Can it be true?
 

Hello,

I am a calorie counter. I have been cooking my own meals every day since I started my calorie counter lifestyle approx 2 weeks ago.

My question is... do you always believe nutrition labels?

Tonight I want to get a WaWa Classic Turkey Hoagie. Its 10 inches long and WaWa claims its only about 600 calories. Can this be true? How can I know for sure? Are there any sites that have honest numbers?

Thanks!

I'd probably trust WaWa's numbers before those on another site. Most restaurants pay to have the food analyzed in an independent lab for accuracy.

It can be tricky when checking other sites because some sites may include every ingredient as generally available, while others may include the meats and veggies but not include calories for any type of spread that might be on it.

I think it can be fairly close. I mean there could be a couple extra or less grams of meat or veggie that is different than count the standard is based off of, that's just human error, Lean Cuisines and other prepackaged meals are never accurate on their calories because the cals are based on a certain weight but the actual weight is different, some times less, some times more. Also is the count including, cheese mayo ect?

I wonder about this all the time. It always makes me think of the Seinfeld episode where everyone ate this new "fat-free" frozen yogurt that was supposedly low in cals, and it turned out it was full of fat and calories, and everyone only found out when they started gaining weight. :)

Hehe I love Seinfeld. I've wondered this too!!

Ultimately, I think you just have to trust nutrition labels for things and hope that they're accurate. Unless it's something where you can easily separate the ingredients and KNOW it's off, you're kinda stuck... unless you have a laboratory in your home to test it :P

the calorie counts are usually accurate as possible of course there are a lot of variables such as if you add cheese, mayo, bacon, etc..... usually the counts include only the basic essentials that come on the sub the things you add extra usually add cals even the veggies sometimes

I'll be honest, I don't always trust them.

600 calories sounds about right. But remember, these are only averages. There is no way to know the precise, accurate calorie count of anything you eat. It might be over or under what the label says.

Nutrition isn't an exact science--it's always more-or-less. So when you're using a weight loss calculator, every number is an average number. You may need to adjust the numbers for yourself to get results.

As LindseyLouWho said, you just have to trust the labels and see what works.

Jay

Is WaWa a restaurant?

One thing I noticed when looking up restaurant calories is that you need to note how many "servings" is in a meal.

For example, DH likes this pasta dish at a restaurant and the website stated it is 700 calories per serving. And then off to the side in little tiny letters it said that each bowl that you order contains 2 servings. So at first glance you might think it is 700 calories. But if you order and eat what they serve you, it is 1400 calories.

So I think 600 might be fair for a restaurant turkey sandwich, but also be careful that they are not being cute and calling each serving 600 calories but that the sandwich itself is 2 servings. I don't know how restaurants inject so many calories. Come to my house and I'll make you a turkey sub that is yummy and has less than 600 calories!

I will be honest and tell you I don't trust restaurants in general. When in doubt I order a dry salad with a grilled chicken breast. That is about as safe as it gets.

There have been many independent studies in my own area checking calorie and fat content in "healthier choice" menu items at many different restaurants. What they have found almost across the board is that the calorie counts are extremely inaccurate.

I do trust Subway because I can see my food being prepared.

I have no problem indulging and letting myself enjoy whatever it is that I am wanting. I just want to know WHEN I am doing that so I can count accordingly and choose accordingly.


Sorry to be a Debbie Downer! :(

I have found that, once I'm used to eating in a certain calorie range, I can pretty much tell if a restaurant's calorie estimates (or MY calorie estimate, if I'm guesstimating at a restaurant that doesn't give numbers) is off by a lot. So if I eat a turkey sandwich for lunch that's said to have 600 calories, but at the end of the day, I am feeling quite satisfied and my calorie log is showing around 1200 - then I know the count for the sandwich was probably on the low side, because I am NEVER full on 1200 cals/day. Or vice versa - sometimes I estimate something as having more calories than it really does, & at the end of the day I'm ravenous, even though my log shows me being at the upper end of my calorie limit.

You do have to have a bit of experience with what your body feels like at a certain calorie level before you can begin to just "tell" like this. But I find that if I'm listening to real hunger cues, and not other eating cues, my body is pretty darned smart!

Su-bee..that is really great advice. I really hope to learn and understand my body as much as you do. :)

WaWa is like 7-11

I agree completely. There are too many variables between a restaurants's website nutrition info and what comes to my table.

More and more I just want to eat at home because I have a much better idea about what I'm eating.

I'ld like to think that the calorie counts are fairly accurate by I also try to base it on what the item is. I'ld say a sandwhich is pretty safe if the dressing is on the side. They might give you some extra cheese but they're probably not going to accidentally give you double meet or 2 buns. (Though I did get a sandwhich one with 2 buns. It was interesting.) Now if it's something where the majority of the calories are in a sauce or oil something I think there's a really good chance that they're not back there in the kitchen with a measuring spoon but a lot of meat and bread comes into the kitchen preportioned.

I think the biggest risk of restaurant nutritional information is the items they list out. A sandwich will be listed at 600 calories but will be served with chips and a pickle and have no info on those. The guide shows the fajitas at 800 but the small print says that's without tortilla, cheese, sour cream, rice beans etc. Sometimes that info's available and sometimes they never give it to you. That's honestly one of the things I like about Olive Garden. I emailed their rep to ask if the dishes include things like the bread for the dips and the pasta served with the chicken parmisean and they said absolutely. If it comes on the plate it's been included. May not be accurrate but at least it's something.

oOoh how is miss wawa =( They don't have any in Northern VA.

legally, dont they have to try and be accurate at least? I mean, surely it wouldnt be legal to have something you know is, say, 1000 calories and put on the nutrition label that its 500 or something? Labels could be misleading, like not including stuff that comes with the product etc, but i think if you are careful and read it and know exactly what the information is referring to then you should be able to trust it right? I hope so :dizzy:

I read somewhere some restaurants do lie.. this is one article I found but I think I read another one that had other places that were off. http://news.aol.com/health/story/ar/...23151409990001


I usually try to pick a healthy option. I agree a salad with no dressing seems the least harmless. I think we all know that something fried, covered in cheese is going to be a no-no. If the portion looks too big eat only half.

I think Wawa offers wholewheat bread now, and I usually stick with the 6 inch subs. Their salads are usually very good also.