Raw vs cooked meat

amhorvath

When looking at calories for burgers, for example, are the calories in this app (and usually matching the FDA label) for a RAW piece of meat or a COOKED piece? Because I know meats, especially red meats lose calories after being cooked. Thank you!!!

cmriverside

You have to specify raw if you want to weigh it raw. Even then, be aware that 99% of the food in the database is entered by your fellow users, so make sure you check it against your label before you use it.

amhorvath

I guess what I'm asking is calorie wise, if the box says the raw frozen burger has 400 calories, does that change after you cook it?

cmriverside

Well, there is some margin of error there - it loses water and some fat, but the amount it loses just isn't really the point. Just use the raw burger weight and calculate based on that not the cooked weight because cooked it will weigh less.

rosebarnalice

amhorvath wrote: »

I guess what I'm asking is calorie wise, if the box says the raw frozen burger has 400 calories, does that change after you cook it?

Basically, no. It will lose some water, which will change the weight, but the fat, carbs, protein, etc don't change significantly by cooking

wilson10102018

The fat is rendered out at 9 calories per gram. Notice it in the pan? Or, on grilling, do you see the flames from the fire? That is the fat.

An 80/20 5 oz burger, medium well will lose 100 calories of fat to the pan.

amhorvath

Ok thanks! It's so hard because everyone is saying something different and even articles from FDA are confusing me!