Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Here's the problem...

I'm a label reader (of the nutritional variety), a/k/a a carb counter. I don't mind it at all, actually I rather enjoy it. Sure, I long for the days of just tearing in to a big pack of chips and eating them without counting how many....some of us have strange dreams I guess!

But hey, to know that I can have whatever I want and simply count up the grams of carb and bolus (take insulin) for it is awesome! Then to see that "96 mg/dl" reading two hours later, now that's just good-old-fashioned fun!!

And how hard is it? I mean seriously, everything has a label. It's the law now, so all the manufacturers have to include their info. You get to know it by heart after awhile...2 grams per ritz cracker, 11 in 5 premium saltines, 13 in a taco bell hardshell....easy-peasy.

But then the potato chip people mess up the whole process. Take a look here:



Your standard chip, right? (No offense Nacho-Cheese Dorito. You, by no means, are standard!)

But when you dig a little deeper in the bag, you're rewarded with these:
See full size image





Broken, fragments of dorito delight. These are the real keepers, because they have unusually high amounts of "cheese" coating (or whatever that dark orange stuff is).

But what are we supposed to do? Piece them together to equal one 'regular' chip? I mean seriously, it's hard enough to keep count as you're eating, now you have to do a 'dorito puzzle' to figure out how many you've actually eaten?

And even if you could somehow do that, there's this little issue:



See the problem yet? HINT: Look at the serving size....

I can figure out *around* how many chips (by piecing the shards together, Dorito-puzzle style) I've inhaled , I mean eaten, but then to have the serving size be "ABOUT 11??" Come on..

I guess I can go with 'about 11,' (to me I see...13 :) but then I have to with my ultimate (current favorite) chip:
Old Dutch: Ripples French Onion Chips, 11 oz

Just seeing the bag makes me hungry. Couple that with some Dean's French Onion Dip, and you're in chip-topia!

But check this nonsense out:



Now let's be real...which side of the 'about' are you going to favor? Not which side do you want to believe you'll use, be honest.....oh yeah - 15 (at least, right?)

So that's the problem. Even when you carb count and label read like you're supposed to, it STILL can be more of an art than science.

Hmmm, the art of potato chips, now that's a degree I would have magna cum lauded!

Keep pumpin'....

5 comments:

Karen said...

Oh yeah, I hear you!! Those nutrition labels aren't quite as helpful as they are meant to be, huh? I use my little kitchen scale to weigh the grams. :)

beckybj said...

I knew it was only a matter of time before you posted about doritos. I just can't believe your giving up on the dorito and have a new favorite. Ripples can't be as good:)

Vanessa said...

Pastor James,
This was hilarious...probably only because I know exactly what you mean when you refer to 'chip-topia'!
This was an excellent post! Thanks for sharing!
Vanessa

Scott K. Johnson said...

Great post! Carb counting in real life isn't quite as easy as your favorite CDE would have you believe. :-)

Cherise said...

Yum, nacho cheese doritos...Yum! Reading a label is simple but reading the label and understanding the serving size is very important. Chips are my down fall so I have to keep them out of the house. When I do eat chips, I go for the small 25 cent bag. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I enjoyed your comment.