Confused with Kcals

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bb4886
bb4886 Posts: 118 Member
edited February 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
So i scanned my pasta this morning and it came up as 100g = 367kcal but the packet says uncooked 100g = 160kcal but then says something about cooked pasta being more kcal.

Im confused as to what i should put as i asummed that 100g uncooked would have the exact same amount of kcals cooked meaning it should be 160kcal regardless of the weight - am i wrong?

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  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    So you weighed 100g uncooked, and cooked it? Then I'm pretty sure it should be the same amount of calories (that's how I've always done it). Is it MFP saying it's more calories? The database isn't always right, go with what's on the packet.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    log it as 100g raw - if the entry doesn't exist - scan the packet and log it yourself
  • bb4886
    bb4886 Posts: 118 Member
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    Thanks :)
  • Stuart107
    Stuart107 Posts: 17 Member
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    Dry pasta - what ever the type - is basically 80% carbohydrate with the remainder split between water (10%) and protein/fat.

    A single gram of carbohydrate or protein contains roughly 4kcal whereas fats are 9kcal/g. The carbs in 100g of dry pasta therefore contribute 320kcal (100g * 0.8 * 4) with the protein/fats making up the remainder.

    So 357kcal/100g sounds about right for uncooked, dry, pasta.
  • bethouiseevans
    bethouiseevans Posts: 41 Member
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    160Kcals for 100g of raw pasta sounds way too low - I think that must be an error, Like Stuart said, 357Kcals sounds a lot more like it! It is possible that 100G of cooked pasta is 160kcals however...
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited February 2015
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    They are right actually - did you read the packet wrong? Scanning it should clarify that.

    From google

    Dried pasta: http://www.nutracheck.co.uk/calories/calories_in_pasta_noodles__rice/calories_in_pasta_penne_pasta_dried.html#.VPBR5vmsVqU

    Cooked pasta: http://www.caloriegallery.com/foods/calories-in-penne-pasta-cooked.htm
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
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    When you cook pasta it double in size/weight. Pick one of the measurements on the box and either weight before or after cooking. So using the links above as an example:

    Dried pasta at 50g = 178 calories
    Cooked pasta at 100g = 169 calories

    That is the same amount of pasta. And possibly different brands ranging a whooping 10 calories.

    Side note: Quinoa is 4x the size/weight when cooked.

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