Health Questions on Fat, Sugar, salt and limits.

hamster

Hey, when you pick up a packet of, hmmm let's say a packet of cereal. You look at the Nutrition section and scan down through the numbers. Ok, say you are male and are allowed 90g of fat per day.

The packet states 5.5g of Fat per 100g on the packet. Of which 1g is saturated. What is meant by this? Does it mean that you have used up 5.5g of your 90g limit or do you take the 1g of saturated as the "bad" portion?

In an example of 100g of Peanuts you see that there is 46.2g of fat.
1) 7.9g of this saturates
2) 21.3g is mono-saturates
3) 14.6g is polyunsaturates.

It's been awhile since I did nutrition in Biology. I'm guessing that the 7.9g is the worst for you, while the 14.6g is the healthier portion. Something to do with the multiple chains?

Likewise on the cereal, I see Carbohydrates.. say 40g of which 5g sugars. What is meant by this? I'm guessing it relates to the speed or the portion that more or less breakdowns rapidly into the bloodstream - sugar rush. Bad, since the energy is wasted and not released slowly, so I'm guessing the 35g remaining is released slowly over a few hours as the complex carbohydrates are broken down.

Do you expect to stick to a limit of 5g of salt per day in a world of crisps, bread, potatoes? I read that a 100g of peanuts has 2g or more of salt! And that is a portion.

jman0

hamster wrote:

Hey, when you pick up a packet of, hmmm let's say a packet of cereal. You look at the Nutrition section and scan down through the numbers. Ok, say you are male and are allowed 90g of fat per day.

The packet states 5.5g of Fat per 100g on the packet. Of which 1g is saturated. What is meant by this? Does it mean that you have used up 5.5g of your 90g limit or do you take the 1g of saturated as the "bad" portion?

In an example of 100g of Peanuts you see that there is 46.2g of fat.
1) 7.9g of this saturates
2) 21.3g is mono-saturates
3) 14.6g is polyunsaturates.

It's been awhile since I did nutrition in Biology. I'm guessing that the 7.9g is the worst for you, while the 14.6g is the healthier portion. Something to do with the multiple chains?

Likewise on the cereal, I see Carbohydrates.. say 40g of which 5g sugars. What is meant by this? I'm guessing it relates to the speed or the portion that more or less breakdowns rapidly into the bloodstream - sugar rush. Bad, since the energy is wasted and not released slowly, so I'm guessing the 35g remaining is released slowly over a few hours as the complex carbohydrates are broken down.

Do you expect to stick to a limit of 5g of salt per day in a world of crisps, bread, potatoes? I read that a 100g of peanuts has 2g or more of salt! And that is a portion.

I don't know why you are trying to restrict yourself to 90g of fat per day, but since you are trying, than if i were you i would stop rationalizing cheating and count the 46.2g of fat in the peanuts as 46.2g of fat.

monkeyman

Well I try and limit myself to 90g as well. Now I'm only 59kgs and 5'6" so 90g of fat is 540 calories and that is over a quarter of my daily intake so its more than enough for me.

I count fat as fat 1g = 1g

Transform

Monkeyman less of the food label reading and weight watchers approach.

When reading the food labels:-
1. If you can't spell it or pronounce it don't eat it
2. If it didn't exist over 50 years ago don't eat it (lots of exceptions, i am sure you get the point)
3. If it comes in a box or package it generally indicates that it is processed and loaded with preservatives and junk

Refrain from 'restricting' and eat normal unprocessed foods

1g fat = 9 calories
1g protein/carbs = 4 calories
1g alcohol = 7 calories

Please no posts on good or bad fats as it has been answered soooo many times before i.e. saturated fats are not all bad e.g. butter and coconut oil