How many calories does your favorite food have? Survey reveals Brits massively underestimate calories in food –

Brits greatly underestimate how many calories their favorite dishes are, considering that fish and chips contain only a third of the actual amount.

Research data published today says that the average person considers most of the nation’s favorite food to have 388 calories, the same as a three-pack of Walker’s delicious potato chips.

But in reality, the real number is closer to 1,000. It will be even higher if sauces like ketchup, gravy and curry sauce are added.

The survey of 1,500 adults also revealed that Brits misjudge how bad chocolate, pizza and even wine are for their waistlines.

Although it contains about 236 calories, adults consider a standard milk chocolate bar only 187 calories.

Meanwhile, the average Brit estimates that eating a slice of pan-fried pepperoni pizza would mean consuming 210 calories. Each piece contains about 505.

And a large glass of wine costs 184, but rises from an estimated 146 to 194 in a pint of lager beer, while adults only consider it to contain 115.

The numbers could explain why the UK is facing an obesity epidemic, given that “there are so many high-calorie foods on offer and very few people know how many calories there are”, experts said.

The survey of 1,500 adults also revealed that Brits misjudge how bad chocolate, pizza and even wine are for their waistlines. Although it contains about 236 calories, adults consider a standard milk chocolate bar only 187 calories. Meanwhile, the average Brit estimates that eating a slice of pan-fried pepperoni pizza would mean consuming 210 calories. Each piece contains about 505

HOW SHOULD A BALANCED NUTRITION BE?

According to the NHS, meals should be potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.

• Eat at least 5 servings of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably wholemeal

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread, and a large baked potato in the crust

• Have some alternatives to milk or dairy products (such as soy drinks) and choose low-fat, low-sugar options

• Eat beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which is fat)

• Choose unsaturated fats and spreads and consume sparingly.

• Drink 6-8 glasses / glass of water a day

• Adults should have less than 6 g of salt per day and less than 20 g of saturated fat for women and less than 30 g for men.

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide

Data collected by calorie-counting app My Fitness Pal shows Brits underestimate the number of calories in food by a third compared to the average actual calorie toll for food in their database.

For lunch, Brits estimate their baked potato with beans has only 274 calories, whereas it actually has 433 calories.

And those considering opting for a healthier option with a store-bought Caesar salad may be shocked to see that it has 508 calories, compared to 298 participants who thought it contained.

The shrimp mayonnaise sandwich and a slice of cheddar cheese contained about 100 calories more than the British expected.

The British weren’t even sure health-conscious people were estimating the calories in their favorite foods.

They thought avocados had 149 calories—less than half the actual number of 322—and two tablespoons of peanut butter would add 107 calories to their daily total, down from the actual number of 188.

For snacks, participants believed 100g of sweet popcorn would have only 289 calories. It actually contains 417.

But the British were a little closer when they suspected that salt-and-vinegar fries contained 100 calories, as the average package contained 138 calories.

Study participants underestimated the calories in their dinner options by a quarter and estimated that a chicken tikka masala drink at a restaurant would set you back 820 calories instead of 1,067.

And they figured that if a cheeseburger had 364 calories, it would have 265 calories.

And a chocolate brownie has around 600 calories (more than a quarter of the 2,000 recommended daily intake for a woman), but the average Brit estimates it contains just 441 calories.

The UK is one of the fattest countries in Europe with 63% of adults being overweight. Childhood obesity rates are also on the rise.

Former BBC TV presenter nutritionist Amanda Hamilton said: “These statistics may help us to understand a little about why we are so prone to obesity in the UK.

“There are so many high-calorie foods on offer, and very few people really know how many calories are in them. Unfortunately, many of these calorie-popping foods are also low in nutrients, so it’s a double blow. “

Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition and nutritional sciences at the University of Reading, told MailOnline that he was not surprised by the study’s findings.

He said: “Predicting the calorie content of food is incredibly difficult, especially when some ‘calories’ are not obvious (like the fat in fish and chips).

“I’m not sure if this really explains the increase in obesity, the difficulty in estimating intake has not changed.

‘The foods selected in the study are likely to be those whose caloric content can be estimated very easily.

“People who are on a diet (or, frankly, those with an eating disorder and focus on calories) will probably make much better estimates because they will be more aware of their calorie content, but I don’t think you can predict any way.”

While Brits lag far behind in calorie counting, around a third (32%) still try to count calories every day, but seven out of ten people will guess rather than look at menu labels.

More than one-fifth (22%) of those surveyed experience a complete loss when it comes to losing weight.