Millions of brits are underestimating the calorie content of the uk’s most common foods

Millions of Brits are underestimating the calorie content of their favourite food, with the average Brit trying to consume 1,920 calories a day, but due to several snaccidents throughout the day, the true intake is more around 2635 calories a poll commissioned by The Laughing Cow has revealed.

Highlighting the lack of knowledge, the nation has when it comes to identifying the calorie content of some of the most popular meals and snacks, the study shows the average adult THINKS there are just 270 calories in a large-portion of cinema popcorn, when in fact there can be over triple that figure with up to 965. They also think a typical 50g portion of prawn crackers contained just 150 calories, when in fact it is nearer to 285.

A supermarket pepperoni pizza, a staple of many UK freezers contains a staggering 1,100 calories, but Brits guessed an average of 355 whilst a generous portion of fries contains approximately 445 calories, however Brits thought it was just 270.

However, it isn’t just fast food and snacks that is being dramatically underestimated, Brits were also way off the mark when asked to guess the content of a bowl of granola – the average adult guessing that a 100g bowl contained 145 calories, but the reality is closer to a staggering 450.

The poll found that 17 percent of adults exceed their calorie allowance EVERY day of the week, with the average adult in the UK checking the calorie content on packaging just four times a week. A quarter of adults (25%) said if they knew how many calories their favourite snacks and treats contained, it would stop them from eating them.

The Laughing Cow’s Snaccident campaign promote mindful snacking over mindless snacking.

Alexandra Labaisse, Brand Manager at The Laughing Cow comments ‘The Laughing Cow is on a mission to change the perception that snacking is bad because when done with a little thought this really isn’t the case. Too often we are reaching for snacks that, when we think about it properly, we don’t want. Whether it is a soggy sandwich left over after a meeting or a bowl of salty crisps that you devour on auto-pilot in front of the TV, it is clear we will simply graze without much thought. However, being mindful about what we are consuming and ensuring we dedicate the time to snack well means we can avoid ‘Snaccidents’ and enjoy a delicious snack without the guilt. The Laughing Cow is the perfect portion-controlled snack, starting from just 25 calories per triangle.’

How many calories needed per day ?

Over a third of respondents (36%) weren’t EVEN sure what a calorie is, with two thirds saying they often completely lose track of the number of calories that they consume each day. More than 1 in 10 (12%) thought men need 3,000 calories to stay the same weight when actually it is 2,500 and almost a fifth (18%) had no idea what a typical woman needed to consume to maintain their weight.

Six in ten (60%) of adults said they were amazed when they learnt how many calories were in their beloved foods and soft drinks. Wine, lager and cola were among the only foods where adults OVER estimated the calorie content.

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