topic Re: Food Labels: a question in Kitchen

Food Labels: a question

Poodlepet2 — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 21:16:21 GMT

How can a product claiming to have "zero" calories make that claim if it has 5 grams of carbohydrate? One gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories, so that would be 20 calories right there. This particular product also claims to have no effect on blood sugar-it certainly exerted a glucose raising effect on me. The chief ingredient is Erythrotol and "oligosacharides" (my guess is probably chicory root). I have spent a good part of the day researching this, but I am curious about the zero calorie claim....does anybody know? Thanks,

Poodlepet2

Re: Food Labels: a question

Marp — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 21:40:48 GMT

When looking at the serving size for a product I find many are artificially small. That is done to meet whatever nutritional goal the manufacturer is trying to meet--calories, carbs, fat, etc.

This link may help answer your questions: http://www.myfooddiary.com/Resources/label_claims.asp

Re: Food Labels: a question

chickenbutt — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 21:44:56 GMT

I remember something from a long time ago about - if a number is lower than a certain, given, standard, that they can call it zero.

For instance, maybe if something is 4% fat they could call it 0% fat.

Re: Food Labels: a question

Poodlepet2 — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 22:11:33 GMT

CB, the crazy thing there is that good old table sugar has four grams of sugar-and 10 calories.....the label doesn't hide that little factoid. To be sure, calorimetry is not precise, but in when it comes to evaluating whether or not I can consume something, truth in labeling would help. I do have some "pure" erythrotol, but it is expensive, and since this stuff was much cheaper and made the claims that I had mentioned, I thought I would give it a try. For what it did to my glucose, I might as well have used sucrose! Ahhh CB, I am finding more ways to enjoy coconut in all of it's glory, but Stevia doesn't work for everything.....

Poodlepet2

Re: Food Labels: a question

HonnyBrown — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 23:15:48 GMT

@chickenbutt wrote:
I remember something from a long time ago about - if a number is lower than a certain, given, standard, that they can call it zero.

For instance, maybe if something is 4% fat they could call it 0% fat.

^^^This!

The same goes for fat, sodium, cholesterol, trans fats, etc.

Re: Food Labels: a question

millieshops — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 23:43:46 GMT

@HonnyBrown I've seen that, too. I'm thinking the amount is way under 1%, but if the serving size we eat isn't what they are calling a serving size, then we're getting way more of everything.

Re: Food Labels: a question

ECBG — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 03:59:19 GMT

I've seen less than one percent and it is shown as -1.

@Poodlepet2, I'd ask the FDA. They have to pass the standards to put the item on the shelf.