I am curious about how to calculate nutritional values of foods based on their weight. Do you weigh it before you cook it and use that measurement or after its cooked.
For example, I have noticed that if I weigh out 6 oz of frozen boneless, skinless chicken tenders, then cook it and weigh it afterward it is around 3-4 oz. And pasta would be the opposite.
I am trying to stick to a strict nutritional regimen and am finding that hard based off pre/post cooked weights. Any guidelines. Thanks.
Erica
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02-15-2010, 07:40 PM #1
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Weighing food before or after its cooked?
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02-15-2010, 07:46 PM #2
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you weight pasta before because the weight change is a gain in only water, you weigh chicken after because its the change due to water evaporation.
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02-15-2010, 07:47 PM #3
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usually you use the lighter of the before/after values
What's my plan???.... simple really...EAT RIGHT....LIFT HEAVY....REST... repeat until desired results are achieved.
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02-15-2010, 08:19 PM #4
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In general whatever source you use for the caloric density will tell you whether raw or cooked. For example, I use nutritiondata.com and it will say "Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, fried" or I could pick the one that says raw. Remember, there's going to be some variance in the numbers you come up with and some will be an estimate, so don't drive yourself crazy over it if theres a 10 calorie difference for something.
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02-16-2010, 04:59 AM #5
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thanks for the input guys. My biggest thing is trying to get the best bang for my buck. If I am allocating 4 oz of chicken breast for dinner and I weigh it prior to cooking, I'm really only getting 2-3 oz and, well, that's just not enough But you are right about the nutrition information. The book I have says cooked or raw as well, I guess I am mainly more concerned about the actual weight.
"There's something about a heavy weight that makes a body not want to get under it. Part of the fun of weightlifting is rousing one's spirit and getting under a heavy weight in spite of one's more sensible survival instincts." -Stenn
"Conditioning prepares you for battle. Cardio makes you really good at running slowly away." -Chris Shugart.
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02-16-2010, 06:55 AM #6
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I had to do this last night
I had a lamb burger for lunch and it measured 4.9 OZ for mine and 4 OX for my wifes and after it was done cooking I decided to weigh it again becuase it lost so much size and it was only 2.4OZ for mine and 2OZ for hers I am glad I weighed it again becuase that was a difference of almost 150 Cal for mine and 120 for Hers, which is a big difference on strict diet regimens.
I did the same thing with steak was 6 oz before and only 2.8 after I was really suprised and glad becuase If I would have not re-weighed the steaked by daily value would have been a alot higher.
Good question I am glad you asked it."Dicipline-Sacrifice-Dedication"
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04-25-2010, 02:44 PM #7
i should do the same with potatoes right?
sorry for the bump.
the potatoe before cooking was 160grams and after it weighs about 90grams
i cut em up into fries and just threw em in the oven.
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04-25-2010, 03:57 PM #8
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I've read so many different things on this issue now. Many say weight meat before, many say weight after.
Also, with things with bones, does the bone count towards the weighting?
Really need to know for sure, because I have been weighting everything before and that could mean I have been eating 200-300 calories less than what I believed and not getting enough protein.
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04-25-2010, 04:12 PM #9
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according to emma leigh, becuase I asked this question before, when weighing you should weigh before cooked because the amount of calories in something is what it is regardless of the water that cooks out of it. she also has information on how to recalculate when you cook fat out of something but since i dont eat meat except fish I dont worry about the fat from beef. Also, like previously mentioned I always choose the "raw" option when calculating calories into a calculator
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04-25-2010, 04:15 PM #10
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04-25-2010, 04:17 PM #11
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02-18-2013, 05:43 AM #12
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11-29-2013, 09:22 PM #13
bodybuilders weigh theyre food raw... it makes no sense to weigh cooked chicken or beef or anything.. say you freeze your meat, thaw it, cook it, then weigh it.. do you know how much water weight is going to be lost that way.. no site will be accurate on cooked versions, your better off to go by raw weight.. because when thawing you think protein or calories leak out... no... and when cooking an 8 ounce chicken breast raw weight, happens to turn into 5 instead of 6 you think you would count macros for a 5 oz chicken breast.. and about freezing you would want to weigh it prior to freezing, because like i said before thawed out will lose extra water oppose to fresh.. but the calories stay the same.. weigh out 4 or 8 ounce portions or more. prior to cooking or freezing and go by the 20 percent of that weight is usually protein or a bit more , ill freezing extra lean ground beef or chicken that is 4 and 8 ozs and after thawing it could be down 50 grams, then cooking it will take out moisture. the only accurate way is to weigh your stuff fresh raw and the macros stay the same no matter what you do to it anyone weighing meat cooked is doing it wrong imo.. pro bodybuilders weigh it prior also
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11-29-2013, 10:00 PM #14
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Depends on what it is, if it's meat/poultry. I'd weigh it raw.
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11-29-2013, 11:51 PM #15
anything labeled raw like meat, should be weighed raw imo, bodybuilders do it that way, because no matter what you do to it the caloric numbers stay the same, i personally buy meat in bulk, weigh out 8 ounce portions , and vac seal it, and when i thaw it, it definitely loses mad weight, then cook it it loses more, but the macros are based on 8 oz of that meat raw, people try to say oh you should weigh it cooked because thats how your eating it.. lol.. when a label says x amount of calories raw they dont mean if you eat it raw lol, they mean weigh it raw cook it up, and no matter what it weighs its the still the original macros. same with rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, should all be weighed raw, theres no telling how much water cooks out, but nutrition stays same
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11-30-2013, 04:33 AM #16
I tend to cook big batches of protein at once and then package up in individual meals for the week. I'm not weighing out that stuff raw and doing just fine. I use nutritional guidelines I found online for the cooked vs raw calories and it seems to be working. If I were to cook meals everyday I'd probably do the raw weight but this saves me time and effort.
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11-30-2013, 11:15 AM #17
ya it all comes down to consistency not saying it will destroy your diet, because when it comes down to it your within a good range, and you know your body so if things dont seem right you adjust, but im just saying if one wanted to be super precise you go raw like the bodybuilders, but makes no difference when it comes down to it, i know 1 natural bodybuilder who weighs it cooked, he admits raw is more precise as his couch tells him to do but he doesnt care because it works for him
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05-10-2021, 03:35 AM #18
Food weight
Weigh the meat when it’s uncooked, or look at the total amount contained in the package. After it’s cooked, re-weigh it, and then divide this new weight by the number of servings you wanted, based upon it’s raw weight. Then just portion it out.
For example: Let’s say the package of raw meat you are about to cook weighs 1 lb. If you want to make two, 8 oz. portions, knowing that this package weights 16 oz., you can cook it, weigh it after, then just divide that by two. Remember, that after cooking it, it may only weigh 12 oz., making each of the portions now only 6 oz. However, the nutrition facts for each of these meals will be equal to that of an 8 oz. portion of raw meat.
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