The dieting industry has long considered 3,500 calories as equal to one pound of fat. It is their Golden Rule. The idea being don’t eat the calories, or burn them off and one pound of fat disappears. New ingredient rules and calorie counts in places like New York city are proving the rule, if not necessarily false, at least more complex. “Food Banners” and “Ingredient Listers” have claimed that their rules would reduce the obese in NYC by 150,000 members in 5 years. They are NOT ON TRACK and the refutation threatens further draconian legislation, notably food regulations built into the Obama Care law. There is some mild math to explain the disparity, having to do with energy and the weight of protein versus fat, but basically the body adjusts its metabolism over longer time frames and requires less fuel to power itself as weight declines. For now the Banners & Listers are being forced to rewrite their claims; changing “at least a pound of fat burned for 3500 calories” to “up to a pound of fat burned.”At SmartKitchen.com we support free people making culinary decisions. We are against food bans. We believe, instead, in moderation, education, and fresh foods (and exercise) as the best path to health. Join us at www.smartkitchen.com to learn more about our philosophy. 

P Chef