TRUTH ABOUT "O CAL" SPARY BUTTER!!! MUST READ!!

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13

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  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    Really, this should just be common sense and not a surprise revelation. When you see something advertised like this, a simple read of the ingredients should tell you that you can't consume (in this case) this "0 calorie" butter substitute in great quantities and not expect it to count in your daily calorie goal.

    I agree with this. I don't know who thinks that there are actually zero calories in anything. Two calories in a cup of coffee, Less than 5 calories for a stick of gum. I just assume anything that says zero calories has 5 calories. I don't track anything that has "zero calories" but I have room for that in my deficit. Even if I chewed some gum, sprayed some butter on stuff, drank a bunch of coffee and diet soda, I wouldn't break 50 calories. Half a tablespoon of Olive oil is 50-60 calories depending on the brand. I like the spray for some foods but I use it maybe once a week or so, so I'm not going to sweat a very minimal amount of trans fats or traces of calories that go unaccounted for.

    If you were using it in extreme quantities, or anything that says it's zero calorie, it's probably a good idea to sit down and think about how much you are using.
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
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    They're not allowed to call it "0 calorie" spray here. It usually says 1 calorie per spray or "Less than 1 calorie" for the salad dressings (which are around 0.4-0.5 calories per spray).

    I like using spray oil for totally different reasons than I use real oil. It's great for greasing tins and oiling woks before putting them away.
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
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    Ack! I just looked at my gum package. Each stick has 5 calories. Should I log that or does it burn off while I chew? Also do I burn off the single calorie from the butter spray through the action of pumping the sprayer? Do I need to log the calorie I burned through pumping the sprayer? I think should if people are logging house cleaning. Burned 1 calorie through vigorous spraying.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
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    It's not about being able to manage it in my calorie budget or not. If I eat something that contains 37 calories, I want to log it, and know just how many calories I am eating.

    Then surely go with the real food option rather than the fake food option and log the 37 calories of real butter instead of the 1 calorie of dubious trans fats?
    In the UK, if it contains such a small amount of something, they will put "trace" not zero.

    Y'huh.
  • seamanny
    seamanny Posts: 134 Member
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    Thanks for posting! I use this occasionally on my veggies as well. However, my husband drowns his food in it.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    There's only 37 calories in 5g of Lurpack Slightly Salted butter - this is more than enough to add to a portion of vegetables.

    Who can't manage 37 calories in their allowance?

    It's not about being able to manage it in my calorie budget or not. If I eat something that contains 37 calories, I want to log it, and know just how many calories I am eating.

    Saying "it's just a few calories why does it matter" (as some on the thread have done) well it does matter, because I still want to log it. Also, it adds up, and thirdly, the maths in incorrect. It may be a small deal to some people, but to me it's the maths equivalent of confusing they're, their and there. 0 x anything = zero. So a million servings of a zero calorie item should still equal zero calories. In the UK, if it contains such a small amount of something, they will put "trace" not zero. This, at least, is mathematically correct, because a trace of something x a large enough number = a significant amount. (and the quantities have to be much smaller to say "trace" - you don't find 4 calorie servings listed as "trace" they're listed as 4 calories.)

    Also, some companies make serving sizes ridiculously small, so if I eat that food, I might eat ten servings of it. 4.9 calories x 10 = 49 calories. Again, it might not seem that much, but it's still an amount I want to log reasonably accurately, because it all adds up. I don't want to be told something has zero calories, when it actually has some calories in it. I'd rather buy it from a company that lists how many calories are in it, rather than one who messes around with serving sizes in order to fit their product into this loophole.

    I get what you're saying but the FDA allows calorie labels to be off by up to 20% anyway. If you eat a package of yogurt that says it has 200 calories, it could be off by up to 40 calories (in either direction). In light of that, I don't really think that it is possible to log entirely accurately anyway. If someone's calorie allowance is 2000 calories per day, it is entirely possible that their calories are actually closer to 2400 per day (or conversely, it could be somewhere around 1600 per day) just because the calorie counts aren't always accurate. I don't think the 10 or 20 calories someone might get on a daily basis from "zero calorie" foods are actually going to do much damage to their diet.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    It's something like 12 sprays = 10 calories, and there's no partially hydrogenated oils.

