Sharing why I don’t include nutrition information on recipes, as it pertains to The Mediterranean Diet, and what I think is a better indicator of health.
Food for Thought
I recently received a great comment on this Italian Chicken Bake recipe. In the comment, a reader shared that they wish I included nutritional information on my recipes.
It really got me thinking about the pro’s/con’s of nutrient information and decided to share my take on the matter.
Why I Don’t Share Nutritional Analysis for Recipes
As a Registered Dietitian I have years and years of practice computing nutritional analysis, calculating energy/carbohydrate/protein/fat needs, and creating nutrition info for recipes.
That being said, I personally don’t include nutritional info for the recipes here on the blog because of the following reasons.
The Mediterranean Diet doesn’t focus on Calories
One of the reasons I really advocate for The Mediterranean Diet is because the focus is more about what to add to your meals rather than something you should take away.
The focus is on real food, not eliminating certain food groups or counting calories. It’s seen as a way of life and I don’t see tracking the grams of protein or fat as a long term way of life for me. No judgement at all to those who do, it’s a personal choice and everyone is different.
Ingredients over Nutrient Value
I think the ingredients used in a recipe are a better indicator of overall health than the nutrition analysis.
For example, I would much rather prefer to see what ingredients are listed on a food label to decide if I want to try it rather than a numerical value for calories, protein, fat, etc. The ingredient list gives a better picture.
Trying to choose foods with real ingredients, less preservatives and with as little added sugars as possible is important to me and a guideline of The Mediterranean Diet.
I will say the sodium information on prepared foods are helpful as far as nutrient analysis goes. Sometimes you can’t always tell the amount of sodium in a food strictly from the ingredient list.
It’s Not Always Accurate
If you’ve ever tried to find the data for a certain food using an online calculator, then you already know it isn’t an exact science. If you are curious, this Food Composition Database is the one I have used.
Simply type in “spinach” and you already have 40 pages of results. Choices ranging from raw, with stems, frozen, canned, specific brands, etc. Once you narrow down your choice, then you have the option of measurement: grams, ounces, cups, etc. Needless to say there is room for error.
It’s also a lot of work! Finding the closest possible choice for each ingredient in a recipe is very time consuming. I appreciate those that take the time, but it isn’t high on my list of priorities.
PS you can read about my food philosophy here.
It Takes Away the Joy
As I shared in What I Think People Get Wrong about The Mediterranean Diet, many of us have lost the joy. The joy of eating. Or the joy of cooking. Or the joy of sharing meals with others.
Food is meant to be savored, enjoyed and shared with others. I think that information gets lost, especially when it pertains to counting calories.
Some Instances where it may be Useful
Just because I don’t include nutrient analysis doesn’t mean that there aren’t situations where it’s valuable. Some examples of where I find the value include –
Diabetes
People with diabetes have to be aware of carbohydrates when planning their meals. Especially if administering insulin since the amount can vary on carbohydrate intake. When I had gestational diabetes with both of my pregnancies, the carbohydrate count listed on products was valuable to me.
The wonderful reader that sparked this blog post mentioned that she wanted to share the recipe with her diabetes support group. I totally get that.
However, I also feel that carbohydrate “exchanges” can be a good indicator as well. For example, knowing that 1/2 cup of pasta is “1 Carbohydrate Exachange” means you can count it as being 15 grams of Carbohydrates. For me, this is an easier way to count carbohydrates in terms of diabetes. But again, I realize everyone is different and some prefer the actual grams listed.
Sodium Restrictions
As I mentioned earlier, I see the value in having the amount of sodium listed on packaged foods. It isn’t always easy to tell if a recipe is high in sodium based on the ingredients. Especially if you aren’t familiar with high sodium foods.
I feel like sodium is an area that we all can focus on reducing. This is especially important to those with sodium restrictions or high blood pressure.
However, the Mediterranean Diet tends to be full of foods and ingredients that are lower in added sodium. Due to a large part from the emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs rather than salt for flavor, whole grains and reduced pre-packaged foods.
Curiosity and General Knowledge
Since I have a nutrition degree, I have a strong knowledge of the composition of many foods. But many people don’t. I can see how glancing at the nutrition analysis on a recipe you find on the internet can be interesting. Especially when you are surprised at the amount of calories/protein/fat/carbohydrate a recipe contains.
Foods can be tricky. Just look at the menu from The Cheesecake Factory and you might never want to see calorie information listed for your favorite slice of cheesecake ever again.
However, while it may help increase general knowledge, I don’t thing these gives the whole story of a food. I also believe that if you want a slice of cheesecake, just order the damn cheesecake and enjoy every glorious bite.
Just My Opinion
As with most things on the internet, his is my opinion. There are gray areas and I certainly don’t judge those that want the nutrition info on recipes.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Great article B
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