Annoyingly high calorie counts

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robm1brown
robm1brown Posts: 71 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was a grumpy boy when I found out that these pitta breads had more calories than 2 slices of this white bread. So basically my buying of a healthy option is costing me more calories than if I had just had a sandwich.

https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/product/Morrisons-Wholemeal-Pittas/121713011?from=search&tags=|105651&param=wholemeal+pitta&parentContainer=SEARCHwholemeal+pitta_SHELFVIEW

https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/product/Warburtons-White-Toastie-Loaf/212268011?from=search&tags=|105651&param=toastie+bread&parentContainer=SEARCHtoastie+bread_SHELFVIEW

Does anyone have any other foods that they were suprised were so calorific.
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Replies

  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
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    bagels
  • GlassAngyl
    GlassAngyl Posts: 478 Member
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    I check nutrients on packaging before I buy anything.. But like Run said, healthy and low cal aren't the same. Olive oil for example.. very healthy.. very high calorie. Or real butter vs that fake crap.. Calories or preservatives??? Hmmm
  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
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    Nuts
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    15kcal difference - that is negligible - like less than 4g carbs - I probably have that in my daily fluff on logging
  • skymningen
    skymningen Posts: 532 Member
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    Whole grain stuff has more calories than white flour/normal stuff in general (it seems to me from substituting some for the fiber and also taste).
  • robm1brown
    robm1brown Posts: 71 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    15kcal difference - that is negligible - like less than 4g carbs - I probably have that in my daily fluff on logging

    Yeah but I would have far preferred the bread.
  • robm1brown
    robm1brown Posts: 71 Member
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    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    Other than the additional fiber (which keeps me fuller and which I would take a higher calorie hit for), I'm not sure what made you think the pita was healthier.

    Think the 'wholemeal' aspect helped, also the smaller volume, also I suppose the fact the pictures you see of pittas always full of salad (I am aware of how illogical that is).
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
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    GlassAngyl wrote: »
    I check nutrients on packaging before I buy anything.. But like Run said, healthy and low cal aren't the same. Olive oil for example.. very healthy.. very high calorie. Or real butter vs that fake crap.. Calories or preservatives??? Hmmm

    Wasn't there buzz a while back that olive oil isn't necessarily 'healthy'? It might be healthier than other alternatives but 'healthier' does not mean 'healthy'.

    Now my interest in piqued, I wonder what ever came of that?
  • robm1brown
    robm1brown Posts: 71 Member
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    It's very high calorie as all oils are. Seeing as much of the western wold has an obesity problem there was a rail against it for a while. Some people do seem to down the stuff like it's lager.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I'm curious, why is pita bread healthier? It's mainly flour and water, just like any generic bread. Pita bread has a bit of oil in it, so it's a bit higher in calories, but the difference is not really that meaningful, at least to me. Here it's less than a 10 calorie difference per 100 grams and I don't consume 100 grams at once, so it's negligible. Even if I did consume 100 grams, 10 calories is nothing.

    Just eat what you like. I always eat pita because it's cheaper and has more surface for all the tasty things I put in it.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    I'm curious, why is pita bread healthier? It's mainly flour and water, just like any generic bread. Pita bread has a bit of oil in it, so it's a bit higher in calories, but the difference is not really that meaningful, at least to me. Here it's less than a 10 calorie difference per 100 grams and I don't consume 100 grams at once, so it's negligible. Even if I did consume 100 grams, 10 calories is nothing.

    Just eat what you like. I always eat pita because it's cheaper and has more surface for all the tasty things I put in it.
    I think it's purely a perception thing. Pita bread tends to be a little thinner than regular bread. Therefore, people assume it has less calories in it because it's not as thick. I've seen people think the same about tortillas because they are flat.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Pita has been peddled as the 'healthy' choice (not saying it's not healthy), and I can see how it sticks in people's minds as the lower calorie option. Personally, my mum used to put pita pocket sandwiches in my lunch and I hated them, horrid, dry, ripping things. i don't mind them as a pizza base, but that's it.

