The FastDay Forum

Hi,
I'm starting up on my first fast day tomorrow & have just been double checking my planned menu for the calorie content but I've just realised that across 3 different calorie counting websites I get a range of everything from 25cal to 52cal for 100g of raw carrots.
It's a basic standard vegetable & by measuring an exact amount I was hoping to avoid the small/medium/large issue. How on earth can a plain old carrot double in calories between sites?
Now I'm just confused & no longer sure how many calories I'll actually be eating on my fast days. Thoughts? Who do I believe? Am planning to buy the book but haven't made it to the shops yet. What does that say?
Thanks in advance everyone

This happens a lot. Many of the sites allow people to add to the data base so errors occur. I think most people pick a site they like (or buy a pocket calculator book) and stick with it. That way you find the calorie level that suits you and stick with it so the discrepancies dont matter so much.

Its not a totally exact science as calorie counts will vary according to the food item tested, where it was grown and what the climate was like etc. All these thing alter the sugars present which affect the counts for veg in particular. On days where they want to be super-strict a lot of people seem to go for ready meals with a count on the box for simplicity.

I always try and leave myself about 10-20% under on fasting days, to allow for calorie discrepancies. I agree it's irksome, I use 2 different calorie counters (MFP and livestrong) and then use an average from those, and when I write recipes, the calories on that come up slightly different again.

[Moogie]

I wouldn't worry too much about it, and if I find a couple of different readings I'll go with something halfway between them. If you go a little over on your fast days it doesn't really matter

Thanks everyone. I'd pretty much decided to go with an average for the time being. And I agree that a few calories over or under is neither here nor there when you've dropped to 1/4 of a normal days allowance anyway
Fast day #1 going OK. Hungry but not unbearable. Nearly didn't do it as I woke with a headache but took a couple of panadol & decided to plough on. Day 1 is no time for excuses!!

Good on you Simonee for sticking to your plan!
And do remember as everyone says, it gets easier.
All the best for today.

I tend either to use the information on the packet, which should be specific for that particular variety, or I go to the food lists in the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list. They compile tons of nutritional info from the original research papers and calculate the average. Of course you sometimes have to translate your search into American