[LifeStyle] Are the calorie values on food products accurate or deceptive?

[-CosmiNNe]

In conjunction with the enthusiasm that many people feel when starting to follow a healthy diet, some people are keen to read the nutrition information labeled on the food products they eat daily, and some products may become tempting when they learn that their calories are low or less than expected.

 

But how are the calories in manufactured products calculated, and is the printed information about the product’s calories accurate?

In 1990, a US federal nutrition labeling law was passed, requiring food manufacturers to label nutritional facts on a product.

Scientists working for food manufacturers are supposed to conduct measurements in their laboratories to obtain the numbers of nutrients contained in their products. They rely on a standard known as “standard reference materials.”

To obtain this standard, they use what is known as the “food matrix triangle” or the amount of “fat, protein, and carbohydrates.” The results of these tests are reflected on the product’s nutritional facts labels, but these results are the closest to health, but they are not 100% accurate.

“Snacks that say they contain 200 calories could actually be 240 calories,” says food scientist Dr. Katherine Lee.

The US Food and Drug Administration also confirmed that the percentages labeled on food products are not accurate, as they allow for an error and variance of up to 20%, which means that a serving of Greek yogurt that contains 100 calories can actually contain between 80 and 120 calories. .

Labels on food products are not accurate, allowing up to 20% error (pixels)
Factors affecting the accuracy of calorie counting
According to the Very Well Fit website, scientists in the field of nutrition have identified a group of reasons that may affect the accuracy of calorie counting. Understanding these factors may help you make better choices about healthy foods in your diet plan:

Unreliable sources
Food tracking applications may provide data uploaded by consumers. In some cases, the numbers are not verified for accuracy.

This means that the serving size, nutrition data, and calorie count can all be wrong. Before relying on any of these sources, it is useful to know whether the numbers are confirmed or not.

How to prepare
Another factor that can affect the accuracy of calories is the method of preparing the food, because adding oils or sauces to your food will add calories, but what if you prepare your food without any added ingredients?

Some research suggests that cooking method may alter calorie absorption. In a study of almonds, for example, metabolizable energy changed based on whether the nuts were natural, roasted, or had oils added.

Restaurant errors
Research studies have found that what is on a restaurant menu is not always the same as what is served to you on your plate.

According to research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 19% of foods tested in restaurants contained energy levels that were at least 100 calories higher than stated, an amount that can cause a weight gain of 5 to 7 kilograms per year. If consumed daily.

The restaurant menu contains energy levels that are at least 100 calories higher than advertised (pixels).
Ultimately, counting calories is helpful, but should be approached with caution, so check macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein, fat) and micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) information to make smart choices.

But at the same time, you must be aware that the percentages labeled on food products or restaurant menus can be errored by 20%.

 

 

https://www.aljazeera.net/lifestyle/2023/9/19/هل-قيمة-السعرات-الحرارية-على-المنتجات