How to accurately measure pasta?

JohnDaConqueror
JohnDaConqueror Posts: 52 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I use a foodscale but, depending what the pasta gets mixed with, water, etc, that all adds weight to the pasta. So, how many grams of pasta am I really consuming? For example, I just had some pasta (very little), and the serving size was 35g, and I literally put like 8 shells of pasta, and that went up to 45g, barely anything on the plate...the brand I had was - Natelle's Reggano Pasta Salad

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    The nutrition info on the package is for dry weight. If you need to weigh after it's cooked, you need to find an entry that specifies "cooked". It won't be as accurate as dry (different cooking times will lead to more or less water being absorbed which will slightly change the weight), but it's fine if that's what you have to (or want to) do.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    Is this pasta salad that all comes in a box and you prepare or is it already prepared?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member
    Since the calories on the label are for uncooked and you're weighing it cooked, that's a problem.

    If you're cooking more than one serving of pasta and you want to weigh out your portion from the batch, weigh it raw, then weigh the entire batch after cooking and divide that number by the number of raw servings you started with.

    So if you weigh out (say) 224g of raw pasta (4 servings) and then cook it and weigh it again you'll get something like 440g, cooked.

    So one serving of cooked pasta would be 110g. :)
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    The best is to weigh it dry. When you cook it, you add water to it, but it is hard to estimate exactly because different cooking methods and time add a different amount of water. If you have the option to measure it dry, that is best.
  • OldHobo
    OldHobo Posts: 647 Member
    I think this is the kind of stuff the op is talking about. 9lfuv8hafg1q.jpg
    If so, presuming you followed the package directions, use the nutrition info label data. If you only eat part of the box, the most accurate strategy is to weigh the whole batch after cooking, then weigh what you eat and log the % of the total.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Ah, ok. Well if the nutrition info box on the package doesn't specify, it's typically for dry. Otherwise it will say "as prepared" or something like that. I'm not familiar with that brand though.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member
    LyndaBSS wrote: »
    Why weigh? When I make rice, for example, if 1 cup of rice equals 4 servings, when it's done cooking, I separate into 4 servings, 3 in storage containers, 1 on my plate and that's it. I have my per serving info from the packaging.

    yeah, theoretically that's, "Close enough is good enough," with pasta but I find it easy to weigh the completed batch and then I know. I guess years of using a food scale has made it a habit. If I make stuff to freeze, I just weigh the completed batch then I know what "1 serving" is. If you're serving a family, they don't all take precise portions so it's good to know what one portion is for my use.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    LyndaBSS wrote: »
    Why weigh? When I make rice, for example, if 1 cup of rice equals 4 servings, when it's done cooking, I separate into 4 servings, 3 in storage containers, 1 on my plate and that's it. I have my per serving info from the packaging.

    It depends on how accurate a person needs to be. My standard measuring cup holds 15% more rice than the gram weight for a one cup serving as noted on the box. That might not matter depending on the particular needs of an individual. It would for me as when I am eating in a deficit it's as small as possible to get the job done.

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