. I can buy frozen pizza that has less calories or make it myself.
I assume that the nutritional info says something like: Serving Size 1 Pizza (255 g) and 500 calories.
The 1 Pizza part is variable depending upon how the pizza is assembled. The 255 g part isn't variable because 255 grams is always 255 grams and 255 grams has 500 calories (assuming that the company did the nutritional information testing accurately to get that calorie amount).1 -
That actually shows the point.Colorscheme wrote: »
Actually, the calories per serving weight shown on the label should be pretty accurate because companies are required to either do lab testing or use the USDA numbers for ingredients.So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
We weigh because, with solids, the weight isn't variable but the volume is variable. The nutritional information is based on weight but also shows volume because many don't use a food scale. Volume just isn't as precise for solids.
This is true too:In the end, all of the numbers we throw around are estimates--bmr, tdee, calories, macros, etc. Absolute exact information is unnecessary. Analyzing outcomes and adapting behaviors is what matters in the end.
Nope. Example: a local grocery store sells pre-made take and bake pizzas. They SAY the package weighs 255 grams but it's usually about 400 something. So that 500 cal pizza turns into 900+ cals because the weight is sooooo off. I've stopped buying their pizza [Stew Leonard's if anyone is interested] for this reason. I can buy frozen pizza that has less calories or make it myself.
I assume that the nutritional info says something like: Serving Size 1 Pizza (255 g) and 500 calories.
The 1 Pizza part is variable depending upon how the pizza is assembled. The 255 g part isn't variable because 255 grams is always 255 grams and 255 grams has 500 calories (assuming that the company did the nutritional information testing accurately to get that calorie amount).
On the front of the package, it says weight: 255 grams. On the back it says there's four servings, each serving is 1/4 pizza, 130 calories. Meaning a whole pizza is supposed to be 520 calories. But since the package actually weighs 400 something grams, that 520 calorie pizza is usually 940 calories for the whole thing, or 235 cals per slice. Not 130 grams like the nutrition label says on the back.1 -
That's why you weigh.Colorscheme wrote: »
That actually shows the point.Colorscheme wrote: »
Actually, the calories per serving weight shown on the label should be pretty accurate because companies are required to either do lab testing or use the USDA numbers for ingredients.So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
We weigh because, with solids, the weight isn't variable but the volume is variable. The nutritional information is based on weight but also shows volume because many don't use a food scale. Volume just isn't as precise for solids.
This is true too:In the end, all of the numbers we throw around are estimates--bmr, tdee, calories, macros, etc. Absolute exact information is unnecessary. Analyzing outcomes and adapting behaviors is what matters in the end.
Nope. Example: a local grocery store sells pre-made take and bake pizzas. They SAY the package weighs 255 grams but it's usually about 400 something. So that 500 cal pizza turns into 900+ cals because the weight is sooooo off. I've stopped buying their pizza [Stew Leonard's if anyone is interested] for this reason. I can buy frozen pizza that has less calories or make it myself.
I assume that the nutritional info says something like: Serving Size 1 Pizza (255 g) and 500 calories.
The 1 Pizza part is variable depending upon how the pizza is assembled. The 255 g part isn't variable because 255 grams is always 255 grams and 255 grams has 500 calories (assuming that the company did the nutritional information testing accurately to get that calorie amount).
On the front of the package, it says weight: 255 grams. On the back it says there's four servings, each serving is 1/4 pizza, 130 calories. Meaning a whole pizza is supposed to be 520 calories. But since the package actually weighs 400 something grams, that 520 calorie pizza is usually 940 calories for the whole thing, or 235 cals per slice. Not 130 grams like the nutrition label says on the back.
By weight, that pizza has about 6.3 servings if it says 255 g for 4 servings and weighs 400 g. The serving size is 63.75 grams no matter how much pizza is in the package. If you want to have close to the stated serving size shown in the nutritional info, cut the pizza into 6 slices rather than 4. The nutritional info given is for the weight of the serving size stated (63.75 g) for the pizza you are eating, even though the pizza has more pizza than expected.
I do this all the time with Lean Cuisine. The meal is usually 5-10% heavier than stated so I enter it as 1.05 or 1.1 servings or whatever depending on what that meal weighs.
Slices of bread are rarely the weight shown so I weigh them and enter the gram value rather than number of slices.1 -
Yeah, I weigh everything now. Including bread, tortillas, etc. I don't buy that pizza anymore, it's like $6 a pop and super inaccurate with the labeling so why bother? At Aldi I can get a 2 lb pizza for $5.0
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If there is 30 calories in a gram of something then it's always going to be 30 calories for a gram of that thing. It's not going to sometimes be 20 or sometimes be 40. How much the package weighs might vary, but not the actual calorie count of the weight displayed on the package.1
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MsBuzzkillington wrote: »If there is 30 calories in a gram of something then it's always going to be 30 calories for a gram of that thing. It's not going to sometimes be 20 or sometimes be 40. How much the package weighs might vary, but not the actual calorie count of the weight displayed on the package.
Again, this is incorrect. The number can vary either direction by +/-20% (or more, but 20% is supposed to be the highest allowed labeling discrepancy). This is due to the fact that, even in completely unaltered natural foods, the caloric count between two pieces of the same thing (or hell, even two halves of the same piece) are going to have variances. For example, if you were to take a single steak (or anything), and cut it perfectly into 5g pieces, each of those pieces will have different caloric values due to variances in moisture content, fat ratios, amino density, etc.0 -
Even so, the numbers given in the nutritional information are the only numbers we have. There's no way to do our own lab tests. All we can do is keep in mind that:Gallowmere1984 wrote: »MsBuzzkillington wrote: »If there is 30 calories in a gram of something then it's always going to be 30 calories for a gram of that thing. It's not going to sometimes be 20 or sometimes be 40. How much the package weighs might vary, but not the actual calorie count of the weight displayed on the package.
