Calorie Labels Could Be All Wrong
The new health-care law will soon require chain restaurants to post the caloric content of standard menu items. There’s just one problem: The methodology for determining caloric content, developed about a century ago, may not be all that accurate. That is what scientists are learning as they try to answer what seems like a pretty simple question: How many calories does an almond have?
Answer: 20% fewer than what is on the label. Sarah Kliff at Ezra’s blog.
I’m not sure this article really suggests any objective solutions. Dietary energy absorption differs from person to person.
A calorie is not a calorie. A recent journal article found people on high protein diets gained more total weight — but the same amount of fat — as people who ate the same number of calories but were on a low-protein diet.
There’s probably a class action lawsuit somewhere in there. Who is to be sued? The restaurants, or the labs?
There’s a lot more than “just one problem”. For example, how are restaurants going to find room on their menus to put all that crap?
When I look at a menu, I want maximum simplicity, not clutter.
In a matter of years, we will see restaurants advertising with “calorie ratings”, showing a score from some independent or government group that specializes in rating how good restaurants are at making healthy menus.
One question I have is, what constitutes a restaurant? What about hot dog stands?
This policy is going to make it harder for some small entrepreneurs to operate.