When "Pepsi-Zero" or whatever advertise that they have zero calories what exactly does that mean?
My understanding was that a calorie was a measure of energy and I have vague memories of using a (?) bomb calorimeter to measure how much heat was released when things were burned. I'm sure that the dry matter content of "Coke-Zero" or whatever (i.e. sweeteners, colourants, flavourings etc.) would release energy if burned, so technically have a calorie content. Yet these calories are (presumably) unavailable to the body for metabolism (and hence weight gain).
So the question is, who decides which calories are which and whether "Zero-Calorie" drinks are allowed to call themselves "Zero-Calorie", even though they contain calories? Is there a big list somewhere?
I'd like to say this excellent question was mine but actually it comes from my 16 year old daughter who is a proper smartie-pants sometimes!
Cheers (in anticipation),
Yuri
My understanding was that a calorie was a measure of energy and I have vague memories of using a (?) bomb calorimeter to measure how much heat was released when things were burned. I'm sure that the dry matter content of "Coke-Zero" or whatever (i.e. sweeteners, colourants, flavourings etc.) would release energy if burned, so technically have a calorie content. Yet these calories are (presumably) unavailable to the body for metabolism (and hence weight gain).
So the question is, who decides which calories are which and whether "Zero-Calorie" drinks are allowed to call themselves "Zero-Calorie", even though they contain calories? Is there a big list somewhere?
I'd like to say this excellent question was mine but actually it comes from my 16 year old daughter who is a proper smartie-pants sometimes!
Cheers (in anticipation),
Yuri
via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=268109&goto=newpost
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