Again, this is incorrect. The number can vary either direction by +/-20% (or more, but 20% is supposed to be the highest allowed labeling discrepancy). This is due to the fact that, even in completely unaltered natural foods, the caloric count between two pieces of the same thing (or hell, even two halves of the same piece) are going to have variances. For example, if you were to take a single steak (or anything), and cut it perfectly into 5g pieces, each of those pieces will have different caloric values due to variances in moisture content, fat ratios, amino density, etc.
It's all about getting as close as possible with the information available. To do that, weigh your portion rather than going by one slice or one cup or one apple or one package or one egg or one tablespoon, especially with calorie-dense foods.In the end, all of the numbers we throw around are estimates--bmr, tdee, calories, macros, etc. Absolute exact information is unnecessary. Analyzing outcomes and adapting behaviors is what matters in the end.1 -
Packaging nutrition can be off by 30%, legally... then the weight can be off too.
That's why a lot of people who live on packaged foods can't seem to lose weight.0 -
Seems to be a logical fallacy going on that inaccuracy means calories always being understated.
Inaccuracy works both ways and will tend to average out.
Unless you intend weighing every morsel for life then why not just accept on average it will be close enough?1 -
Seems to be a logical fallacy going on that inaccuracy means calories always being understated.
Inaccuracy works both ways and will tend to average out.
Unless you intend weighing every morsel for life then why not just accept on average it will be close enough?
i think this is really all you can do.0 -
Weighing at least eliminates one level of inaccuracy. If you accept a 20% error in both calories per gram and package weight if you had a package that advertised itself as 100g and 100cal, (for ease of calculation) and you recorded it as 100 calories you could be missing in two areas.
- If it was actually 120 g in the package and calories are right it would be 120 calories
- If it was actually 1.2 calories per gram and there was 100g in the package it would be 120 calories.
- However, if it was 1.2 calories per gram AND 120 g in the package it would 144 calories.
The reality is most of the time I have weighed products I haven't found huge discrepancies. I have actually been surprised at how often it has been dead on, but there have been some times that it has been 10% or more off.1 -
I've lost about 100 pounds so far eating mostly packaged foods and weighing my portions. To me, that shows that the nutritional information shown on the package for the weight of the serving size is close enough to get the job done.3
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Seems to be a logical fallacy going on that inaccuracy means calories always being understated.
Inaccuracy works both ways and will tend to average out.
Unless you intend weighing every morsel for life then why not just accept on average it will be close enough?
I'm not saying it is based in reality, but I think it's less of a logical and more of cynical thing that causes people to assume inaccuracy on the low-side. I'm more likely to buy the item that has fewer calories if one is close to spot-on, and the other decided to exercise their 20% "margin of error" on the label.0 -
Seems to be a logical fallacy going on that inaccuracy means calories always being understated.
Inaccuracy works both ways and will tend to average out.
Unless you intend weighing every morsel for life then why not just accept on average it will be close enough?
Well in my experience, most things are really understated. Wraps, protein/energy bars, bread slices... over 90% of the time. Graze snacks are the worst, to be fair (up to 60 calories off). The couple yogurts I've weighed were under though, so I gave up and just log one.
There are some youtube videos out there of people analyzing packaged foods (mostly prepared foods) and it's sometimes almost 40% off... and never under.
In the end though, again, it really doesn't matter... If you're not losing, eat less. If you're losing too much, eat more.0 -
So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
The serving size is an estimate of what the number of grams would come to. The grams is what the actual measure is. For example, the per slice of bread amount is assuming a slice of bread will average out to the same number of grams. so they give a per slice estimate. In reality there is a lot of variation from slice to slice. That doesn't change the calories per gram though.1 -
So we know that the calories per serving listed on food packaging is often not correct. So we weigh our foods to calculate the calories per gram or ounce instead.
Here is my question: That same label that's not right about calories per serving, is it also not telling us the correct number of calories per ounce or gram? To get the right number when we weigh the food, we need accurate information.
Weigh the food and then use the nutrition data provided. If you don't lose weight, eat less of it. That's the only thing we can really do. In the end, all of the numbers we throw around are estimates--bmr, tdee, calories, macros, etc. Absolute exact information is unnecessary. Analyzing outcomes and adapting behaviors is what matters in the end.
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I'll depart from the norm in that while I weigh basically anything not in a single serving package, I don't weigh packaged food when I'm eating the whole package. I figure over time it averages out in the end. Hasn't seemed to have impacted my weight loss at all.0
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rankinsect wrote: »I'll depart from the norm in that while I weigh basically anything not in a single serving package, I don't weigh packaged food when I'm eating the whole package. I figure over time it averages out in the end. Hasn't seemed to have impacted my weight loss at all.
Since serve frozen meals like Lean Cuisine, I don't weigh. But for frozen pizzas, I def. do because it's meant to be multiple servings.
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For people who burn many calories just by existing these discrepancies are probably no big deal. For someone whose maintenance is 1400, like me, it matters a LOT. I had best cook from scratch 95% of the time and look for USDA entries whenever possible. The database is a minefield.1
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