How You’re (Probably) Counting Calories Wrong
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Counting calories? Food labels may overstate the number of calories in certain items, The New York Times reports, which could mean that you’re consuming fewer than you think.
How is that possible? A device called a calorimeter is most commonly used to figure out how many calories are in something; foods are burned inside it to determine how much energy they contain. But this method doesn’t take into account that some foods — like meats and nuts — are harder to digest, so the body expends calories in the process. Also, some foods may not be fully digested, so some of those calories shouldn’t factor into the total count.
According to research by Department of Agriculture scientist David Baer, calorie counts for nuts may be the most off, by as much as 25 percent too high. That said, the counts for foods mostly composed of easily-digestible carbohydrates, like rice and pasta, remain largely unaffected.
What does this mean for you? It’s still unclear. Baer’s research was first published back in 2011, which suggests that the scientific community has known about these inaccuracies for years. And it’s not gone unnoticed, as a 2013 article from The Scientific American and a 2012 piece from NPR prove.
Still, the current system remains in place. Changing the system will be an uphill battle because “the old system is in place in most developed countries, and it would be a massive administrative and political undertaking to coordinate changes,” said Rachel Carmody, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Francisco.
Flawed methodology isn’t the only thing skewing calorie counts. A 2010 study by the American Dietetic Association found that prepared supermarket foods contained an average of eight percent more calories than their labels suggested. At restaurants, it was even worse: dishes contained 18 percent more calories than menus said.
All this suggests that counting calories may not be the best way to monitor one’s food intake. If you’re still unconvinced, take a gander at this quiz from The New York Times. Do you have a handle on how many calories are in your favorite foods?
More stories on how to eat healthier:
General Tso’s chicken, sans regret
How to build a more healthful sandwich
Shepherd’s pie, a little bit lighter now
Are you surprised that calorie counts are often inaccurate? Tell us below!
