Beware of Hidden Calories in Prepared Foods

The Journal of the American Dietetic Association published a study conducted by Tufts University in the January 2010 issue that found some commercially prepared foods and restaurant foods contained more calories than indicated on the nutritional label.

The items chosen for the study stated 500 calories or less since researchers wanted to study foods targeted for weight control.  The calories (energy values) were calculated for 10 frozen meals from grocery stores and 29 quick-serve and sit-down restaurant foods.

The frozen meals averaged 8% more calories than listed on the label.   The calories measured in the quick-serve and sit-down restaurant foods averaged 18% more calories than the values listed on the nutritional information.

From the frozen meals tested, the products with the highest discrepancies were:

• Lean Cuisine shrimp and angel hair pasta (319 calories vs 250 listed)
• Weight Watchers Lemon Herb Chicken Piccata (306 vs 252)
• Healthy Choice Chicken Parmigiana (431 vs 407)

Out of the quick-serve and sit-down restaurant foods, the following discrepancies were shown:

• Taco Bell’s Express Taco Salad with chicken was listed at 326 calories but measured 607
• Domino’s thin crust cheese pizza had 141 calories verses the 180 calories listed (a better deal)
• P.F. Chang’s large Sichuan-style asparagus had more than double the 200 calories it was supposed to have
• Wendy’s Ultimate Chicken Grill had 9 percent more calories than the reported 320

Quick-serve foods and restaurants foods tend to have more discrepancies which could be due to the food preparers portion size and amount of condiments and sauces added to the food.

Even though FDA allows a 20% calorie discrepancy in packaged foods, this amount may add up to a few hundred extra calories a day which could inhibits one’s weight loss progress.  If I consume 1100-1200 calories a day consistently, then I tend to lose.  However if I were to increase it to 1500 a day, then I don’t see much of a weight loss.

Therefore, if you are trying to lose weight, make sure that you are exercising to burn some of those extra calories that you may be consuming without realizing it, especially if you are eating frozen or restaurant foods often.

How do you feel about this discrepancy?

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