Nutrition Label Surprises

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Replies

  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    Honestly, basically nothing. Even when I was fat, I read nutrition labels. Plus, if you stop and think about it, a lot of stuff is pretty obvious. For example, trail mix is nuts (high fat) and raisins (high sugar), did you really think it was going to be low calorie?
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    I show my kids all the time. Mainly because that's how I eat. They are totally used to my portions. So, I show them what a portion of cereal looks like, and then I let them have as much as they want. I think it's important o at least expose them to it. They don't need to worry about it right now. But, later, they'll probably appreciate that I taught them about proper nutrition.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    Ive seen whole cashews clock in at 170 cals for TWO tablespoons. Those are the types of things that i seriously start doubting the label and launch an in depth investigation about. Sometimes oatmeal or muesli can me surprisingly high cal, and a lot of hot cereals that actually do have some good stuff in them can be like 180-200 for a whopping fourth cup. Like, how is that gonna do me for breakfast?

    1) Weigh your food, don't use volume measurements for things like cashews, because seriously, a whole cashew is a tablespoon, so how can you accurately measure them using one?

    2) Are you seriously suggesting an investigation, or are you joking? If you're serious, I'd like some of whatever you're smoking. For whole foods, like cashews, it's pretty easy to look up the number of calories (plus fat, etc.) in 100 grams, then all you have to do is weigh the food.

    3) As for the calories in oatmeal, 27grams of dried oatmeal (roughly 1/3 cup dried, probably closer to 2/3c cooked) has 102 calories in it (based on nutritiondata.com). How is that shocking?
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    I show my kids all the time. Mainly because that's how I eat. They are totally used to my portions. So, I show them what a portion of cereal looks like, and then I let them have as much as they want. I think it's important o at least expose them to it. They don't need to worry about it right now. But, later, they'll probably appreciate that I taught them about proper nutrition.

    I don't have kids, but this sounds like a great strategy to me. It exposes them to the idea of a serving size, and gives them a realistic view of how much people really need to eat, but also (hopefully) teaches them to listen to their bodies.
  • 2Grtkids
    2Grtkids Posts: 93
    I show my kids all the time. Mainly because that's how I eat. They are totally used to my portions. So, I show them what a portion of cereal looks like, and then I let them have as much as they want. I think it's important o at least expose them to it. They don't need to worry about it right now. But, later, they'll probably appreciate that I taught them about proper nutrition.

    I love this - you've inspired me to start doing this with my kids too. Thanks!
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    Nuts have tons of calories but are also a good source of healthy fats. They are very satiating, so a few tablespoons can fuel you for several hours. I eat nuts just about every day... either peanut butter or almonds. Several public health studies have demonstrated that people who regularly consume nuts lose more weight and gain less weight over time than people who consume other types of snacks. One benefit of nuts is that they don't cause insulin spikes and trigger sugar cravings. Its important to measure nuts, granola, trail mix because of the calories - but that doesn't mean they are bad foods!
  • tinam76
    tinam76 Posts: 59 Member
    so much stuff is like this snapple soda chips smoothies hell croutons are 2tbs a serving guess we all gotta walk around with measuring devices instead of not leaving home with american express u can't leave home without a table spoon. alot of prepacked stuff is a set up the arzona tall can is like 3 servings 8 oz of soda really is the tiny can
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Aldis tomato risotto. Thought it was 550 cals for half a bag. Was in mfp as this too so had tricked someone elseam was eating half. A pack for lunch. Its 1100 calories per pack! How the heck is that 4 servings? For a mouse maybe! Its in teeny writing too! X
  • sa11yjane
    sa11yjane Posts: 491 Member
    I was shocked to discover that Slimfast shakes are 10% sugar!!!!! No wonder they taste so good!
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    I've always been a label reader for calories. In the past 6 months, I have been checking out the sodium content of what I eat. I knew frozen entrees were high in sodium, but I had no idea HOW high. Now, except for maybe once a month, I no longer eat Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers, etc. I cook fresh now, but it is very expensive as I like the good stuff when I do my own cooking.
  • starcatcher1975
    starcatcher1975 Posts: 292 Member
    I show my kids all the time. Mainly because that's how I eat. They are totally used to my portions. So, I show them what a portion of cereal looks like, and then I let them have as much as they want. I think it's important o at least expose them to it. They don't need to worry about it right now. But, later, they'll probably appreciate that I taught them about proper nutrition.

