When it comes to calories, serving size may be the easiest way to mislead. Accurate information is usually printed in large type on the nutrition information panel of a product, but calling a tiny bit of food in a small bag 2 ½ servings can be suspect, especially when the volume is such that the average person would consume 2 ½ servings at a minimum.
And who reads labels anyway?
Um, that was a trick question. If you have dietary restrictions, hopefully you are reading labels consistently and carefully. But reading a list of ingredients doesn’t require you to focus on calories.
I’m not certain anyone notices calories in this day of weight loss injections but if they are of concern, you may have to study a label carefully to get the full picture. As a graphic designer, I’m glad there’s flexibility in how information is visibly presented. As someone who supports label standardization, this is a constant frustration for me.
A few products list both single serving and entire package nutrition information side by side. That’s the best! I love when the information is more complete and presented in a straightforward, user friendly manner. Based on the nutrition labels in my pantry, this choice is not the most common.
In fact, it seems some companies feel a need to hedge on calorie count by minimizing the number of servings per container or substituting easily understood numbers into complicated math equations. That can make label reading both challenging and entertaining.
And it can provide math practice. My grandchildren must count to 55 to get a full 140 calorie serving of Goldfish® Crackers. That number drops to 27 for 150 calories if we switch to Cheez-It® Crackers.
So how is serving size determined in the first place?
The FDA bases serving size on the amount of food people typically consume in a sitting. This is actually a legal requirement. How do they know how much is typical? Unclear. And obviously, one person’s typical consumption may not match another’s. In that sense, calorie count is useful in determining the optimum amount for your particular dietary goals.
In other words, it is important to understand that serving size is not a recommendation for how much to eat. It’s a way to identify the amount of fat, sodium, fiber, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in a specific amount of food. And it can be used as a guide to calorie consumption.
Many of us use packaging to determine a stopping point when we eat. It seems logical and convenient. But if we don’t read and understand serving size, we may be working against our goals.
Calories are not the best measure of nutrition, but they can be an important piece of information when determining an eating plan. While sometimes confusing, labels are helpful in determining how serving size is related to calories.
And you thought you could leave math behind when you left school. Nope! Better keep that calculator handy or serving size will get the best of you.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
