Saturday, January 14, 2006

article

I read in the Reader's Digest by L.V. "Calorie-free Foods That Aren't." Here's a head-cathcer for you: Calorie free doesn't always mean zero calories. FDA regulations say companies can call foods "calorie-free" if they have fewer than 5 calories per serving. So calorie-free artificial sweeteners such as Equal and Sweet'N Low actually have about 4 calories in a packet. Sugar-free gum clocks in at 5 calories a stick. And the trickiest label? Cooking sprays such as Pam are composed almost entirely of fats, but are "calorie-free" because a serving size is so small. A one-second spray contains about 7 calories. But don't sweat these hidden calories: Coffee with Equal beats coffee with a doughnut; chewing gum appears to actually burn calories; and the 7 calories that you'll get from Pam are much better for your diet than butter is.

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