    I do this with my kids now that I've started using MFP. My kids are considered overweight, but they are very active- football, golf, basketball, running, playing outside with friends, so I don't worry about it as much as if they just sat on their butts all day. They also eat a lot of fruits and vegetables (my youngest kid LOVES broccoli, he wants to eat it every day). I point out healthier choices to them when we eat out, show them nutrition labels on the stuff we eat, and I measure out a portion size of whatever we eat when I cook. If they're still hungry after that I let them eat until they're full but I tell them to listen to their bodies and not just eat because it's there. I'm trying to teach them healthy habits and choices now so hopefully they won't struggle with their weight when they get older. It was always easy for me to drop lbs when I was younger but the older I've gotten the harder it's been to lose weight. And honestly, I wasn't dropping the lbs in a healthy way when I was younger either. I'd like my kids to avoid this problem.
  • kluvit
    kluvit Posts: 435 Member
    many "individual" serving sized packages (drinks and snacks) actually contain 2 or 2.5 servings, so if you eat the whole package, you need to multiply the calories by the number of servings
  • CrazyTrackLady
    CrazyTrackLady Posts: 1,337 Member
    I am currently teaching proper nutrition to my middle school students. I have given THEM the task of finding out exactly how bad fast food is for us. They are analyzing the fat, calories, sodium and sugar content in several popular fast food chains. I educate them as to "normal daily requirements", ask them to find food items with high numbers, and ask them to calculate how much of one's daily intake requirements that ONE food item contains. Then, I'm letting THEM draw their own conclusions about what they really want to eat. I let them bring in "healthy" snacks - which cannot contain more than 2 ingredients, or ingredients they can't pronounce or do not recognize. (Hence, granola bars, bread products, fruit snacks, etc are not allowed)

    I have heard from a couple sets of parents that their children will no longer be going to certain fast foods, or eating certain fast food items, based on their findings.

    That's how I make attitudes change.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    A lot of young mother don't realize that milk has sugar in it. AKA it can rot your babies teeth.

    Ok Im sorry but this S#!T pisses me off! " A lot of young mothers"...because clearly if your a mom and under 40 your automatically a moron. And milk? Breastmilk? nope false... Formula? probably but some moms dont have a choice Cows Milk? Pretty sure most kids/people on the planet have or do drink it and have great teeth. Ddo you even have children? If so mind your own..if not MIND YOUR BUSINESS and stop judging other moms we have enough on our plates, young, old or otherwise and dont need ignorant people like you making it more difficult. SMH

    Someone has a chip on their shoulder ..
  • Snoopy108
    Snoopy108 Posts: 94 Member
    Same issue with the smoothies from the Smoothie Cafe,they have low calorie options and you can have them made with splenda thinking it would be okay for me. I was totally shock that there is over 41g of sugar in them. Not good for a diabetic, I found it very frustrating. Guess I should of checked before I drank one. Back to making my own. :wink:
  • tabulator32
    tabulator32 Posts: 701 Member
    A lot of "healthy" canned soups are two to two-and-a-half servings per can and the sodium level is already outrageous on a single serving, let alone a whole can. Your sodium for having a can of soup each day for lunch can cause health issues for some people.
  • Erihppas
    Erihppas Posts: 121 Member
    Yeah, I don't think the "young mother" comment was meant to be condescending at all. If anything informative. Don't think she was trying to attack you personally...

