WHAT EXACTLY IS A CUP?!

2

Replies

  • indianarunner76
    indianarunner76 Posts: 108 Member
    Question. Should you measure cooked spaghetti with measuring cups? The box says 200 cals per cup. One day I used a big liquid measuring cup and whole box measured out at 6 cups. The box said 8 servings per box. Just curious. I love pastas and not sure if I'm accurately counting my pasta calories right. I have been counting 266 cals per cup. Its definitely not affecting my weekly losses.

    Thanks in advance
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,199 Member
    In. Because I'm Canadian, and I hate the metric system.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    In. Because I'm Canadian, and I hate the metric system.
    In. Because I'm Canadian, and know that the metric system is superior to the antiquated, arbitrary imperial (and worse) American system of measurements. Seriously USA, get with the rest of the world and adopt a better system.
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    That's why for the exception of liquids, I prefer to weigh my food. Get yourself a digital food scale.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,706 Member
    Not a silly question. Sometimes I wonder myself. I mean, I know a cup is a cup (by US standards), but sometimes I wonder how you judge a cup. For example, 1 cup of broccoli. Do I have to pulverize it to make a cup?? Is this kinda what you mean?
    That is why measuring in a cup, unless it's for liquids is so inaccurate. It is much better to go by weight and use a scale; either in OZ or in grams.
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    Use a measuring cup. One cup is one cup.

    Not all of us live in a country where they measure in cups :)

    Some people aren't able to get their heads around this (the red countries are the countries who officially don't use the metric system):

    fun-maps-38.jpg
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    Exactly why you should weigh your food and not measure it .. cups are way too inaccurate.

    Good luck.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    Question. Should you measure cooked spaghetti with measuring cups? The box says 200 cals per cup. One day I used a big liquid measuring cup and whole box measured out at 6 cups. The box said 8 servings per box. Just curious. I love pastas and not sure if I'm accurately counting my pasta calories right. I have been counting 266 cals per cup. Its definitely not affecting my weekly losses.

    Thanks in advance

    I measure (dry) pasta by weight. It should say on the box whether the nutrition info is dry weight/volume. If you're looking to be as accurate as possible though, always measure by weight.


    side thought: it's amazing how many people did not read the entirety of the original posting. She was not asking about bananas and she said that she can't use a scale at work... hence her question. OP: my suggestion is to measure it out at home, see what that looks like on a plate, and then try to eye ball it at work (unless you can use measuring cups of some sort at work?).
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,371 Member
    Make a fist. That's roughly the size of a cup of food. (Unless you have man hands! :)

    lol
    A cup is what holds my jimmies.
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
    In. Because I'm Canadian, and I hate the metric system.

    I used to feel that way, until I started realizing how easy it was to use once you start getting familiar with it. Now I wonder why the US stubbornly holds on to a measurement system that has outlived its usefulness. With things like oz, a fluid oz does not equal an oz in weight. Not only that, a cup has 8 fluid oz, but a pound has 16 ounces in weight, there is no uniformity... A gallon is 4 quarts, or 8 pints, or 16 cups. While a cup has 8oz, and a gallon has 16 cups, a foot has 12 inches, and a yard has 3 feet. A mile is even worse, it is 1760 yards.

    There is no system... it all arbitrary, with the metric system on the other hand, everything goes up by powers of ten. It makes sense, and when you understand it, converting from one unit to another is really just a matter of moving a decimal point.
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
    OP, even though it may not be the common measurement where you are, you can probably purchase a US measuring cup at home if you want one.
  • AHack3
    AHack3 Posts: 173 Member
    I log my bananas by how long they are , and if I eat 1/2 of it or the whole thing. 8oz is one cup. If I am measuring say 1 cup of grapes or a cup of sliced strawberries. I just put them in the cup without smashing it all down, I put them in and make it a level cup and that is how I base it. I don't know how accurate that is, but it seems to be working for me, I'm losing so I must be close in my calculations. Also the size of your hand is supposed to be a good eyeball measurement for a cup.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    I don't know of anyone who brings measuring cups and kitchen scales with them to their work cafeteria.

    The one poster who suggested the fist size being approximately a cup, was a helpful suggestion. I have seen others post a link to a website that shows you how to estimate food portions when you don't have a scale or measuring cup handy. I don't have that link, but you can probably google it to find it. Other examples are a deck of cards or your palm being a serving of meat, your thumb being an ounce of cheese, etc.

