Doctors Health Press Reports on Study: Official Calorie Listings Not Always Accurate
Calorie Counts Not What They Seem.
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RSSBoston, MA (PRWEB) March 04, 2013
Doctors Health Press, a division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation and publisher of various natural health newsletters, books, and reports, including the popular online Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin, is reporting on a new study, published in The New York Times, finding that advertised calorie counts are not as accurate as one would expect.
As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin (http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/weight-loss-articles/calorie-counts-not-what-they-seem) notes, there is a movement toward consumers being able to understand the caloric toll of the food and beverages they consume—a move to combat obesity and related health disorders. Most packaged foods must list calories per serving, and many chain restaurants are publicly listing calorie counts.
As the article “Calorie Counts Not What They Seem” reports, a Manhattan-based documentarian recently completed a video about calories—more specifically, whether one can trust calorie listings.
The Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin article outlines the findings of this documentarian’s study, reporting that health officials at federal and municipal levels do not double-check calorie listings; companies can publish whatever numbers they wish as there is no regulatory body to verify the information.
According to the article, this filmmaker decided to check the stats on five foods he eats on a hypothetical day. They are a muffin, tofu sandwich, Subway sandwich, Starbucks “Frappuccino” and a Chipotle burrito. He then had food scientists in New York test the actual caloric content of each product using the aptly named instrument, the “calorimeter.”
As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin reports, the researchers found four of the five items had more calories than listed. This is crucial for diet goals, because 100 calories can tip the balance toward weight loss or maintaining weight. The difference between listed and actual calories in the five foods tested would result in one pound added each week, if he ate them every day.
The Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin article adds that the small study churned up more questions than answers. The huge chains Starbucks and Chipotle said their foods are made in-house and calories are just added up according to ingredients used. This can lead to substantial differences in actual calories. Subway said it does various studies to ensure its information is correct. Others didn’t know how they came up with the numbers.
As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin concludes, calorie listings should not be seen as conclusive in nature. Instead, those who are dieting should assume the numbers are a little higher than reported and should adjust their diets accordingly.
(SOURCE: Neistat, C., “Calorie Detective,” The New York Times, February 13, 2013.)
Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin is a daily e-letter providing natural health news with a focus on natural healing through foods, herbs, and other breakthrough health alternative treatments. For more information on Doctors Health Press, visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com.
Doctors Health Press believes in the healing properties of various alternative remedies, including Traditional Chinese Medicine. To see a video outlining the Doctors Health Press’ views on Traditional Chinese Medicine, visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/chinesemedicine.