0-cal everything!?

Hi!

because of a well-known member on CC, Molly (!), I've learnt about Walden Farms Zero-Calorie products..everything from chocolate sauce to ranch dressing to fruit spreads..

I'm interested in ordering them, but must first pose this question..

how is it possible that these are 0-calorie? is it possible the company is lying with the nutritional labels? i don't understand how something can be 100% 0-calorie...

No, you're right. Nothing is zero calorie. Usually companies that manufacture soft drinks, for example, round down. That diet Pepsi isn't really 0 calories, it's about 1-9 calories. So really, it's still worth it!! Only five calories for chocolate sauce?! I'd buy it!

u'll probably die of aspertame poisoning before you gain weight from the stuff.

enjoy in moderation!

:)

I used the walden farms chocolate syrup for things like strawberries.....like was said, use in moderation.

I've lost 10 lbs while using it.  Far less calories than hershey's choc. syrup.  try it.  You'll like it.

see, I, on the complete other hand, find Walden Farms products to be not-so-tastey!!! But I guess that's to be expected when it's basically <10 calories for all their products! I tried the chocolate syrup, didn't like it, tried the ranch dressing, didn't like it, tried the veggie dip, HATED THAT, LOL. But that's just my $0.02. I honestly WISH I like the stuff!

I mean, it's a little pricey- but totally worth it if you like it! I would try buying like one thing of it- like a choc. syrup or dressing, rather than loading up like I did (!!#&*#&$&!!!) LOL. It's been in my fridge for like 6 months! haha

Thanks :) and I really hope you like it!

I might get some hate-mail for saying this, but I must comment - anything that claims "zero" calories, including chocolate sauce, ranch dressing, etc - well, you can safely say that by consuming these products, you are dumping A LOT of chemicals into your body. There are better ways to eat healthy. "Low-fat" and "low-cal" do NOT equal "healthy".

My motto: I don't eat anything with ingredients I can't pronounce, or anything with the modifiers "product" (i.e., cheese product, meat product, etc) or "flavored" (i.e., chocolate flavored, vanilla flavored, etc) in their name.

Seriously, save your calories and have a SMALL piece of REAL chocolate. It's worth it. And you can pronouce "cocoa beans" and "sugar".

*steps off soapbox to go have real piece of cheese*

Colleen

I agree with your cchristinyc. I don't think eating more processed, chemical-laden alternatives is the healthy way to lose weight.

I agree with you there.

I'm not saying it's great for you.  I use only 1 teaspon of the stuff in a cup of coffee or skim milk or strawberries at a time.

IT's diluted very highly, so I"m suspecting its made mostly of splenda, and thinners to get the calorie count to less than 10 per teaspon.

I may be wrong tho.  I log it anyway.  Still have been able to ingest it and loose weight.  I think a drop or two in monderation with a healthy diet of fruits veggies and carbs is probably okay.

The unspoken secret is that the label doesn't matter. If we want to lose weight, we don't eat  potato chips, candy bars, or ice cream. Period. No matter what the package says. Deep in our psyche, we know what we can eat (very little) and what we can't (a whole bunch). Allowing ourselves to be misled is only a fashionably acceptable way to fool ourselves, and we know it. We buy into the hype because we want, so badly, to believe. We want to think that we are doing the right thing, that we're really trying, that our motivation is pure.

I sure hope if you really think about that..... you understand where Im coming from!

Wow.......I think you can have these things in moderation if they are within your calorie count.  I log the syrup, and encourage the poster to try the syrup.  Don't swig the whole bottle, but one or two tablespoons here and there should be fine.

The problem with these are that they are just a temporary solution.  I highly doubt a zero-calorie manufacturer or product is going to be around forever.  Even if it was, you would have to keep using it instead of the more fattening/calorie-laden items if you want to stay at the same caloric intake.  It's similar to something like Alli -  once you come off the drug, it's a several hundred calorie boost per day compared to when you were on it without changing your diet at all!

I think you're much better off going for the real thing and just modfying your day, diet, or the way you eat to suit that. 

Original Post by loosingthepounds:

The unspoken secret is that the label doesn't matter. If we want to lose weight, we don't eat potato chips, candy bars, or ice cream. Period. No matter what the package says. Deep in our psyche, we know what we can eat (very little) and what we can't (a whole bunch). Allowing ourselves to be misled is only a fashionably acceptable way to fool ourselves, and we know it. We buy into the hype because we want, so badly, to believe. We want to think that we are doing the right thing, that we're really trying, that our motivation is pure.

I sure hope if you really think about that..... you understand where Im coming from!

You make a great point here.  We all know that what we SHOULD be eating is not a bunch of chips, sweet cakes, syrups, etc. - we should be eating fresh vegetables and fruits, and healthful dishes rich in these items.  Replacing high calorie junky foods with low-calorie chemical-laden versions of junky foods is not addressing the problem of addiction to JUNK.  Not saying that I would never eat a potato chip or ice cream, but the point is that I now eat things like that so rarely that they are not a worry in terms of my weight, so I don't need a low-calorie version.  I'm quite satisfied with my treats of plain yogurt with fruit or a few peanuts or whatever.  But once people reach an age where mortality and longevity become serious thoughts, hopefully they will start to consider removing junky foods from their diets, regardless of their calorie content. 

Personally I'm with cchristinyc - why would you want to put all those extra chemicals into your body? 

loosingthepounds - I definitely don't agree with your statement about we know we can never eat chips, candy, and ice cream.  Personally, I lost about 30 lbs a year ago, eating ice cream probably 2-3x a week for dessert.  My husband and I also go through a heap load of tortilla chips and salsa.  And chocolate?  Why would I ever want to go without chocolate?  I do not feel that I am being fashionably accepting of the foods that I tell myself it's ok to eat.  I eat the foods I want.  I may not eat as much as I would have in the past. 

But good grief - what a miserable life I would lead if I couldn't eat the foods I enjoy!  

As long as the serving size that is listed on the product comes in at 4 calories or less, FDA regulations allow the manufacturer to list it as 0-calorie.  This includes single packets of splenda/equal/sweet and low, diet sodas, etc.  Thus, anything that claims to have no-calories, I log as 5 calories, just to be safe.

Having said that, the Walden Farms products are pretty gross and not worth those 5 calories.  I'd rather add 50 and get a product that actually tastes like what it claims to be.

 

I love the Walden Farms Asian salad dressing, and their pancake syrup. I don't log them: 5 extra calories isn't going to change what I weigh. I burn that many trying to get the lid off the bottle. (Jk.)