    I have also asked the person behind the counter how many ounces a serving of something was. For example, at Subway, the buffalo chicken is 2.5 ounces in a serving according to the server. You might ask the cafeteria servers how much is a serving of certain foods. They might be able to tell you.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    1 tsp = 5 ml
    1 tbsp = 15 ml
    1 cup = 250 ml = 8 fluid oz

    1 oz fl =/= 1 oz

    1oz = 1/16 lb
    1 lb = 454g
    1oz = 28.4g

    I try and enter everything in ml or g. It's the most accurate measure.
  • Laura3BB
    Laura3BB Posts: 250 Member
    Use a measuring cup. One cup is one cup.

    Not all of us live in a country where they measure in cups :)

    Some people aren't able to get their heads around this (the red countries are the countries who officially don't use the metric system):

    fun-maps-38.jpg

    love this map!
  • Laura3BB
    Laura3BB Posts: 250 Member
    OP, even though it may not be the common measurement where you are, you can probably purchase a US measuring cup at home if you want one.

    are you kidding??

    The US has exported Starbuck's and McDonald's but not measuring cups!
  • Laura3BB
    Laura3BB Posts: 250 Member
    Isn't a cup, more or less a standard small mug size?
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,199 Member
    In. Because I'm Canadian, and I hate the metric system.
    In. Because I'm Canadian, and know that the metric system is superior to the antiquated, arbitrary imperial (and worse) American system of measurements. Seriously USA, get with the rest of the world and adopt a better system.

    In, because I am old and lazy, and I hate change, and learning new things.

    4883015+_f9ecbcc7ae36d3aaff90a0afd5124f3c.jpg
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    Really easy answer.... The cost to convert to metric would be staggering... Think about changing every milage sign in the US to metric... Now convert every recipe. How about every tool.... The cost estimate that I read sometime ago was in the trillions of dollars.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_States
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    Use a measuring cup. One cup is one cup.

    Not all of us live in a country where they measure in cups :)

    Some people aren't able to get their heads around this (the red countries are the countries who officially don't use the metric system):

    fun-maps-38.jpg

    love this map!

    If you're like me and like maps, I saw it here the other day: http://www.boredpanda.com/fun-maps-they-didnt-teach-you-in-school/
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Really easy answer.... The cost to convert to metric would be staggering... Think about changing every milage sign in the US to metric... Now convert every recipe. How about every tool.... The cost estimate that I read sometime ago was in the trillions of dollars.

    Britain did it and it didn't cost trillions of pounds... (although the roads are still in miles, not kilometers, that change might happen in the future, I live in Bahrain where everything's in kilometers and my car speedo is in kmph and I cope just fine, in fact it's easier as 1km = 1000m as opposed to a mile which is I forgot how many yards and I can't remember how many meters or kilometers)

    you don't have to convert everything overnight, that would be silly. you start by using both systems alongside each other, make it easy to make conversions (I've got fridge magnets with conversion tables on them), make tools with both sets of units on them (Britain has done this for decades), weather forecast in centigrade and Fahrenheit, teach metric in schools and so on. Britain did this for decades before making it a legal requirement for all traders to use metric. And yes people whined about that, but the whining didn't last long as metric is very easy to get the hang of.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,345 Member
    8 oz = a cup of whatever you are measuring, but like some one else said depends on how thin or thick a slice is, some one might take half a banana and put it in a measuring cup and call it "a cup of banana"

    This isn't exactly true--this is the general rule for liquids only. A cup of Rice Krispies does not weigh 8 oz.

    Ounces are both a measure of weight and volume. I read it the post as talking about volume. This is one of the reasons I am happy I use metric 250ml being a cup. Much easier. Now if only when people entered various foods they would put in the serving size in grams or milliners it would make logging so much easier.
  • 1yoyoKAT
    1yoyoKAT Posts: 206 Member
    I don't use cups, it seems to be too inaccurate. I use weight. On items where they have the nutritional info in cups, they usually also have the weight of a serving. Even though I live in the US, I usually use grams, just easier IMO and grams are on the labels too.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    Question. Should you measure cooked spaghetti with measuring cups? The box says 200 cals per cup. One day I used a big liquid measuring cup and whole box measured out at 6 cups. The box said 8 servings per box. Just curious. I love pastas and not sure if I'm accurately counting my pasta calories right. I have been counting 266 cals per cup. Its definitely not affecting my weekly losses.