    Use it, and don't worry about it. Just don't drown your food in it and it's fine.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    I don't understand the appeal of that product. I really don't.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
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    lol

    ^this
  • rosiereally2
    rosiereally2 Posts: 539 Member
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    I just use real butter and log it. Still losing. :drinker:
  • newjourney2015
    newjourney2015 Posts: 216 Member
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    I just use real butter and log it. Still losing. :drinker:

    ^^^^This and just read the ingredients of that spray on poison. I'd rather have all the calories and real fat of real butter any day and everyday!
  • zhvah18
    zhvah18 Posts: 158 Member
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    I don't understand why people are "drowning" their food in butter period, whether it's fake butter or the real thing. Butter to me is like any other condiment, it should enhance your food, not completely cover it up.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
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    Use butter

    Use oil

    Log them.

    The end.
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
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    Really? So count your spray time and log it accurately. I always read the fine print anyway and, at least on the Smart Balance stuff that I use, it gives the calories per spray time. The 0 calorie claim is only for a 1/3 of second spray and I just am not that good on the trigger. Of course, honestly, 10 calories? That's not going to make much of a difference anyway, but if you care, then log it.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    It's not about being able to manage it in my calorie budget or not. If I eat something that contains 37 calories, I want to log it, and know just how many calories I am eating.

    Then surely go with the real food option rather than the fake food option and log the 37 calories of real butter instead of the 1 calorie of dubious trans fats?

    I do eat real foods, but it's the principle. And the maths. And even though I don't eat the kinds of foods that this law applies to, IMO food companies should still be required to be mathematically correct (and honest!) in their nutritional information. And should I ever eat any of those foods, then yes I absolutely do want to know what I'm really eating.

    "I don't eat the foods in question therefore I don't care that companies are allowed to put mathematically dubious calorie information on their labels" doesn't cut it with me. Misleading labels are still misleading.
  • RushBabe214
    RushBabe214 Posts: 469 Member
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    Use butter

    Use oil

    Log them.

    The end.

    This.

    :drinker:
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    food has calories . . . shocker.
  • skincy
    skincy Posts: 108 Member
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    Use butter

    Use oil

    Log them.

    The end.

    This.

    :drinker:


    Yes!! I use real butter everyday in my oatmeal! yum!
  • Angie1366
    Angie1366 Posts: 85
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    If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.... I am getting worried about these "zero" calorie noodles being marketed... personally it is yet another manufacturer creating a food and targetting dieters. I do not eat them - they Look disgusting, and I would rather eat normal healthy food and count. I use canola spray but only as a fried egg crisper... I used to use nothing but it was just like a poached egg and sometimes it is nice to crisp up... I do know it is an oil, it does have calories, but hey - like another guy said.... It is so small, run up stairs once and you burn it off!

    Crikey.

    Low fat food is full of sugars and carbs....

    Zero calorie drinks have sweeteners that are proven to make you feel hungry.

    Low calorie ready meals have less food in them than if you made it yourself...

    Glad the original poster is learning how evil some business people can be!! LOL!
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    I don't understand the appeal of that product. I really don't.
    So that both the food doesn't stick to the pan and you don't have to eat less of something else?
    If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.... I am getting worried about these "zero" calorie noodles being marketed... personally it is yet another manufacturer creating a food and targetting dieters. I do not eat them - they Look disgusting, and I would rather eat normal healthy food and count.
    From what I can work out, shirtaki noodles aren't a new product - they are an existing asian product now being sold to Western dieters.
    The ones I get from the local Chinese supermarket don't make any big thing about being 0 calories from what I can tell (half the writing is in a script I can't read.)
    Maybe it's nor 'normal' food for you, but I don't see any reason it's not 'healthy' unless you are easily filled up and need to get more calories in.

    Also; I buy low fat products that are pretty much no carbs - just protein.

    It is proven that artificially sweetened fizzy drinks make me less hungry not more.

    If I make food myself, I'd eat a load more calories than a low-calorie prepared meal.

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