Lets talk about Walden Farms

Eddie__Jones
Eddie__Jones Posts: 197 Member
edited November 14 in Health and Weight Loss
Are these products really zero calorie? I'm not concerned with taste.
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Replies

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    If it ain't water, then no.
  • laura3977
    laura3977 Posts: 191 Member
    If it ain't water, then no.

    What he said :smile:
  • Eddie__Jones
    Eddie__Jones Posts: 197 Member
    If it ain't water, then no.

    I felt like it was to good to be true, why can they say it is, if it's not?

  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    eazy__ wrote: »
    If it ain't water, then no.

    I felt like it was to good to be true, why can they say it is, if it's not?
    Anything with less than 5 calories in a serving can be listed as 0 calories.

    If you eat 1 serving of whatever it is and no other "0 calorie" stuff, you may not need to log it. Otherwise, you're gonna be best off logging it as 5 calories each time, just to make sure you're accounting for the calories.

    ~Lyssa
  • anatmoed
    anatmoed Posts: 5 Member
    edited March 2015
    If it ain't water, then no.

    I really doubt you know better than the lab that examined their products.

    OP, I've been using their maple syrup (which is amazing, by the way) for a while now and it did not stall my weight loss.
    I also tried their Italian (I think) salad dressing which was fine but not too exciting. Their peanut butter is nasty, though, really disgusting.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    From their website:
    How can Walden Farms Calorie Free Specialties be so delicious without sugar, fat or carbohydrates?
    We use Concentrated Natural Flavors. Walden Farms irresistibly sweet calorie free specialties are prepared with ingredients such as real fruit extracts, rich cocoa and other natural ingredients, all sweetened with Splenda. Our savory specialties are prepared with ingredients such as dozens of freshly ground herbs and spices, the finest aged imported and domestic vinegars, soy sauce, lemon juice, natural blue cheese, Worcestershire Sauce, crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, sliced onion and other concentrated natural flavors.

    All of the ingredients they use to avoid sugar, fat, & carbs have calories, so unless they have some magical decalorie-izer, I'm guessing there's a catch.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    I mean, for *kitten*'s sake, they sell peanut butter. I don't know what kind of peanut butter has no calories, but certainly none that I want to try!
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    At less than 5 calories per serving (I think...or is that 0.5?), companies can claim zero calories.

    If you're having multiple servings a day, I'd probably count a few calories for it, but that's just me.

    I can't choke down most WF products, but the caramel is actually pretty good on ice cream.
  • jellybeanhed313
    jellybeanhed313 Posts: 344 Member
    The only product I've tried of theirs that was good was the syrup. However, I perfer Hungry Jack sugar free syrup.

    I've also tried the peanut spread(notice it does not say butter) is AWFUL!!!!! It went straight in the trash.
    The balsamic & ranch are just kind of ok. Pretty bad fake sugar taste to me.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I mean, for *kitten*'s sake, they sell peanut butter. I don't know what kind of peanut butter has no calories, but certainly none that I want to try!

    This^

    I've read that their syrups get pretty good reviews.....but be wary of anything else. Many other products get horrible reviews. Waste of money for me because it's nothing I see using long term.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    The only one I ever tried (by accident) was the jam. I couldn't get it to spread or stay on the toast. I binned it.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    look at the ingredients in a lot of their foods,flavorings,artificial sugars/sweeteners(lots of splenda),food coloring,their sour cream dips have sour cream flavoring, lol I think I would rather have real sour cream.
  • Eddie__Jones
    Eddie__Jones Posts: 197 Member
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    eazy__ wrote: »
    If it ain't water, then no.

    I felt like it was to good to be true, why can they say it is, if it's not?
    Anything with less than 5 calories in a serving can be listed as 0 calories.

    If you eat 1 serving of whatever it is and no other "0 calorie" stuff, you may not need to log it. Otherwise, you're gonna be best off logging it as 5 calories each time, just to make sure you're accounting for the calories.

    ~Lyssa
    thanks for that advice. i didn't even measure it. poured straight from the bottle, like the old days.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
    I liked the maple syrup and would buy it again. I also enjoyed the poppy seed dressing. I am glad I didn't try the peanut spread.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    anatmoed wrote: »
    If it ain't water, then no.

    I really doubt you know better than the lab that examined their products.

    OP, I've been using their maple syrup (which is amazing, by the way) for a while now and it did not stall my weight loss.
    I also tried their Italian (I think) salad dressing which was fine but not too exciting. Their peanut butter is nasty, though, really disgusting.

    I'm sure they are low calorie, but read the label. It states in plain English, "Contains trace calories."

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  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    I love their products. Use the different types of salad dressing. Their peanut butter "flavored" speads, etc. Sure they dont taste that good but they serve their purpose...
  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,771 Member
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    eazy__ wrote: »
    If it ain't water, then no.

    I felt like it was to good to be true, why can they say it is, if it's not?
    Anything with less than 5 calories in a serving can be listed as 0 calories.

    If you eat 1 serving of whatever it is and no other "0 calorie" stuff, you may not need to log it. Otherwise, you're gonna be best off logging it as 5 calories each time, just to make sure you're accounting for the calories.

    ~Lyssa

    ^^^^^^^^

    Remember the thread about the girl who ate a bottle of WF ranch dressing every single day? Blecccccch.

    Everything has calories. Spices have calories. Coffee has calories. Certainly all the flavors and gums and additives have calories (even in fractional amounts).

    What I have done--because I can't stand even light dressing--is switch to salsa. 15 calories that taste good > 0ish calories that taste bad
  • AlisonH729
    AlisonH729 Posts: 558 Member
    edited March 2015
    51sPwYt9zgL._SY445_.jpg
    (ETA: I'm not completely against artificial ingredients. But this is pretty close to how I feel about Walden Farms.)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited March 2015
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    eazy__ wrote: »
    If it ain't water, then no.

