of flesh you have around your waist.

Oh, and manufacturers are allowed to be up to 20 percent off with their calorie listings.

you might guess which direction they tend to be off in…

Splenda.jpg

Losing weight and optimizing your health is all about the knowledge to make the right choice.

So, here’s a look at so-called zero calorie foods that aren’t actually zero calories.

For more ways the wool may be pulled over your eyes, don’t miss thesegrocery store scams.

pam spray can

Butter Sprays

Buttery sprays claim they contain zero calories and fat per spray.

But let’s be real: no one ever uses a single little squirt.

These ingredients have no benefit to our overall health and scientists are unsure of the long-term health effects."

walden farms dressing

You’re better off using actual buttereven if it has more caloriesthan chemically-rich butter or cooking sprays like PAM.

Find out theworst food additives in Americato see what else you should steer clear of!

The answer isn’t pretty.

chewing gum stick

Shirataki Noodles

Shirataki noodles are often referred to as the “skinny pasta.”

What the heck does that mean?

And, more importantly, how are these calorie-free?

shirataki noodles

Diet Soda

Diet soda is one of the sneakiest zero calorie foods on the market today.

“Consuming artificial sweeteners, like the ones in Diet Coke, trick your brain,” Amer says.

Not to mention that the artificial sweetener aspartame has been linked to cancer.

canned soda

However, who actually consumes just one of these sweet things?"

saysShirlee Rosen, RDN.

“From personal experience, I know how hard it is to stop at just one!

ice breakers candies

And the calories add up.

In ten weeks, that can cause you to gain one pound!

Whetzel also notes that many pickle brands containadded sugarand food coloring.

reddi whip spray can

The first two ingredients in Splenda are dextrose and maltodextrin, which are carbohydrates that are not calorie-free.

In fact, one cup of Splenda has 96 calories and 32 grams of carbohydrates.

Plus, as mentioned earlier, artificial sweeteners trick the brain into thinking it’s getting sugar.

pickles

You will probably reach for a cookie or grab an extra sweet treat.”

But there is no such thing as negative calories.

“That said, like any other fibrous vegetable, you will feel fuller after consuming it.”

splenda box

starbucks cups

coffee cup with saucer

celery