Hey there -

I'm hoping one of you wonderfully educated people can enlighten me. Here's what I understand:

1 gram of carb = 4 calories
1 gram of protein = 9 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories

Right so far?

So how is it that I can find products all over the place (a lot of tea, for example) that says it has 1 gram of carbohydrate and 0 calories? Shouldn't it be 4 calories?

First: 1 gram of protein ~ 4 calories, not 9 calories.

Regardless, Title 21, Chapter I, Part 101 of the Code of Federal Regulations dictates nutritional labeling requirements. 21 CFR 101.9(c)(1) states:

"A statement of the caloric content per serving, expressed to the nearest 5-calorie increment up to and including 50 calories, and 10-calorie increment above 50 calories, except that amounts less than 5 calories may be expressed as zero."

This is what I am currently doing daily:

1500 cal
100 protein
40 fat
less than 100 carb

But, if I read what you wrote...I really am taking in way more than 1500 calories aren't I?? I am so confused!!

HELP!

Roziesgirl-

100 g of protein = 400 calories (4 x 100).

100 g of carbs = 400 calories (4 x 100).

40 g of fat = 360 calories (9 x 40).

Total = 1160 calories.

You're way low for 1500 calories. You can eat more!

If you want to skip all this math, a great place to go is Fitday - a free web site that allows you to track what you eat and adds up all the calories and grams of this and that for you. I couldn't manage without it!