Hidden Calories

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craftywitch_63
craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've always lost weight to a certain point and then no matter how obsessively I logged my calories and exercise. I realize both are just an estimate but I recently found out about two "calorie free" products that aren't truly calorie free.

The zero calorie butter sprays. Each spray is like 0.8 calories, which doesn't sound like a whole lot but I'd probably use 30 sprays on my air-popped popcorn alone, not to mention my breakfast toast and sometimes in my food to give it a "buttery" flavor. I could easily use 100 calories just in butter spray. There are over 800 calories per bottle! I stopped using it and went to a heart-healthy light spread with 45 calories/Tbsp. At least I can calculate the calories correctly.

The other is kind of related: cooking spray. Depending upon the brand there can be 600 calories per can! I was coating my pans with the stuff, but the zero calories only apply if you use no more than 1/4 second spray. I still use the spray because it works best to keep my food from sticking to the pan but I have to be very conscious of the amount I use.

My question is: What other "zero calorie" foods that aren't truly zero calorie, am I missing?

Thanks.

Replies

  • bluetuesday5
    bluetuesday5 Posts: 99 Member
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    Milk in tea and coffee maybe. I don't use those sprays because for one I think it's just a way to make you pay more for oil and two I like being able to measure how much I'm using with a spoon. I doubt I use much more anyway.

    It might not be hidden calories, it could be that you have been dieting hard and slowed your metabolism, or it could be water retention. I ran into a plateau about two weeks ago and found that I seemed to lose a lot more the day after having a big meal, hence I am now calorie cycling. I think low carb for two long was causing me to retain water.

    Anyway I think I misinterpreted your question. Nothing is really zero calorie. In the States you seem to have weird laws that allow companies to misrepresent the contents of food by manipulating portion sizes. In the UK everything is listed per 100g so we don't have that issue.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
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    Pickles generally say 0 calories on the jar, but they do have a few. If it's under 5 calories per serving, it's legal to say 0 on the packaging. Probably not a big deal for a normal serving, but don't figure "hey, 0 calories!" and eat the whole jar.

    I was surprised to learn that black coffee has calories. 3 calories per 8 oz serving isn't a lot--I don't always bother logging it if I'm only having a couple of cups--but if you go through a couple of the "big enough to swim in" size every day, you're getting 15 or 20 calories you probably didn't think about.
  • MissSethra
    MissSethra Posts: 16 Member
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    The non-stick spray has really been bugging me, will start adding calories for its use for sure.

    Recently bought gummy vitamins (allergy throat a bit swollen, didn't want to have to swallow horse pills lol) anywho, 20 calories per day of vitamins <---should of read label at store, I read labels of every other 'food' item I put in cart :\
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
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    The non-stick spray has really been bugging me, will start adding calories for its use for sure.

    Recently bought gummy vitamins (allergy throat a bit swollen, didn't want to have to swallow horse pills lol) anywho, 20 calories per day of vitamins <---should of read label at store, I read labels of every other 'food' item I put in cart :\

    I take gummy vitamins too and I never thought about looking at the calories, but you're right. The ones I have are 15 calories/vitamin and 2/day are recommended.

    Thank you for your answer.
  • HealthyMakeover
    HealthyMakeover Posts: 142 Member
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    Diet soda has a couple of calories. Probably like 3 per bottle/can, but they still do.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
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    They round down and such on many products. Unless you are really close to your calorie goal I'm not sure the extra 20 or so hidden calories from most foods is going to be an issue. The general inaccuracy is more than that even if you diligently weigh stuff. Speaking of which check out the serving size of say a Twinkie and then weigh it. It's likely going to be larger than the serving size.

    I'd stick with the spray cooking oil and just recognize it for what it is aerosol oil. You'll still use less than dumping a couple tbsp in the pan.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
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    Cough syrup is actually pretty high in calories. I think a dose is close to 100.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Throat lozenges can have 30 calories or something... doesn't show on the box. I buy sugar free now...

