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Is it possible that "zero calorie" things add up?

st476
st476 Posts: 357 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
In order to say zero calorie, it must be under 5. So let's say everything that says its zero calorie is around 4 calories. I drink 2 diet sodas a day, add one packet of sweetener to my oatmeal in the morning, 2 in my tea, and I drink 0 calorie monster a couple times a week. That's 24 calories a day and 168 a week. That's a lot for someone who doesn't have much to lose and has to be really careful with logging.

It's just a thought, but isn't it possible that it adds up?

Replies

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,665 Member
    Of course it does. In order to say zero calorie is has to be under 5 PER SERVE.

    If a serve is a teaspoon, that means maybe 14 calories per tablespoon, up to 66 per cup. Zero calorie anything (save for water) has calories. They just round down because they can.
  • haviegirl
    haviegirl Posts: 230 Member
    Why would you say that everything is around 4 calories, though? That's worst case scenario, I guess. More likely the non-counted calories add up to less than that. And everything is an estimate, anyway. Some better than others, but it seems like this is not worth the worry. IMO
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited August 2016
    Yeah it can. And now you have me thinking about my diet soda actually...

    I try to log things like hot sauce and gum with 5 calories or less (I used to a low of gum and I'm hot sauce crazy). But I've been drinking a lot of diet sodas lately too. I'm relatively little and trying to cut on 1680 so there's no wiggle room...hmm
  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
    haviegirl wrote: »
    Why would you say that everything is around 4 calories, though? That's worst case scenario, I guess. More likely the non-counted calories add up to less than that. And everything is an estimate, anyway. Some better than others, but it seems like this is not worth the worry. IMO
    Well I'm not sure about other things but I know a packet of sweet n low has 4 calories and other sweeteners have 5. I use 3-6 per day not including other "zero calorie" things. But yeah I probably shouldn't worry about it, I just haven't been losing much weight recently so it crossed my mind haha
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    My zero calorie vitamin water is the same. Has 1.6g carb per serving but 0 calories lol. If it comes down to it and I drink more than 3 bottle a week, I'd just quick add the calories to my diary. But really, I don't drink much of it so it's not a big issue for me. 1 bottle usually lasts me 3 days lol.
  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Yeah it can. And now you have me thinking about my diet soda actually...

    I try to log things like hot sauce and gum with 5 calories or less (I used to a low of gum and I'm hot sauce crazy). But I've been drinking a lot of diet sodas lately too. I'm relatively little and trying to cut on 1680 so there's no wiggle room...hmm
    Yeah exactly! I drink so much diet soda, but it usually keeps me from eating other sweets so I guess the 8-10 calories aren't hurting anyone
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    st476 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Yeah it can. And now you have me thinking about my diet soda actually...

    I try to log things like hot sauce and gum with 5 calories or less (I used to a low of gum and I'm hot sauce crazy). But I've been drinking a lot of diet sodas lately too. I'm relatively little and trying to cut on 1680 so there's no wiggle room...hmm
    Yeah exactly! I drink so much diet soda, but it usually keeps me from eating other sweets so I guess the 8-10 calories aren't hurting anyone


    Yeah I love in the afternoon when I'm feeling a bit hungry between lunch or my snack and dinner. It's gotten me through some tough times lol
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    st476 wrote: »
    In order to say zero calorie, it must be under 5. So let's say everything that says its zero calorie is around 4 calories. I drink 2 diet sodas a day, add one packet of sweetener to my oatmeal in the morning, 2 in my tea, and I drink 0 calorie monster a couple times a week. That's 24 calories a day and 168 a week. That's a lot for someone who doesn't have much to lose and has to be really careful with logging.

    It's just a thought, but isn't it possible that it adds up?

    168 per week isn't even 10% of a half pound per week loss.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    stevencloser wrote: »
    st476 wrote: »
    In order to say zero calorie, it must be under 5. So let's say everything that says its zero calorie is around 4 calories. I drink 2 diet sodas a day, add one packet of sweetener to my oatmeal in the morning, 2 in my tea, and I drink 0 calorie monster a couple times a week. That's 24 calories a day and 168 a week. That's a lot for someone who doesn't have much to lose and has to be really careful with logging.

    It's just a thought, but isn't it possible that it adds up?

    168 per week isn't even 10% of a half pound per week loss.

    I get that. But now I'm thinking...couple that with a few other logging mistakes and for those of us at 200-250 calorie deficits...I dunno.

    You know I've been around here awhile so I know how this stuff works and I obviously have not been logging my diet soda. I'm just wondering for myself, personally...has me curious.

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,882 Member
    Yep ... and that's why I estimate low with my exercise. :)
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Yep. I add a gram of sugar to my diary for every zero calorie thing I eat.
  • Wysewoman53
    Wysewoman53 Posts: 582 Member
    I log everything I eat or drink because a lot of things have sodium in them even if they are zero calories. Lots of sodium can cause one to retain water if not drinking copious amounts of water plus I have high blood pressure so I have to be careful of my sodium intake...probably why I am more aware of the sodium I have in a day.
  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Yep ... and that's why I estimate low with my exercise. :)
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    Yep. I add a gram of sugar to my diary for every zero calorie thing I eat.
    Both good ideas, thanks!
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    I really wonder/worry about this with a product like Ice Breakers. They have <5 calories per serving and a serving is 1 mint. The container has what, 25, 30 servings? So if I consume the whole thing (and I usually do), is that 25 calories, or is that 125 calories? That a relevant amount and not enough to just sweep under the rug.
  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
    EDollah wrote: »
    I really wonder/worry about this with a product like Ice Breakers. They have <5 calories per serving and a serving is 1 mint. The container has what, 25, 30 servings? So if I consume the whole thing (and I usually do), is that 25 calories, or is that 125 calories? That a relevant amount and not enough to just sweep under the rug.
    According to Google, ice breakers have 2 calories so if you're eating 30, that's 60 calories. I would definitely log that!
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    Huh, good to know. Still better than eating a bag of Skittles.
  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
    dancingonstarz wrote: »
    Maybe 0 calorie soda or sweeteners don't add up to much, but how about those 0 calorie cooking sprays? My roommate has one that is just aerosolized olive oil, and it says 0 calories per serving, but a serving is a spray that lasts .25 seconds. The whole container adds up to about 1200 calories. I think most people on MFP would realize the incongruence, but a lot of people probably don't, cause they just don't stop to think about it. I think it's so disingenuous.
    I thought it was zero calorie for the longest time because I didn't think it was actual oil but maybe just like an oil like substance lol. I'm so happy I don't use them anymore anyways because I probably would have sprayed so much of it without knowing
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    dancingonstarz wrote: »
    Maybe 0 calorie soda or sweeteners don't add up to much, but how about those 0 calorie cooking sprays? My roommate has one that is just aerosolized olive oil, and it says 0 calories per serving, but a serving is a spray that lasts .25 seconds. The whole container adds up to about 1200 calories. I think most people on MFP would realize the incongruence, but a lot of people probably don't, cause they just don't stop to think about it. I think it's so disingenuous.

    I've always logged spray oil, it's usually 30-40 calories. Whether that is correct or not i do not know, but it's definitely not 0.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    You're probably fine, but I have seen people using an entire bottle of that spray butter in a recipe and still calling it zero calories. Ummmm.. No. Then they wonder why they aren't losing!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    You're probably fine, but I have seen people using an entire bottle of that spray butter in a recipe and still calling it zero calories. Ummmm.. No. Then they wonder why they aren't losing!

    lol ignorance is bliss..
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