Check your spices!

Glampinupdoll
Glampinupdoll Posts: 234 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
wow so sitting at the restaurant today I happen to glance over at the garlic power: and it reads 40 calories per serving!!! One serving is only 1 tbsp! And I love garlic!! Just a PSA to check your spices people. I guess I just assumed they were close to free if not free...

Replies

  • alias1001
    alias1001 Posts: 634 Member
    Hmm, McCormick says it as no nutritional value at 1/4 tsp/serving: http://www.mccormick.com/Spices-and-Flavors/Herbs-and-Spices/Spices/Garlic-Powder.

    I'm curious if maybe it had dehydrated cheese or something?
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    "Only" one tablespoon???? My breath is flaming just thinking about it.
    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/spices-and-herbs/190/2

    One clove of garlic is about four calories.
    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2446/2
  • mordant57
    mordant57 Posts: 58 Member
    Ugh there has to be more than just garlic in that. And I think your mouth/dining partner would hate you if you ate that much garlic at a restaurant.
  • weird_me2
    weird_me2 Posts: 716 Member
    One tablespoon of garlic powder is A LOT of garlic powder! When I season up 5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, I probably use maybe 1/2 t to 3/4 t total. Yeah, 1 T isn't much when it comes to most foods, but with spices it's usually a lot. I do log my spices when I'm making recipes just so I have the measurements I need to make the recipe again, but don't worry on a day to day basis. I usually leave a bit of dressing or a bite of food, so that should more than cover the calories from seasonings.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    sobriquet01 wrote: »
    Hmm, McCormick says it as no nutritional value at 1/4 tsp/serving: http://www.mccormick.com/Spices-and-Flavors/Herbs-and-Spices/Spices/Garlic-Powder.

    I'm curious if maybe it had dehydrated cheese or something?

    I think the math still works without adding anything to the garlic powder. Companies are allowed to label it as zero calories if it has less than 5 calories per serving. 40 calories per tablespoon works out to about 3-4 calories per 1/4 teaspoon, so they can still label it as zero calories. That's negligible and within the margin of error for most people.
  • alias1001
    alias1001 Posts: 634 Member
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    sobriquet01 wrote: »
    Hmm, McCormick says it as no nutritional value at 1/4 tsp/serving: http://www.mccormick.com/Spices-and-Flavors/Herbs-and-Spices/Spices/Garlic-Powder.

    I'm curious if maybe it had dehydrated cheese or something?

    I think the math still works without adding anything to the garlic powder. Companies are allowed to label it as zero calories if it has less than 5 calories per serving. 40 calories per tablespoon works out to about 3-4 calories per 1/4 teaspoon, so they can still label it as zero calories. That's negligible and within the margin of error for most people.

    Ooooh, I read the OP's post as teaspoon, not tablespoon. My mistake. Makes sense.
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  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Glampinupdoll wrote: »
    wow so sitting at the restaurant today I happen to glance over at the garlic power: and it reads 40 calories per serving!!! One serving is only 1 tbsp! And I love garlic!! Just a PSA to check your spices people. I guess I just assumed they were close to free if not free...

    Great point!!! I actually just started adding these in recently. Didn't realize how much of an impact they had on daily macros
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    I add my vitamins too! They tend to have 5-10 calories.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,255 Member
    My garlic powder has no nutritional label!
  • Jenfromtheblock84
    Jenfromtheblock84 Posts: 140 Member
    Mine either, I stopped using things like Garlic salt because of the sodium, but I didn't even think of things like Italian seasoning or Garlic powder. Will have to start adding these to my list.
  • Toadstool_
    Toadstool_ Posts: 120 Member
    I always log my herbs and spices. I use them pretty generously and they can add up! A goulash type thing in particular I had made came to about 60 calories just in paprika. That was the entire dish mind which served 4, but it did surprise me!
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
    Yeah, I found that logging my spices just made me miserable. I love cooking and experimenting and throwing spices in and measuring was torture to me. I felt it really limiting. I buy spices and blends with no salt/sugar added and no longer log them. I'm much happier that way and it has not stopped my weight loss efforts.

    Sometimes life is just too short people.
  • discretekim
    discretekim Posts: 314 Member
    I thought you were gonna say for those little red beetles. Those are so gross. I don't usually count spices. Too much work.
  • barryplumber
    barryplumber Posts: 401 Member
    I always use real garlic taste is so much better 1 clove 5 cals try to sick to the real thing or Mrs Dash it will cut your sodium of you need to
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    1 tablespoon seems like a lot of garlic powder to consume for 1 serving. Most recipes I have seen used 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and that is for 6-8 serving dishes. So the garlic powder would add 1-2 calories per serving.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Geez, I thought I ate a lot of garlic. But a tablespoon of garlic powder at one meal? That's got me beat by a long shot.
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