Beware restaurant, frozen meal calorie counts, US study says

[FarCenter]

A McDonald's restaurant sign lists calorie counts. Researchers at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy found that around half the dishes served in popular US restaurants delivered more calories than stated on the menu, with some packing double the stated energy value. AFP - Weight-watchers who swear by the calorie counts that many restaurants in the United States display on their menus, take heed: the numbers don't always tell the truth.

Researchers at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy found that around half the dishes served in popular US restaurants delivered more calories than stated on the menu, with some packing double the stated energy value.

And the researchers found discrepancies in the portion sizes the restaurants said they were serving and the actual size of the meal that showed up on the diner's plate, the study published in the January edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association said.

The researchers analyzed the calorie content of 18 side dishes and main courses from five popular sit-down restaurant chains -- Applebee's, Denny's, Olive Garden, P F Chang's and Ruby Tuesday -- and 11 sides and main courses from fast food restaurants Domino's, Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's, Taco Bell and Wendy's.

Ten frozen meals bought at supermarkets were also analyzed.

On average, restaurant foods were found to contain 18 percent more calories than what was stated on the menu, and frozen meals averaged eight percent more calories than stated on their packaging.

But some of the restaurant items contained more than twice the calories listed on the menu.

<SNIP>http://www.france24.com/en/20100108-beware-restaurant-frozen-meal-calorie-counts-us-study-says

[vi5]

1. It's funny...

I remember reading somewhere that McDonald's cheeseburgers were like 200 and some calories. I remember thinking that had to be impossible. I mean even that size hamburger bun alone has to be 110 calories. Never mind the meat, preservatives, and frying.

[Jokerman]

2. This is particularly important to people with diabetes.

We prefer the places that publish calorie and carb counts but that doesn't do any good if the published numbers are wrong.

CRAP! - Looks like I accidentally hit unrec on this thread - SORRY!

[AwakeAtLast]

13. I put in my rec for ya.

:hi: Jokerman!

(formerly WakeMeUp)

[Quantess]

3. The Olive Garden! Those bastards!

:D

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Did they count the breast milk calories?

:evilgrin:

[hfojvt]

5. I have said that for a long time - look at a can of pop

It says on the side 150 calories. It also says 41 grams of sugar. From my study of chemistry I understand that there are 4 calories in a gram of sugar. So that can of pop should say 164 calories.

same thing with a 2 liter of Mt. Dew. It says 31 grams of sugar which should be 124 calories, but it claims only 110 calories.

[CoffeeCat]

8. They count on the fact that we rely on them...

...for the truth--and that we're just not that smart.

This is a different topic, but labels that scream, "FAT FREE!" are also deceptive.
If a coffee creamer or ice cream topping is "fat free" that doesn't mean sugar free,
and that certainly doesn't mean low in calories OR healthy.

So deceptive.

[conscious evolution]

12. A bottle of pop

also says it has two servings in it.Many other prepackaged food products also do this.Unfortunately,most people do not read how many portions there are in a packaged meal.This results in people actually eating twice the amount of calories and other nutrients in what they think are single servings.

[hfojvt]

14. same thing with ramen noodles

one package = two servings, thus hiding the fact that a single package contains 36% of Daily value of saturated fat and 70% DV of sodium.

[jmowreader]

16. There's a worse deception in a can of pop

Look at the "serving size" on a lot of soda cans. It's normally 8 ounces. Soda cans hold 12 ounces--one and a half servings. Most people aren't going to do the math.

[CoffeeCat]

6. Many frozen meals are marketed toward dieters...

Many frozen meals target people who are trying to lose weight. Weight Watchers Smart Ones, Healthy
Choice Frozen Meals, Healthy Choice Cafe Meals, Lean Cuisine, etc. We're led to believe, through
their advertising, that we can just pop these in the microwave and get a hot meal for less than 300
calories.

That really sucks!

[JoeyT]

15. Since it's

represented as a percentage, this is an even more horrifying number if it's one of the ones marketed to the unrepentant gluttons.
8% on a 300 calorie meal would add 24 calories.
8% of one of the abominations like Hungry Man that can top 1k per serving (a few break 3k calories in the package.) would be 200+ calories for the serving, 600 for the box.
No one is, or ever has been that hungry.

[Don Caballero]

7. I no longer eat fast food.

Why do people eat that crap? It is so easy to cook your own meal and tastes so much better. People are just lazy I guess.

[Quantess]

10. Not only fast food chains. Sit-down chain restaurants, too:

Applebee's, Denny's, Olive Garden, P F Chang's and Ruby Tuesday

But I agree with you about preparing your own meals. As soon as I stopped eating in restaurants I lost a few pounds without trying.

[Don Caballero]

11. I rarely eat at sit down restaurants and never chains

I elect to spend my money in local eateries to support the local economy.

[azmouse]

9. This is why it's better to cook from scratch.

You have a better idea of what is going in your food and can make it to desired standards.
It's usually cheaper to cook at home too.