Tommy's Take by Tommy Pomatico 4/7
The Calorie Label Lie: What the FDA Really Allows (and Why It Matters If You’re Overeating)
If you’re someone who tracks your food, counts calories, or even just tries to stay somewhat mindful of what you eat, you’ve probably glanced at a nutrition label and trusted the numbers. After all, it’s regulated by the FDA, right?
Well, here’s the kicker most people don’t know: the calorie count on a food label can legally be off by up to 20%—and still be considered accurate.
Yep, you read that right. A snack labeled as having 200 calories could actually have up to 240 calories, and that’s completely legal under FDA guidelines.
Why This Happens
The FDA allows for a 20% margin of error to account for variations in ingredients, cooking methods, and portion sizes during production. While it may sound reasonable in theory, in practice, this can add up fast—especially if you're someone who eats packaged or prepared foods regularly.
And if you’re someone who’s intentionally trying to eat in a calorie deficit (for fat loss) or watching intake for performance or medical reasons, this “margin of error” can completely mess with your progress.
How It Adds Up
Let’s break it down with an example:
You eat 5 packaged foods a day (bars, frozen meals, protein shakes, etc.).
Each one has a label stating 300 calories.
But because of the 20% wiggle room, you could actually be eating 360 calories per item.
That’s an extra 300 calories per day you didn’t account for.
Over the course of a week? That’s 2,100 untracked calories—the equivalent of almost a full day’s worth of food for some people.
This Matters Even More If You’re Overeating
Now let’s flip it.
If you’re someone who tends to eat more than a single serving—say a full pint of ice cream or double the serving of chips—you’re not just doubling the calories on the label… you’re potentially doubling the inflated calorie count.
So if that pint of ice cream says it’s 1,000 calories for the whole thing, you might actually be eating 1,200 without knowing it. Combine that with other underestimated meals throughout the day, and it becomes much easier to overshoot your calorie goals without realizing why progress has stalled.
A Strong Case for Whole Foods
This is where whole, minimally processed foods shine.
When you eat things like chicken breast, rice, sweet potatoes, eggs, oats, fruits, and veggies—you know what you're getting. Calorie and macro data on whole foods tends to be much more consistent and reliable because there aren’t the same variations in processing, manufacturing, or packaging.
Plus, whole foods are naturally more satiating and nutrient-dense, meaning you’ll often feel fuller on fewer calories compared to highly processed options.
So if you’re serious about your goals—whether it’s fat loss, muscle gain, or better performance—shifting your intake toward more whole foods doesn’t just help your body… it helps your tracking stay accurate too.
So What Can You Do?
Here are a few practical takeaways:
Prioritize whole foods when possible. They’re more predictable, and way less likely to throw your numbers off.
Be conservative with your estimates when eating packaged or restaurant foods. If you’re in a cutting phase, it’s not a bad idea to “round up” calorie estimates slightly.
Pay attention to trends, not daily fluctuations. One day of being slightly off won’t make or break your goals, but if progress is stalling consistently, it might be worth revisiting how accurate your tracking really is.
Bottom Line:
Nutrition labels are helpful—but they’re not perfect. That 20% margin might not seem like much, but over time (especially if you’re regularly eating packaged foods or overeating portions), it can quietly undo your progress.
If you want to eat in a way that supports your goals with fewer surprises, stick to the foods you can actually trust—because whole foods don’t lie.