    Thanks in advance

    I measure (dry) pasta by weight. It should say on the box whether the nutrition info is dry weight/volume. If you're looking to be as accurate as possible though, always measure by weight.


    side thought: it's amazing how many people did not read the entirety of the original posting. She was not asking about bananas and she said that she can't use a scale at work... hence her question. OP: my suggestion is to measure it out at home, see what that looks like on a plate, and then try to eye ball it at work (unless you can use measuring cups of some sort at work?).


    BOOM! smart lady you are. I was thinking about the same thing because based in the comments people didn't read the OP question.
    Guys, do you take your digital scale to work, people's houses, and the restaurants too?

    Actually, when I am eating out I can visualize a cup of fruit, rice or veggies better than trying to estimate the amounts in oz or grams., and if in doubt I ask the waiter or waitress if he or she can ask the cook for the serving amount.
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
    Really easy answer.... The cost to convert to metric would be staggering... Think about changing every milage sign in the US to metric... Now convert every recipe. How about every tool.... The cost estimate that I read sometime ago was in the trillions of dollars.

    This

    and

    I'm old and lazy and do not take kindly to change! LOL

    Im fine the way things are. lol
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    Really easy answer.... The cost to convert to metric would be staggering... Think about changing every milage sign in the US to metric... Now convert every recipe. How about every tool.... The cost estimate that I read sometime ago was in the trillions of dollars.

    Britain did it and it didn't cost trillions of pounds... (although the roads are still in miles, not kilometers, that change might happen in the future, I live in Bahrain where everything's in kilometers and my car speedo is in kmph and I cope just fine, in fact it's easier as 1km = 1000m as opposed to a mile which is I forgot how many yards and I can't remember how many meters or kilometers)

    you don't have to convert everything overnight, that would be silly. you start by using both systems alongside each other, make it easy to make conversions (I've got fridge magnets with conversion tables on them), make tools with both sets of units on them


    (Britain has done this for decades), weather forecast in centigrade and Fahrenheit, teach metric in schools and so on. Britain did this for decades before making it a legal requirement for all traders to use metric. And yes people whined about that, but the whining didn't last long as metric is very easy to get the hang of.

    Yup this makes sense. Compare Britain to the US. Britain is the size of North and South Dakota combined. The populations of each are not comparable. The cost to do this would be many many times higher in the US. I am not against changing over to the metric system but using one small countries experience as a reason to change is fallacy.
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
    Don't know whete OP is from but we don't use cups in the UK. Weighing is always better for solids.

    Ok, maybe a silly question but if you don't use dry measure cups and spoons how do you measure dry ingredients while following a recipe. My scale would not register the equivalent of a 1/4 teaspoon of anything. How are recipes written?
    Um, decilitres? Litres? Millilitres? Centilitres? Teaspoons (5 ml) and tablespoons (15 ml) are also used.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,345 Member
    Really easy answer.... The cost to convert to metric would be staggering... Think about changing every milage sign in the US to metric... Now convert every recipe. How about every tool.... The cost estimate that I read sometime ago was in the trillions of dollars.

    This

    and

    I'm old and lazy and do not take kindly to change! LOL

    Im fine the way things are. lol

    What a cop out. Canada did it and geographically we are bigger and our population is much smaller. Go metric.
  • webbeyes
    webbeyes Posts: 105 Member
    side thought: it's amazing how many people did not read the entirety of the original posting. She was not asking about bananas and she said that she can't use a scale at work... hence her question. OP: my suggestion is to measure it out at home, see what that looks like on a plate, and then try to eye ball it at work (unless you can use measuring cups of some sort at work?).

    I somehow feel this is somewhat targeted to me.

    Over 18 years on message boards, one thing I have come to recognize: all discussion threads eventually evolve. The OP didn't ask about bananas, but someone else in the world was thinking a similar question, because they wanted to understand a cup of bananas. As such, always try to provide a detailed answer that will help the original question become answered and also the subsequent posters who have similar and related questions - which, oddly enough, has actually happened.

    So, yeah, I read the entire OP's question, and I answered it, and anticipated some related questions. Not exactly sure what the problem is with that. You answer questions your way, I'll answer them mine :-)

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