    My sad calorie bombs? Muffins. Those delicious, fluffy tasty nubbins of magical calories.
  • HeliumIsNoble
    HeliumIsNoble Posts: 1,213 Member
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    That's because you're comparing it to the slices of a 400g loaf! I use pitta bread instead of two slices of bread sometimes, and it does save me calories- compared to full-size slices!

    This is the nutritional information for Warburtons White Toastie, 800g.

    wdbj7bvbhhe3.png
  • HeliumIsNoble
    HeliumIsNoble Posts: 1,213 Member
    edited August 2017
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    robm1brown wrote: »
    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    Other than the additional fiber (which keeps me fuller and which I would take a higher calorie hit for), I'm not sure what made you think the pita was healthier.

    Think the 'wholemeal' aspect helped, also the smaller volume, also I suppose the fact the pictures you see of pittas always full of salad (I am aware of how illogical that is).

    Overall, it's not particularly illogical. 100g by 100g, it's all bread, and comes in at fairly similar calorie counts. But satisfaction after a meal is partially psychological, so it's easier to adhere to a plan that incorporates bread sold in smaller serving sizes than a plan to eat half a slice less of sandwich.

    Buying 400g loaves doesn't work for me, because I can see the slices are smaller and will just feel deprived, but buying pitta bread does.

    And if the advertising imagery inspires you to fill your pitta with far more salad than you would have placed in your normal sandwich, then it's all Double-Plus-Good!

    It has that effect on me, actually.
  • Sunna_W
    Sunna_W Posts: 744 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Flour tortillas are like pita in that respect. Depending on where you buy them they are a "healthier" option in that both are "quick breads" and often do not contain preservatives. I have a Mediterranean bakery near me that makes the pitas fresh every morning. Often they are still warm in the bag when I go get them. Full of chewy goodness! We also have a Wegman's that makes flour and corn tortillas right in front of you. They are amazing. Neither are lower in calorie than bread, unfortunately. I tend to eat my pitas with hummus and tabbouleh -- also not known for being low in calories....
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
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    Pita for pizza crusts. An idea I will put to use for life. Thanx alata.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I guess because I grew up with it, and the word "bread" automatically brings images of "pita bread" in my head I don't see it as anything special or have imagery of salad and whatnot, so it was a bit interesting to hear that it's associated with healthy eating in some parts of the world. The world is an intriguing place.
  • HeliumIsNoble
    HeliumIsNoble Posts: 1,213 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    I guess because I grew up with it, and the word "bread" automatically brings images of "pita bread" in my head I don't see it as anything special or have imagery of salad and whatnot, so it was a bit interesting to hear that it's associated with healthy eating in some parts of the world. The world is an intriguing place.
    It might just be a UK thing. The same perception applies to wraps. Mostly, it's the contents that are different. If, for example, Joe Smith's idea of a Proper Sandwich is bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato in between two slices of wholemeal bread, but he also enjoys a lunch of a mountain of salad, provided it's in a wrap... Well, it's not the calorie count of the bread that's the crucial difference, is it.


  • mskimee
    mskimee Posts: 228 Member
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    Cbean08 wrote: »
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    I'm curious, why is pita bread healthier? It's mainly flour and water, just like any generic bread. Pita bread has a bit of oil in it, so it's a bit higher in calories, but the difference is not really that meaningful, at least to me. Here it's less than a 10 calorie difference per 100 grams and I don't consume 100 grams at once, so it's negligible. Even if I did consume 100 grams, 10 calories is nothing.

    Just eat what you like. I always eat pita because it's cheaper and has more surface for all the tasty things I put in it.
    I think it's purely a perception thing. Pita bread tends to be a little thinner than regular bread. Therefore, people assume it has less calories in it because it's not as thick. I've seen people think the same about tortillas because they are flat.

    I see a lot of places market Wraps as 'healthy alternative' to plain white bread, but often they are still huge in calories and everything so you can end up having a much higher calorie lunch than you plan. I think a lot of people jump on the 'health' bandwagon and think 'healthy' means low calorie. Perfect example is the amount of ladies I see regularly eating protein bars for lunch and think they are a low fat option (an actual conversation I had with a lot of woman when I use to sell these in a gym) or a 'healthy' meal replacement.

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