Calories left for the day don't add up?

wendykayt

Hello kids,

So unless something has changed over the years, I'm confused. It's my recollection that fat grams = 9 calories and carb/protein grams = 4. SO. How is it that I have 421 calories remaining for today but the breakdown shows 40 carbs, 2 fat and 38 protein? Wouldn't that add up to 330 calories left for today? Is the formula messed up because I exercised? I earned 249 calories from exercise but that doesn't seem to account for the difference.

Please explain. Thanks

Leiki

Please open up your diary, or we can't see what's wrong

wendykayt

Thanks, set to public

Bartman67

Look at any single thing on your diary and do the same math. Not one works out exactly. That is because all calories on packaging are rounded off. Per the FDA website on food labelling guidelines.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuide/ucm064894.htm


N7. When the caloric value for a serving of a food is less than 5 calories, can the actual caloric value be declared?

Answer: The caloric value of a product containing less than 5 calories may be expressed as zero or to the nearest 5 calorie increment (i.e., zero or 5 depending on the level). Foods with less than 5 calories meet the definition of “calorie free” and any differences are dietarily insignificant. 21 CFR 101.9(c)(1)


N8. Should a value of 47 calories be rounded up to 50 calories or rounded down to 45 calories?

Answer: Calories must be shown as follows:

50 calories or less--Round to nearest 5-calorie increment: Example: Round 47 calories to “45 calories”
Above 50 calories--Round to nearest 10-calorie increment: Example: Round 96 calories to “100 calories”
21 CFR 101.9(c)(1) Also see Appendix H for rounding guidelines.

ChasingSweatandTears

Great question!!! Do any of you factor that in when eating or excercising for the day? That seems like that could add up to a lot of calories

cmriverside

Yeah, not only is there a 10% margin of error allowed in packaging, but the database is created mostly by members - who sometimes make mistakes or just purposely change the numbers.