When a label doesn't say what you hoped it did!

6^th February 2013

The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. Audrey Heburn.

Loving all the photos being posted on my Facebook Bev’s Weight Watcher page and group, really impressed and it’s making me want to cook more so thank you.  I cooked the recipe I’d blogged yesterday it was nice, I wouldn’t write home about it but it filled a spot, the lamb curry I cooked for tea was delicious, used a jar of Sharwoods rogan josh sauce (9pp) which is on offer in Asda this week for £1.  I’ve frozen the rest as I fancy something else today and have the rest of my mozzarella to use up.  I had a decent tracking day yesterday then stumbled upon moms cheddars – boo that was 10pp wasted easily, they were in a tub not a packet so you kind of get carried away!  It’s weigh day tomorrow, so hoping a stayed the same result, I’ve lost a pound a week for the last three weeks, I do not want to undo that result but if I do I’ll know why!

If you’ve not got a mathematical mind or your eyesight isn’t the best then labels can be a real bitch to get your head round, so a few members have bought in labels for me to help with because they don’t get it so here are just two to help, I’ve tried to make it as easy to understand as possible, it’s much easier when you’re actually showing someone.

How to ProPoint - reading labels correctly

 

The first one is easy to read and ProPoint, the information is given obviously per 100g and it states the serving size is 33g (if it doesn't give the fibre, always put zero). This example has been ProPointed online using Weight Watchers esource but the same principle applies with their calculator, you turn it on and choose the per 100g option, then input the information as requested at the end it will ask the serving size.

Now this label isn't so simple, if you notice in brackets next to TYPICAL VALUES it says (cooked as per instructions*) underneath it also says *using semi-skimmed milk, without butter or margarine.  So what you have to do here is take into consideration that the packet weighs 120g before cooking but once you add 120ml (which is roughly the same as 120g) and 280ml water (280g) the weight changes.

So that would be;

120g + 120g + 280g = 520g!  Using the nutritional info below and that weight, it works out at 18pp!  Then there’s the question does some of the liquid evaporate during cooking!  Oh my word it gets more and more complicated doesn’t it!  The only real way to know is to weigh it after you’ve cooked it and prior to serving, then ProPoint it.

 

Although on this packet they have given you another clue, The Nutritional Values are given per 100g cooked as per the instructions and the calories are 132 per 100g BUT below that it says that the calories per SERVING are 264 which means the serving size is double the nutritional information, therefore each serving cooked as per instruction would be 200g which would work out as 7pp.

 

Also if you add the 15g of margarine you would have to add the ProPoints for that as it isn’t included in the nutritional information!

 

The lesson here in my opinion is if it’s too difficult to work it out, then why would you buy that product!  Also if when you’ve worked out the ProPoints in a food it seems a lot lower in ProPoints that you would expect, then go with the idea that if something looks too good to be true, it usually is!  Ask your leader and get it checked.

 

Hopefully that made sense, if not then ask your leader because it is confusing that’s for sure, I come across some really odd nutritional labels, as I come across them in future I shall share, it’s usually processed stuff that’s confusing, the reconstituted  food I tend to steer clear of to be honest, I like cooking from fresh or as fresh as possible anyway.

So here’s to another great day, more photos on my page and Eating Gorgeous all the way because as someone told me yesterday, "Awesome ends with ME!"

Happy days ;-)