Don't trust the package nutritional info on package weight and total calories!

CaliMomTeach
CaliMomTeach Posts: 745 Member
edited December 19 in Food and Nutrition
I recently read a response to a post about not losing weight as expected that advised the person to weigh everything, even prepackaged items. I do usually weigh most food when I actually am logging, but not prepackaged/proportioned food. Tonight I ate Trader Joe's Stuffed Peppers. Normally, I would just eat the package and log it as the total package. It says that per container (2 servings) it is 390 calories. Each serving is 213 grams. So I decided to test what the person said and weighed the peppers. They weighed 520 grams (vs the 426 grams the package said it would be). By weighing it, the total calories come to 488 cal. The package indicates it is 390. That is a huge difference of 98 calories! Very eye opening for me.

Replies

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    they have a margin of error of +/- 20% if i remember right (all package weights/calories). im in a large enough deficit and dont freak out if im in the red that it doesn't bother me. for those with less to lose and/or with a smaller deficit, it can make a huge difference.
  • Mollyeverino
    Mollyeverino Posts: 22 Member
    I mean a lot of packaging usually says ‘Servings per package “about” x’ so it’s not always exact. My sparkling water bottle says “about” on it for the amount of servings and that should be a more exact portioning than stuffed peppers.... that usually vary in size.
  • hamelle2
    hamelle2 Posts: 297 Member
    I'm never sure if you are to weigh the prepackaged foods before or after cooking. Some foods are listed "as prepared" but most are not.
    Bananas were a big eye opener for me: 1gm=1 calorie. Sometimes I was eating 90 cals, sometimes 140.

  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    edited January 2019
    hamelle2 wrote: »
    I'm never sure if you are to weigh the prepackaged foods before or after cooking. Some foods are listed "as prepared" but most are not.
    Bananas were a big eye opener for me: 1gm=1 calorie. Sometimes I was eating 90 cals, sometimes 140.

    You might want to check the entry you're using to log your bananas. They're actually .89 calories per gram (90 g ~= 80 kcal, 140 g ~= 125 kcal, etc).

    Source:
    https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/09040?fgcd=&manu=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=default&order=asc&qlookup=banana&ds=SR&qt=&qp=&qa=&qn=&q=&ing=
  • DaintyWhisper
    DaintyWhisper Posts: 221 Member
    I notice this discrepancy on a lot of bread products too! (sliced bread, bagels, English muffins, etc.) They are almost always over the said serving size on the label. If you're paying real close attention to your calorie intake, those extra calories can be the difference between losing and not losing.
  • CaliMomTeach
    CaliMomTeach Posts: 745 Member
    DaintyWhisper wrote: »
    I notice this discrepancy on a lot of bread products too! (sliced bread, bagels, English muffins, etc.) They are almost always over the said serving size on the label. If you're paying real close attention to your calorie intake, those extra calories can be the difference between losing and not losing.

    Wow, never even thought to measure prepackaged, sliced bread products either. Now, I will just to see.
  • hamelle2
    hamelle2 Posts: 297 Member
    neldabg wrote: »
    hamelle2 wrote: »
    I'm never sure if you are to weigh the prepackaged foods before or after cooking. Some foods are listed "as prepared" but most are not.
    Bananas were a big eye opener for me: 1gm=1 calorie. Sometimes I was eating 90 cals, sometimes 140.

    You might want to check the entry you're using to log your bananas. They're actually .89 calories per gram (90 g ~= 80 kcal, 140 g ~= 125 kcal, etc).

    Source:
    https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/09040?fgcd=&manu=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=default&order=asc&qlookup=banana&ds=SR&qt=&qp=&qa=&qn=&q=&ing=

    Thank you! Sorry for the misinformation. I love bananas.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    hamelle2 wrote: »
    I'm never sure if you are to weigh the prepackaged foods before or after cooking. Some foods are listed "as prepared" but most are not.
    Bananas were a big eye opener for me: 1gm=1 calorie. Sometimes I was eating 90 cals, sometimes 140.

    My understanding is that if the package doesn't specifically say, then the nutrition info is for "as is" - so raw, dry, uncooked. It will specify if the info is for anything other than that. :drinker:
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    hamelle2 wrote: »
    I'm never sure if you are to weigh the prepackaged foods before or after cooking. Some foods are listed "as prepared" but most are not.
    Bananas were a big eye opener for me: 1gm=1 calorie. Sometimes I was eating 90 cals, sometimes 140.

    My understanding is that if the package doesn't specifically say, then the nutrition info is for "as is" - so raw, dry, uncooked. It will specify if the info is for anything other than that. :drinker:

    And frozen for frozen foods unless otherwise stated.
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