    Back to the topic: I was doing Jenny Craig and everything was preportioned so I didn't worry about my 1200 calories a day and was eating 5 times a day.

    Now that I'm doing it on my own, I am only eating 3 meals and I'm like WOW, no wonder I was so overweight. I'd eat 2 poptarts, 2 blocks of ramen noodles, where one serving was half of one block, then dinner would be some big meal. Then ice cream for dessert.

    I'm so thankful for this site.
  • tabulator32
    tabulator32 Posts: 701 Member
    A lot of young mother don't realize that milk has sugar in it. AKA it can rot your babies teeth.

    Ok Im sorry but this S#!T pisses me off! " A lot of young mothers"...because clearly if your a mom and under 40 your automatically a moron. And milk? Breastmilk? nope false... Formula? probably but some moms dont have a choice Cows Milk? Pretty sure most kids/people on the planet have or do drink it and have great teeth. Ddo you even have children? If so mind your own..if not MIND YOUR BUSINESS and stop judging other moms we have enough on our plates, young, old or otherwise and dont need ignorant people like you making it more difficult. SMH

    Someone has a chip on their shoulder ..

    Yeah, wow. That post wasn't meant to be derogatory or insulting. That post was pure fact. A lot of young mothers do NOT realize it. If the same information were read to you in one of those "now you know" better-yourself government sponsored infomercials, you would probably go "Wow! I'm glad to know that!"

    Take a deep breath.
  • wolfi622
    wolfi622 Posts: 206
    Comparing ingredients
    Breast milk contains more than 100 ingredients that the formula industry simply can't duplicate. For example, breast milk is full of antibodies that protect babies from illness and help them develop their own immune systems. Some other key differences between the ingredients in breast milk and formula include the following:

    Formula has a higher protein content than human milk. However, the protein in breast milk is more easily and completely digested by babies.
    Breast milk has a higher carbohydrate content than formula and has large amounts of lactose, a sugar found in lower amounts in cow's milk. Research shows that animals whose milk contains higher amounts of lactose experience larger brain development.
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    A lot of "healthy" canned soups are two to two-and-a-half servings per can and the sodium level is already outrageous on a single serving, let alone a whole can. Your sodium for having a can of soup each day for lunch can cause health issues for some people.

    Yes... take almost any can of condensed soup and figure how much sodium you are getting for 2.5 servings. I used to eat a lot of the most popular brand of condensed soups and just add a half can of water, so it would all fit in my soup mug. The chicken broth alone has 770mg per serving, so for a 2.5 serving can it would be 1925mg or almost 2g of sodium. I miss my soups, but I am supposed to be on a low sodium diet and the limit is 1500mg per day.
  • anastasiawildflower
    anastasiawildflower Posts: 197 Member
    Nothing really surprises me anymore. If the food is cheap and fits on the trashy scale, then it is bound to be high in processed fats and sugars. While trail mix is delicious, it was first created for, wait for it, taking on the trail. It's light-weight, small in packages and can last you for hours of hiking without having to stop. Nuts have good fats yes, but every gram of fat contains 9 calories. Nutrition is fairly simple once you understand the basics. No, I don't always eat the way I should, and am always over on sugars for the day (fruit), but I keep a steady eye on my intake. I'm guessing most people would be surprised that a cinnabon has at least 800 calories in it, but that goes to show how well we were taught to think about what goes into our food.
  • seizethefray
    seizethefray Posts: 109
    Yes to all the sodium comments! That's something I've recently added to my tracker--and wow. It's definitely time to make some changes--especially with my lunches as Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine are in regular rotation.

    And wow, some of y'all get nuts (hehe) on these message boards. Relax! Yes, I was aware trail mix is high in fat/calories--I just didn't realize how high in regard to serving size. And no, I was not serious about an investigation. Tongue-in-cheek, people. C'mon nah! ;)

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