0 Calorie Coffee Problem

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arnold824
arnold824 Posts: 52
edited November 2014 in Food and Nutrition
I told my mother that I'm on a diet and I'm glad that she's very supportive, she buys me gym equipment, fruits (daily), cooks healthy foods and she recently bought me this so called 0 calorie coffee since she knows I REALLY REALLY like coffee. Here's a picture of its nutritional facts:

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I don't understand why it has 0 calories but has 19 grams of carbohydrate? I mean for every carbs that's 4 calories right? So technically it has 76 calories based on the 19g carbohydrate but it says that it has 0 calories at the top.

Replies

  • refuseresist
    refuseresist Posts: 934 Member
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    Maybe it's 19g in the whole box and they made a mistake on the packaging.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    That's got to be an error on the label. Is is *just* coffee beans that you have to brew? If so, it's pretty much calorie free (and carb free, it's just flavored water). I mean, I suppose if you EAT the coffee beans, there would be carbs, since it's a plant, but I don't think you're doing that ;)
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
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    I'd wager the carbohydrates are within the beans (or grounds) themselves, which aren't typically consumed when sold to be brewed, unless there's a mistake on the packaging. Technically, depending on brewing method and strength, coffee weighs in at between 2 - 5 calories per 8oz cup; US regulations allow foods which have <5 calories to be labeled '0 calorie.'
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    The box says that a serving size is 15g and the carbs per serving is 19g (6%), so obviously a mistake.
  • independant2406
    independant2406 Posts: 447 Member
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    Probably contains an artificial sweetener of some kind.

    Here's an explanation of why this happens from Dietitian Molly Kimball RD, CSSD

    "We see the same confusion with Truvia sweetener. Each packet is labeled as containing 3 grams of carbs, yet has zero calories.

    How is this possible?

    These products are sweetened with stevia and erythritol, which are both plant-based, very-low-calorie natural sweeteners. Stevia has zero calories and zero carbs, so the carbs on the label are primarily from erythritol, a sugar alcohol. Erythritol provides just about 0.2 calories per gram of carbohydrate — far fewer than the usual 4 calories per gram for most other types of carbohydrate.

    So, since the calories are so low, these products effectively contain zero calories per serving."

    http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2012/03/how_can_vitaminwater_have_carb.html


    FYI just because it has zero calories doesn't mean the sugars/carbs don't impact your blood sugar though. :wink:

    http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_148431.html
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Carbs that can't be digested/absorbed by humans can be removed from the calorie list according to the USDA.
  • arnold824
    arnold824 Posts: 52
    edited November 2014
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    Thank you guys by looking at this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/liven-alkaline-coffee-with-stevia-58428321 I think you guys are right, maybe it's just an error with the packaging and by looking at the product on their site: http://www.aimglobalnetwork.com/store/p21/Liven_Cofee_-_Sugar_Free.html they're really saying it's 0 calories so I guess it's good. Thank you all so much and I'll try to ask my mother where she bought it and I'll check other boxes
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Usually when you see a carb total that doesn't jibe with the individual carb amounts, or calorie count, it's because there are sugar alcohols which aren't required to be labeled. You see it a lot on things like Vitamin Water Zero and other no- or very low-calorie foods and drinks.

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