What surprises have you found about foods you didn't realize before logging?

freeoscar
freeoscar Posts: 82 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
One of the interesting things about logging foods is what I've learned about the nutrition/calories of certain foods that are different than what I had believed was true. For instance, I always thought that peanut butter, while full of calories, had a lot of protein. Not so - at just 4g/100 calories it's not a great tradeoff. I still eat it b/c i love it, though. I always that that sour cream, the full fat kind which I love, was a calorie bomb, but it's really not bad at just 60 calories for 2T. What things have surprised you?
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Replies

  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Salmon.

    I always thought it would be on par with tuna. No idea why I thought that, but I did.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    That 2% milk isn't even remotely worth the taste tradeoff for the calorie savings.
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
    That advocados are tasty> and are not packed with as many calories as i thought .
  • freeoscar
    freeoscar Posts: 82 Member
    cityruss wrote: »
    Salmon.

    I always thought it would be on par with tuna. No idea why I thought that, but I did.

    What do you mean 'on par with"? Calories/ounce?
  • mommyof4cpa
    mommyof4cpa Posts: 82 Member
    I'd rather get the 2% greek yogurt than the fat free....totally worth the extra calories.



  • JoJo61612
    JoJo61612 Posts: 21 Member
    I had no idea how many calories sushi had in it
  • BigLifter10
    BigLifter10 Posts: 1,153 Member
    DeterminedFee201426 wrote: »
    That advocados are tasty> and are not packed with as many calories as i thought .


    Goes for me too. I just started incorporating avocados into my diet this year. I actually like them and think they really have the ability to smooth out a fruit/fiber/protein smoothie! (I've also made chocolate pudding with them). Wish I'd have given them a chance earlier.
  • PACO1481
    PACO1481 Posts: 29 Member
    I decided to focus on building muscle rather than watching the scale.....so for my diet I have to focus on getting enough protein. I was amazed at how hard it is to increase it to where I need it! But I love having something new to focus on, and the perk is that with eating all the protein I don't really want all the carbs I used to eat. :-)
  • snowyne
    snowyne Posts: 268 Member
    Tiny additions to salad, oatmeal, etc. can also quickly up the calorie count. Have learned to choose what I add more carefully!!
  • AlciaMode
    AlciaMode Posts: 421 Member
    That the whole "eat as much fruit as you like" is bologne. I can eat my days calories in one fruit salad (i love fruit!)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    store bought carby sweets are not worth the calories...I prefer to make my own.

  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
    That butter (real butter, of course) is not that big a calorie hit for the flavor it brings to the party - totally worth it, every time.
  • laropmet
    laropmet Posts: 52 Member
    That if you eat nothing but "healthy" foods I get nowhere near my calories allowance and I'm always allowed a treat.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    Sodium. I never realized how much sodium I was eating. No wonder I woke up with fat fingers most mornings.
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    All those sesame and chia seeds I was sprinkling on food? Have WAY more calories than I thought.
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    How vitamin lacking almost all processed foods are, even when "enriched". How lean ground beef isn't much different from ground turkey cal for cal, it's not worth the price or the taste loss in something that should be BEEFY.
  • melyssachan
    melyssachan Posts: 2 Member
    How much I was eating.
    I was really bad at eating if anything was close to me or if someone asked me if I wanted something to eat.
  • sammyantics
    sammyantics Posts: 191 Member
    melyssachan wrote: »
    How much I was eating.
    I was really bad at eating if anything was close to me or if someone asked me if I wanted something to eat.

    this. food is so tempting. even if i don't like it that much.
  • crys_todd
    crys_todd Posts: 41 Member
    Non-fat dairy of any sort is never worth it (milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese). I'd rather have 1 oz of delicious full fat cheese than 1 lb of the non fat stuff. Usually the calorie savings aren't even that much anyway.

    Apples have way more calories than I first thought and sweet potatoes have way less.

    An actual half cup of oatmeal is almost 30% more than when I weigh out 40 grams.
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
    How many calories I was putting in my coffee in the form of half and half.
  • Sweets1954
    Sweets1954 Posts: 507 Member
    I have tried various "fat-free" versions of foods and found that most are not worth the minimal calorie saving for the lack of taste. I have been using 1% milk for years--I don't drink it, just use it on cereal and in cooking, the full fat sour cream has better flavor than the other, butter is infinitely better than margarine, etc. I have started eating more fruit and different veggies. If my husband had his way we would have nothing but canned peas, green beans and corn. Thankfully I like most veggies raw so I can include a wider variety in my diet.
  • hevarrrrr
    hevarrrrr Posts: 8 Member
    that if i eat more veg i can have a tasty snack later and i don't have to worry about calories of it. also that veg make me feel fuller for longer!
  • Jaikagen
    Jaikagen Posts: 32 Member
    Not food, but that i was drinking away a lot more calories than i thought
  • Slashnl
    Slashnl Posts: 339 Member
    Emily3907 wrote: »
    Sodium. I never realized how much sodium I was eating. No wonder I woke up with fat fingers most mornings.
    Me too! Big eye opener.
    And, how much I like the taste of mustard. I only went with it at first to break my bond with Miracle Whip and the enormous calories from that. But just a little mustard can add such flavor!
  • nicolaferris420
    nicolaferris420 Posts: 17 Member
    I would never now treat myself to a cocktail when I go out with friends, they are laden with sugar and calories and for me, just not worth it!

  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
    crys_todd wrote: »
    An actual half cup of oatmeal is almost 30% more than when I weigh out 40 grams.
    OMG, this!

  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    That most processed foods out there are severely lacking in micronutrients.
    That high carb fruits and vegetables have a decent amount of calories.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    That everything has more calories than I thought... even veggies (well, not cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes, which I know, are a fruit, but everything else).

    The only thing that shocked me about how few calories they had were caramels. I always thought they were so 'bad for you'... but nope, only like 25 calories each!
  • britt01any
    britt01any Posts: 83 Member
    2 things: 1) Knorr rice sides ( pre packaged...I should have known better) 2) Ken's Honey Mustard. (That was a very disappointing barcode scan!!! )
  • ruggedshutter
    ruggedshutter Posts: 389 Member
    Bread, I used to bake my own and our family would eat a loaf in a matter of 1-2 days. I haven't baked any since January, except yeast rolls. I just can't fit a lot of bread into my calorie goals. I do eat a lot of sandwiches but I make them with the light fluffy wheat breads from the grocery and not the dense breads that I like to bake.
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