How to record cooking oils?

TarryTaffy
TarryTaffy Posts: 883 Member
in Food and Nutrition
When I saute food in ghee, there's ghee in the pan when I'm done. I don't eat it, but of course some must absorb into the food. Same with any oil/butter.

So, how do I record that? Do I add in the amount I cook with, even though I'm not ingesting most of those calories? Or, add in half?

Replies

  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    You could always weigh what remains at the end, once it has cooled down to estimate how much was absorbed into the food.
  • TarryTaffy
    TarryTaffy Posts: 883 Member
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    You could always weigh what remains at the end, once it has cooled down to estimate how much was absorbed into the food.

    Hadn't thought of that, thank you. I don't have a scale but I could count Tlbs & measure when done.

    Thank you, Lilly.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited December 2019
    Overthinking the issue Cal control & wt loss does not require such precision.

    FWIW, I just include the cals for how much oil I added 2 the dish snd keave it st thst. If there is left over oil that u haven't ingested, this means that u will have overestimated your cals and would have sctually eaten less which mskes it more likely to facilitate your weightloss or maintenance efforts.

    This is what I do and it has worked well 4 me these past 4 yrs
  • TarryTaffy
    TarryTaffy Posts: 883 Member
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Overthinking the issue Cal control & wt loss does not require such precision.

    FWIW, I just include the cals for how much oil I added 2 the dish snd keave it st thst. If there is left over oil that u haven't ingested, this means that u will have overestimated your cals and would have sctually eaten less which mskes it more likely to facilitate your weightloss or maintenance efforts.

    This is what I do and it has worked well 4 me these past 4 yrs

    I know all the above & am not overthinking or worried about weight loss. Was asking a simple q.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    I usually count all that goes in the pan unless I see more than a tablespoon left in the pan. Then, I measure or estimate the oil to deduct at 120 calories per tbsp. Of course, meats that render out fat like bacon or burgers need to be weighed cooked not raw.
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
    If I’m cooking something where the 1cal spray oils won’t work I generally reduce the amount of oil used in the first place by around two thirds (so if a recipe calls for 1tbsp I’ll start with 1tsp.

    Many times this is enough, if my food/pan starts to become dry I’ll add a splash of water or stock just to lubricate things a little. This results in no oil being ‘unaccounted’ for on the whole.

    I’m not cooking meat though, and I can see how that could complicate matters if that’s rendering out too!
  • TarryTaffy
    TarryTaffy Posts: 883 Member
    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    I usually count all that goes in the pan unless I see more than a tablespoon left in the pan. Then, I measure or estimate the oil to deduct at 120 calories per tbsp. Of course, meats that render out fat like bacon or burgers need to be weighed cooked not raw.

    Thank you, Wilson. Another thing I didn't think of, thank you.
    I also was assuming most of the liquid in the pan was oil, but it could be meat juices.

    I'm not too worried about weight... was more wondering how many calories I'm really eating & how to record it. I'll just continue to estimate.
  • TarryTaffy
    TarryTaffy Posts: 883 Member
    BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »
    If I’m cooking something where the 1cal spray oils won’t work I generally reduce the amount of oil used in the first place by around two thirds (so if a recipe calls for 1tbsp I’ll start with 1tsp.

    Many times this is enough, if my food/pan starts to become dry I’ll add a splash of water or stock just to lubricate things a little. This results in no oil being ‘unaccounted’ for on the whole.

    I’m not cooking meat though, and I can see how that could complicate matters if that’s rendering out too!

    Okay, that's helpful, Barbara, thank you!
  • Tankiscool
    Tankiscool Posts: 11,105 Member
    Specifically for myself as I'm currently loosing fat I track all of it. I am of the mindset it's better to over calculate the calories then to under calculate them and get frustrated if I am not loosing weight. Which I know I would be

    That said, if I were bulking I'd only track half of it or measure what's left in the pan and subtract it from what you put into it.

    So it may depend primarily what your current goals are.

    At the end of the day it's an estimate of what we take in as far as calories and what we expend. It's never going to be dead on 100% of the time.

    Hope this helps somewhat!
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    TarryTaffy wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Overthinking the issue Cal control & wt loss does not require such precision.

    FWIW, I just include the cals for how much oil I added 2 the dish snd keave it st thst. If there is left over oil that u haven't ingested, this means that u will have overestimated your cals and would have sctually eaten less which mskes it more likely to facilitate your weightloss or maintenance efforts.

    This is what I do and it has worked well 4 me these past 4 yrs

    I know all the above & am not overthinking or worried about weight loss. Was asking a simple q.

    Not an unexpected reponse.

