Hidden Carb Counter...does it work?!
 

Ok, so I've had some SERIOUS frustrations with the Hidden Carb Counter in the past - and I have to wonder, does it actually work?! :help:

I was looking at some food item in the counter - and was disappointed to realize that it had something like 5 carbs....

But then I looked at my canned chicken...

Calories: 90
Fat: 1 g
Carbs: 0 g
Protein: 13g

And I moved the scroller to "Poultry Products"....


Well, the counter came out with 6.58 g of carbs....FOR CHICKEN!!!

So, naturally, I panicked :eek: and looked at the ingredients thinking maybe they had added sugar or something: Chicken Breast Meat, Water, Salt.

So this doesn't make any sense to me - 6.58 grams of carbs for chicken with a little bit of water and salt?!

I realize that many of you rely on the Hidden Carb Counter to figure out all those missing carbs, but personally, I think I'm just going to stick with what the labels say (adding a few extra carbs here and there to account for "hidden" carbs on my own).

There is something off with those numbers, Soon. You can do the math yourself and you'll see it.

1g fat = 9 calories
13g of protein = 52 calories
Total calories = 61 calories

90 - 61 = 29 calories unaccounted for or 7.25g of carbs.

(1g fat = 9 calories/ 1g of either protein or carbs = 4 calories)

Nat

Ok, so now I'm even more confused...so there's 7.25 grams of carbs in my chicken?!

How can chicken have 7.25 grams of carbs in it?!

How does this math thing work???

I'm so frustrated now - I think I'm going to just do the diet like I did before without all these hidden carb counters and silly low carb foods - just plain old veggies, meats and cheeses. I lost 75 lbs. before, when I didn't even know of such things as "hidden carbs"...ignorance was bliss - and I lost the weight. It seems the more I learn about all these things, and the more gadgets I use to calculate my carbs = the less weight I lose.

Nat,

Sorry - I forgot to say thank you for trying to help me - I'm just so frustrated that I forgot to say that.

It's not the Hidden Carb counter that's off, it's the label. There often is a mistake on the labels, and only the manufacturer can explain why it's out by approximately 29 calories.

The Hidden Carb counter/calculator has to assume the Calories, Fat and Protein are accurate or it's got nothing to work with. It's doing its job in highlighting the discrepancy on the label, and must assume the unaccounted calories are carbohydrates because (in the US for sure) carbohydrates are generally measured, by manufacturers and the USDA, by difference. Meaning they labtest for protein and fat, but what's left over is assumed to be carbs and they don't actually test for them.

Here is an excellent webpage on and about Nutrition Facts labels as presented by manufacturers.

http://www.expertfoods.com/FAQs/labels-basics.php

Hope this helps.

PS: this information applies to ALL Nnutrition Facts labels, including those on 'real' food, like canned chicken. Too salty for me :devil: but to each her own.

Soon, I was going to reply but Judi beat me to it :) And you're welcome.

-Nat