Fake zero calorie foods?? Nutrition label lies

RedheadedPrincess14
RedheadedPrincess14 Posts: 415 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
So apparently food companies can list calories as zero if they are under 5 calories. Because of this, condiments and even oil in a spray can often use a small enough portion size on the labelling, they can list it as zero calories when it isn't!! This could definitely add up if you use a lot of zero calorie condiments and spray oil without being able to track it. Is there any way to find out the actual calories of these food items?

I eat a lot of low sodium mustard ! About a few tbsp per meal. How can I track it when the package says zero calories? This would be especially problematic if you use a lot of Pam because that could add up fast

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Yellow mustard is 4.19 calories per tsp.

    USDA has the information for even sweeteners. That's my go to for double checking everything.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    If it's under a certain amount per serving they can under report sodium too. It's really annoying.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    Really? that's what gets you? I guess you don't know the FDA allows a 20 percent discrepancy on labels, including calorie counts.
  • RedheadedPrincess14
    RedheadedPrincess14 Posts: 415 Member
    Colorscheme wrote: »
    Really? that's what gets you? I guess you don't know the FDA allows a 20 percent discrepancy on labels, including calorie counts.

    That doesn't really bother me because if you look at my open diary, I eat all whole foods and use a food scale. It all bothers me to be honest. I don't agree with the way our society handles nutrition labelling and food education whatsoever
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    North Korea has food labeling!
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 15,782 Member
    Oil spray is about 1g/9 Cal per second. Spray on frying pan on tared scale. Wait for propellant to evaporate. Measure weight.
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    Walk up and down some stairs a few times a day...no logging down to the five calories necessary...it's such a pain for negligible items.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    The easy solution would be not eating 100 servings of something without logging it.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Find an equivalent entry for a product over her in the UK.

    Our labels all show per 100g data and per 100/250ml data for all products including zero/low cal products.
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    I usually "quick add" 100 calories at the end of the day 'just incase'
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »
    Colorscheme wrote: »
    Really? that's what gets you? I guess you don't know the FDA allows a 20 percent discrepancy on labels, including calorie counts.

    That doesn't really bother me because if you look at my open diary, I eat all whole foods and use a food scale. It all bothers me to be honest. I don't agree with the way our society handles nutrition labelling and food education whatsoever

    I use a food scale too but if the label is off, you're still going to have a margin of error.
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