    You asked a simple question and I offered a simplier answer than you were looking for sndapoarently one that u (and the otherswho disagree w/me) do not care 2 cobsider

    That's fine Do as you wish You are overthinking the matter as many newbies do but no point dabating that w/you.

    Good luck in achieving whatever your goals may be

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,092 Member
    TarryTaffy wrote: »
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    You could always weigh what remains at the end, once it has cooled down to estimate how much was absorbed into the food.

    Hadn't thought of that, thank you. I don't have a scale but I could count Tlbs & measure when done.

    Thank you, Lilly.

    Depending on what you're cooking, liquid could be released by the food and be mixed with what's left in the pan, so you won't really know how much you used.

    I just count all the fat I put in the pan, but I don't deep-fry anything. Obviously, if you're deep-frying, it wouldn't make sense to count all the fat.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    TarryTaffy wrote: »
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    You could always weigh what remains at the end, once it has cooled down to estimate how much was absorbed into the food.

    Hadn't thought of that, thank you. I don't have a scale but I could count Tlbs & measure when done.

    Thank you, Lilly.

    Depending on what you're cooking, liquid could be released by the food and be mixed with what's left in the pan, so you won't really know how much you used.

    I just count all the fat I put in the pan, but I don't deep-fry anything. Obviously, if you're deep-frying, it wouldn't make sense to count all the fat.
    I rarely deep fry so I almost never have this problem, but made latkes earlier this week. Not deep frying, but there was a lot of oil involved. As you said, it would have made any sense to count all of the fat. I ended likely up over estimating at 1 tbsp per latke and let that be that. If I made them more frequently then it'd be worth being more accurate, but 12 latkes once a year isn't going to make a large dent in my weight loss.
  • TarryTaffy
    TarryTaffy Posts: 883 Member
    Thank you very much for the helpful responses.

    Happy New Year to you All!
  • TarryTaffy
    TarryTaffy Posts: 883 Member
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Good luck in achieving whatever your goals may be

    Thank you for your good wishes.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    TarryTaffy wrote: »
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    You could always weigh what remains at the end, once it has cooled down to estimate how much was absorbed into the food.

    Hadn't thought of that, thank you. I don't have a scale but I could count Tlbs & measure when done.

    Thank you, Lilly.

    Depending on what you're cooking, liquid could be released by the food and be mixed with what's left in the pan, so you won't really know how much you used.

    I just count all the fat I put in the pan, but I don't deep-fry anything. Obviously, if you're deep-frying, it wouldn't make sense to count all the fat.

    I never thought of that which is hardly surprising because the extent of my cooking in oil is a spray in the pan before cooking and that is all included anyway.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    TarryTaffy wrote: »
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    You could always weigh what remains at the end, once it has cooled down to estimate how much was absorbed into the food.

    Hadn't thought of that, thank you. I don't have a scale but I could count Tlbs & measure when done.

    Thank you, Lilly.

    Depending on what you're cooking, liquid could be released by the food and be mixed with what's left in the pan, so you won't really know how much you used.

    I just count all the fat I put in the pan, but I don't deep-fry anything. Obviously, if you're deep-frying, it wouldn't make sense to count all the fat.
    I rarely deep fry so I almost never have this problem, but made latkes earlier this week. Not deep frying, but there was a lot of oil involved. As you said, it would have made any sense to count all of the fat. I ended likely up over estimating at 1 tbsp per latke and let that be that. If I made them more frequently then it'd be worth being more accurate, but 12 latkes once a year isn't going to make a large dent in my weight loss.

    That should say, "would not have made any sense" I hate that the edit option on MFP expires after 1 hour...
  • TarryTaffy
    TarryTaffy Posts: 883 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    TarryTaffy wrote: »
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    You could always weigh what remains at the end, once it has cooled down to estimate how much was absorbed into the food.

    Hadn't thought of that, thank you. I don't have a scale but I could count Tlbs & measure when done.

    Thank you, Lilly.

    Depending on what you're cooking, liquid could be released by the food and be mixed with what's left in the pan, so you won't really know how much you used.

    I just count all the fat I put in the pan, but I don't deep-fry anything. Obviously, if you're deep-frying, it wouldn't make sense to count all the fat.
    I rarely deep fry so I almost never have this problem, but made latkes earlier this week. Not deep frying, but there was a lot of oil involved. As you said, it would have made any sense to count all of the fat. I ended likely up over estimating at 1 tbsp per latke and let that be that. If I made them more frequently then it'd be worth being more accurate, but 12 latkes once a year isn't going to make a large dent in my weight loss.

    That should say, "would not have made any sense" I hate that the edit option on MFP expires after 1 hour...

    Lol. I've done it, too. No worries, your point was understood either way.

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