Good post. To add to the above...the kcal/g used by the government is incorrect. It is based solely on how many calories your body gets from a given macronutrient. It does not take into account how many calories are expended breaking down that macronutrient.

Fat has a true caloric value of closer to 5 kcal/g, not the 9 kcal/g used by the government. I'm not sure what Protein's true caloric value is, but I know it is virtually nill. Carbohydrates [especially Hi-Glycemic ones] are very easy to break down and thus have true caloric values close to their government assigned value of 4 kcal/g. Fiber has a true caloric value of 0 kcal/g...and for once the government agrees setting the caloric value for Fiber at 0 kcal/g.

Polyols can vary. I'm not sure of the true caloric values, but the government sets the caloric values indiviudally and they can range from 0.2 kcal/g (Erythritol) to 3.0 kcal/g (Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate/Maltitol Syrup.)

If Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrate calories were listed at their true caloric values, a T-Bone steak would have a caloric value closer to 300 Calories, and a Prime Rib would be around 500 Calories. A filet of Catfish would have a true caloric value of less than 50 Calories. Foods with fat in them wouldn't be so quickly shunned if the calories listed accurately reflected calories contirbuted minus calories expended breaking the macronutrients down.