What am I missing here?

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toots99
toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I weigh everything faithfully and notice many discrepancies on the nutrition labels.

For instance, the single serving of Skinny Cow ice cream cups say that there 5.8 ounces, and one serving per container. I measured it out into a bowl, and it comes to just over 3 ounces! How can that be? I thought maybe there were including the container in the weight, though I have no idea why on earth they'd do that, but no, I put that on ethe scale and it's still less than 4 ounces. I weighed out a container of yogurt today, and the label says 170 grams...it was really about 150 grams. I notice this all the time. If I'm entering in that I ate 5.8 ounces of ice cream, I want 5.8 ounces of ice cream, d@mmit!

Am I missing something? Or are labels just lying?

Replies

  • unknownndoll
    unknownndoll Posts: 161 Member
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    bump.... interesting....


    I would like to see other peoples input!!
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
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    Many companies alter their recipes or servings sizes depending on the country where they sell their items, or over time depending on the economy (changing ingredients or package size to save/make money). Nutritional information varies between the US, Canada, UK, etc. So the entry you found could have been from an older package before they downsized their ice cream cups or could be from an MFP user that lives in another country and would be accurate for them. If you don't find what you need in the database, then add what you need; don't necessarily edit what's there because you think it's "wrong" because for someone it could be very correct. Hope this helps!
  • sassyg
    sassyg Posts: 393
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    ounces - remember it can be a measure of volume OR weight
  • dangerjones
    dangerjones Posts: 7
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    Hmmm, mysterious. As a positive note, if you go by what is on the nutritional label and faithfully enter THEIR calorie count, you are actually eating less than you believe you are (as long as you don't give yourself permission to compensate for the discrepancy). It's a built-in buffer for your daily calorie count.
  • vanillasugar
    vanillasugar Posts: 246 Member
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    I don't think OP is referring to what's entered in the database, but the actual packaging and - yes, I've noticed it too. I should make a point of checking all things (though, really I don't know what good it would do, lol) But my mom and I noticed this when eating a package of steamfresh veggies. I don't recall which veggie, but this discussion's sake, say the serving size was 1 cup. Package says there is 4 cups per package. I get a cup, my mom gets a cup and there is barely maybe 1 cup left. No, there were only 3 servings in the package. Perhaps there were four when it was frozen, but it seems very misleading if that is the case.
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    ounces - remember it can be a measure of volume OR weight

    I usually go by grams.
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    I don't think OP is referring to what's entered in the database, but the actual packaging and - yes, I've noticed it too. I should make a point of checking all things (though, really I don't know what good it would do, lol) But my mom and I noticed this when eating a package of steamfresh veggies. I don't recall which veggie, but this discussion's sake, say the serving size was 1 cup. Package says there is 4 cups per package. I get a cup, my mom gets a cup and there is barely maybe 1 cup left. No, there were only 3 servings in the package. Perhaps there were four when it was frozen, but it seems very misleading if that is the case.

    Yep, that's exactly what I mean!
  • JustBreathe
    JustBreathe Posts: 25
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    I've noticed a lot of discrepancies myself. It seems like companies really take advantage of the words "about" or "approximately"... as in, "Servings per container, about 4." It really makes me mad, because not only does it make it hard for calorie counters, it also makes it hard when you're trying to budget your food dollars and get a certain number of meals out of a product.
  • getphysicallyfit
    getphysicallyfit Posts: 27
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    I see what your saying but here is the deal in mass production they go by what the first one was and then just replicate the amounts no matter what the serving amount is in the actual container. Now thats dealing with the actual serving content

    On another note you will always run into a caloric issues if you try this approach of weighing your food. For Example.
    1 serving of a 2 ounce chicken breast is supposedly 60 calories with supposedely 11grams of protien 1 gram of fat. That will never hold true for every 2 ounce serving because there are to many variables to say your getting 11 grams of protien. i.e. free range, age of chicken, and other environmental habits.

    You can drive yourself crazy lol and you would hate me as your wellness coach becuase the bigger question would be WHY are you eating a Skinny Cow in the first place? High in sugar and a Horrible Carb lol. Sorry I know i'm not help.

    Get Physically Fit, LLC
    "Live Long & Healthy"
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    You can drive yourself crazy lol and you would hate me as your wellness coach becuase the bigger question would be WHY are you eating a Skinny Cow in the first place? High in sugar and a Horrible Carb lol. Sorry I know i'm not help.

    Get Physically Fit, LLC
    "Live Long & Healthy"

    Sometimes you just gotta have it! It's delicious...ice cream is my weakness. Used to be I'd wolf down a pint of Ben & Jerry's peanut butter cup ice cream many times a week without giving it a second thought. Now, my indulgence is a Skinny Cow once in a while. You can't be perfect 100% of the time.

    PS: I'd only hate you as a wellness coach if you were judgmental and not helpful.
  • sassyg
    sassyg Posts: 393
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    ounces - remember it can be a measure of volume OR weight

    I usually go by grams.

    Oh yep

    I was thinking though, if their serving size is ounces as in around 3/4 of a cup, which might weigh only 90 or so grams

    tricky one...

    I guess then the solution is to weigh what you've got and calculate your serving based on the per 100g(or whatever it is in ounces) column, fluffing around entering stuff into the database is a right PITA though, I understand your frustration!
  • thumper44
    thumper44 Posts: 1,464 Member
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    Just wondering. Are you talking about these?
    E_SkCSndCups4Pk_Aug08.jpg

    Interesting that they are measured in ml. (Volume)
    That would suggest that the oz are volume as well and not weight?
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    This is the product I'm talking about: http://skinnycow.com/myproducts/cups.php?myflavor=dulce_cup
  • thumper44
    thumper44 Posts: 1,464 Member
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    Well I would chalk this one up to volume IMO.

    Those sundae cups at 130ml are 120 calories.
    The ones you mentioned are 150 calories.
    5.8 fluid ounces = ~170ml = ~3/4 cup.

    Same company wouldn't change their ice cream from one package using volume, and another packaging using weight.
    I'm sure the machine that's making these is squirting xx amount into each cup. xx = 5.8 fluid ounces.
  • getphysicallyfit
    getphysicallyfit Posts: 27
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    Please Step away from the Skinny cow... Now place your hands in the air... and give me 10 burpees for each spoon full you ate and we will call it even. :happy:
  • cheri03
    cheri03 Posts: 172 Member
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    They mean volume not weight.
  • mapnerd2005
    mapnerd2005 Posts: 363
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    ice cream is typically measured by volume, not by weight. It says 5.4 ounces on the package, they mean there is about a 1/2 cup of ice cream in the package. That 1/2 cup might only weigh four ounces (or 112 g if you use the metric scale as I do).

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