    I felt like it was to good to be true, why can they say it is, if it's not?
    Anything with less than 5 calories in a serving can be listed as 0 calories.

    If you eat 1 serving of whatever it is and no other "0 calorie" stuff, you may not need to log it. Otherwise, you're gonna be best off logging it as 5 calories each time, just to make sure you're accounting for the calories.

    ~Lyssa

    ^^^^^^^^

    Remember the thread about the girl who ate a bottle of WF ranch dressing every single day? Blecccccch.

    OMG - talk about lack of portion control. Part of logging food is seeing what real portion sizes look like. Part of maintenance will be accepting those new portion sizes and putting them into practice every single day. An entire bottle of dressing everyday (ugh).....I can't see that as any kind of lifestyle change. No one needs to drown their veggies in dressing.
  • crosbylee
    crosbylee Posts: 3,455 Member
    I haven't run across these products and from some of the comments will stay away if I ever do. I find it easier and more realistic to just use the real thing and make it fit.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    eazy__ wrote: »
    Are these products really zero calorie? I'm not concerned with taste.


    I can't get past this part. The only reason I eat food is for the taste! Well, no, it's for fuel and nutrition, but if it doesn't taste good I'd rather go without.

    Also, I've never heard of Walden Farms before reading these forums. I think I'll keep it that way.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    Ok, I lied. I had to search a few products just to see what the ingredients are. I searched "syrup". First of all, why is it called "pancake syrup" and not "maple syrup"? Second, partially, here is what is said: "About this item: Calorie free. Sugar free. Fat free. No calories, fat, carbs, gluten or sugars of any kind! Switch & save 330 calories a day lose 34 pounds a year."

    ??? What? How can they even remotely claim how many calories per day will be "saved" and how many pounds will be lost?! Yes, averages, I know. Just a rhetorical question because I find the claim to be so ridiculous.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    eazy__ wrote: »
    Are these products really zero calorie? I'm not concerned with taste.


    I can't get past this part. The only reason I eat food is for the taste! Well, no, it's for fuel and nutrition, but if it doesn't taste good I'd rather go without.

    This is my reaction too.

    Also calories are not inherently bad. I can make a super low calorie dressing that tastes perfectly good with vinegar and mustard already, but adding olive oil can make it taste even better and contribute to a healthy diet.

    But I haven't tried the Walden Farms things.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I was not impressed with their salad dressings... but if taste doesn't bother you, go for it!
  • DebzNuDa
    DebzNuDa Posts: 252 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    eazy__ wrote: »
    If it ain't water, then no.

    I felt like it was to good to be true, why can they say it is, if it's not?
    Anything with less than 5 calories in a serving can be listed as 0 calories.

    If you eat 1 serving of whatever it is and no other "0 calorie" stuff, you may not need to log it. Otherwise, you're gonna be best off logging it as 5 calories each time, just to make sure you're accounting for the calories.

    ~Lyssa

    ^^^^^^^^

    Remember the thread about the girl who ate a bottle of WF ranch dressing every single day? Blecccccch.

    OMG - talk about lack of portion control. Part of logging food is seeing what real portion sizes look like. Part of maintenance will be accepting those new portion sizes and putting them into practice every single day. An entire bottle of dressing everyday (ugh).....I can't see that as any kind of lifestyle change. No one needs to drown their veggies in dressing.

    My personal tip to using dressing on salad:

    Place 1 serving (generally 2 Tbsp.) in a small bowl, cup, whatever. Dip my fork in said dressing, place fork in salad, eat. By the time I finish my salad I usually have half left and I'm very happy. :)
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,371 Member
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    First of all, why is it called "pancake syrup" and not "maple syrup"?

    Probably because only maple syrup can be called maple syrup and I doubt this stuff contains any ingredient that remotely resembles real maple syrup.

    Actually, most maple-flavoured syrups call themselves "pancake" syrup or just syrup.

    (Yes, I live in the land of maple syrup, lol)

  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    edited March 2015
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    Ok, I lied. I had to search a few products just to see what the ingredients are. I searched "syrup". First of all, why is it called "pancake syrup" and not "maple syrup"? Second, partially, here is what is said: "About this item: Calorie free. Sugar free. Fat free. No calories, fat, carbs, gluten or sugars of any kind! Switch & save 330 calories a day lose 34 pounds a year."

    ??? What? How can they even remotely claim how many calories per day will be "saved" and how many pounds will be lost?! Yes, averages, I know. Just a rhetorical question because I find the claim to be so ridiculous.

    They can't call it "Maple Syrup" because it has no maple. I believe even caloric fake maple syrups like Log Cabin and Mrs. Butterworth's call themselves "Pancake syrup." I'm not sure, though, I'm a syrup snob, LOL.

    The "Bottle per day of WF Ranch" thread was sad. We went through the whole thread telling the woman that yes, there were calories and that might be stalling her...and then we saw her photos. Apparently, the bottle of WF ranch and some carrots were ALL she ate. ever. She needed to have TWO bottles per MEAL of full-fat ranch on top of a steak and a therapy appointment. :(
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
    I mean, for *kitten*'s sake, they sell peanut butter. I don't know what kind of peanut butter has no calories, but certainly none that I want to try!

    Trust me, you really don't. I spit it out it was so bad. Not even close. I'd eat PB2 over that stuff, and I hate that. LOL

  • tinascar2015
    tinascar2015 Posts: 413 Member
    I want to know how they sucked all the fat and calories out of blue cheese, because I could have it on every salad I eat.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    FRANKENFOOD
This discussion has been closed.