    The non stick spray I just shrug off. No way to know, and the worst I use is like 2 sprays.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
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    The non stick spray I just shrug off. No way to know, and the worst I use is like 2 sprays.

    1/4 second sprays? =P
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Unless it is plain water, everything has calories. Zero calorie products are allowed to have the 0 cal label if it has less than 4 calories.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    The non stick spray I just shrug off. No way to know, and the worst I use is like 2 sprays.

    1/4 second sprays? =P

    I know, always cracks me up. But yeah, I don't care if I'm not accurate by 10 calories, in the end I'm sure there's more inaccuracies from the processed foods I eat than that anyway.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,071 Member
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    Diet soda has a couple of calories. Probably like 3 per bottle/can, but they still do.

    1 calorie per 375 ml according to MFP data base.

    I think all these incidental calories from a spray of cooking oil etc are going to be so minimal as to be irelevant - unless you are consuming exorbitant amounts. 30 sprays on your popcorn does sound a lot.

    I never bother logging cooking spray myself - I spray the pan before cooking something and spray for maybe a second or so.

    In Australia, like in UK, everything is quoted on the label in 100ml/mg sizes as well as size per serving so is easy to adjust one's logging.

    We also dont have this 'less than 5 calories can be labeled as zero' rule - just checked a can of Pepsi max and is labeled as 5kj per 375 ml can - aprox 1.5 calories.
  • EvenThatNameIsTaken
    EvenThatNameIsTaken Posts: 164 Member
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    Cough syrup is actually pretty high in calories. I think a dose is close to 100.

    yep, Nyquil comes in at 97 or so and lotsa sugar! Also cough drops, cold-eze type stuff... learned that when I got sick last week! And yes those damn gummy vitamins! plus fish oil pills...

    p.s. i really prefer to steam my veggies now so i don't have to worry about underestimating oil or other cooking stuff.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Cough syrup is actually pretty high in calories. I think a dose is close to 100.

    yep, Nyquil comes in at 97 or so and lotsa sugar! Also cough drops, cold-eze type stuff... learned that when I got sick last week! And yes those damn gummy vitamins! plus fish oil pills...

    p.s. i really prefer to steam my veggies now so i don't have to worry about underestimating oil or other cooking stuff.

    Well, I think that's a yay seeing as many people have difficulties eating when they are sick.

    And the calories for the gummies and fish oils are on the label...pretty big for Nature Made at least. And when you scan it into MFP, (unless someone's messing around with the scan to product)...it puts it in for you.
  • mmcdonald700
    mmcdonald700 Posts: 116 Member
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    Some of the teas I drink (from Davids Tea) are up to 15 cal/ cup (1 1/4 tsp of loose tea) usually not a big deal cause I drink like 1 cup... but before you go crazy drinking 10 cups a day of something called chocolate mint tea check the calories! Some have calories because they have real dry fruit (that will have some residual natural sugar) or a tiny bit of chocolate or whatever else added.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    I just don't worry about that. I still managed to reach my goal and maintain it for the past two years.
  • psmd
    psmd Posts: 764 Member
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    -regular vitamins (not just gummies) esp. fish oil capsules;
    -relish and mustard (I mix both with tuna and I am pretty sure both have calories but say 0);
    -some diet soda's;
    -gum
    -spices (if you use teaspoons/tablespoons; specifically I know cinnamon does)
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
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    I just don't worry about that. I still managed to reach my goal and maintain it for the past two years.

    Same here. If you worry too much about hidden calories, you might stress yourself out too much. :P
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    Throat lozenges can have 30 calories or something... doesn't show on the box. I buy sugar free now...

    The non stick spray I just shrug off. No way to know, and the worst I use is like 2 sprays.
    Most of those are simply canola oil in an aerosol can, but they make the serving size so small so they can call it zero calories. I've used a food scale and logged it as canola oil. It added up to enough to be worth logging.

    Now, I just use regular oil. It's a lot cheaper.

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