The Truth About Cooking Sprays

THIS COOKING SPRAY CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 100 GRAMS OF FAT = 900 CALORIES.

Have you ever wondered how cooking spray contains zero calories?

It doesn’t, that’s how.

Cooking spray nutrition labels claim that they contain zero calories, but the label is surprisingly misleading.

If you look at the label you’ll see that the serving size for cooking spray is 1/4 second. So the zero calorie claim only applies if you spray for a fourth of a second, which is not humanly possible. (Actually even then it’s still not zero calories - keep reading.)

According to FDA rules, if a serving has less than 5 calories, it’s rounded down to 0. One serving of cooking spray is roughly 2 calories, so it’s listed as 0 calories on the label. But remember, the serving size is 1/4 second. A normal spray lasts about 6 seconds, which provides 50-60 calories, and most people spray for much longer, unintentionally loading calories onto their meals.

The good news is, cooking spray still contains fewer calories and less fat than butter and oil, which contain over 100 calories per tablespoon. So it’s still a good cooking alternative, but it’s not calorie-free as the label claims. So if you’re watching your calories and your fat intake, it’s important to take into account the true serving size you’re using in each meal. Counting the length of your spray time or measuring serving sizes using a measuring spoon are great ways to ensure you’re not accidentally going over your desired calorie/fat intake.