True Lemon label says zero carbs

(Bob) #1

I mix a product called true lemon in with my water. It’s dehydrated lemon and lemon oil. Nutrition label says it has zero carbs. How can this be if it’s from a fruit? Does anyone else use a product like this?

(James storie) #2

It has less than one gram per serving, so they can by law say 0 grams. It does add up if you go crazy! 1 or 2, or even 3 or 4 a day should be fine. I’ve used them in the past, but I do like the taste of water, so I don’t use them much.

(Dustin Cade) #3

this is the biggest issue with dietary information on the sides of food packages… serving size is such they can put 0 for carbs or sugar, though it could be .5g and still show 0… it can bite you if you go hog wild with it…

#4

And even if it contained 0 grams of carbohydrate regardless of serving size, it wouldn’t fit the spirit of “Zero Carb” (capital Z capital C) eating, which is about consuming animal products.

#5

Be careful. How big is the serving size? If less than half carb in a serving, they can state zero carbs. But if you are using multiple servings, the carbs add up.

(Bob) #6

Thank you. I’m realizing that u can’t trust labels.

#7

I emailed their customer service. All True Citrus packets (lemon, Lime, Grapefruit) have .75 grams carbs, so you can do the math from there. They were very friendly and helpful btw!

#8

Based on that, shouldn’t they have to mark carbs “less than 1 carb” ?

Thanks for the info.

#9

One would think, yes… I guess that’s our food labeling laws at work.

#10

They SHOULD but they don’t have too. Splenda (granular) has .5g per packet (marked 0 of course) for a while my wife was making big pitchers of iced tea using 1 cup of it until we figured out it had 24g per cup thanks to that. NO reason they should be allowed to pull that crap.

(Bob) #11

I am going to stop using true lemon but I still need to flavor my water. I wonder if celestial seasoning herbal tea bags are carb safe. Anyone know?

(Ron) #12

I’ve been using the lime packets forever, they help me drink a lot more water than I would if it was just plain. That said, one packet goes a long way. For my 32oz bottle of water, I usually add just half a packet. If it is 1/2 of .75 carbs I think that is fine, especially if I end up drinking more water. :slight_smile:

(Norma Laming) #13

Can I offer this suggestion? Organic lemons, unlike ordinary lemons, are yellow because they are ripe, if you slice thinly and leave the slices of say half a lemon in a 2 pint jug, within a day the water will be cloudy and taste like old fashioned still lemonade. The longer you leave it the more flavour, obviously. It really couldn’t be easier or more natural.

This doesn’t work with non organic supermarket lemons because they are picked when green and unripe and the taste is (for me) unpleasantly sour. Also you don’t know what pesticides or preservatives they have been sprayed with: organic lemons do rot quite quickly.

(Bob) #14

Thanks Norma, I will try switching to organic lemon slices in my jug of water

(Norma Laming) #15

I hope you enjoy it! I should say that on thinking this through, probably one whole sliced lemon in 2 pints of water is better.

#16

If an item is .75g, they are required by the FDA to state “Contains less than 1 g” or “less than 1 g.” They can only say “0” when it’s .4g of carbs or fewer.

Here’s the handy-dandy FDA chart.

02 AM
Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 11.37.02 AM.png1418×156 21.6 KB

https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm064932.htm