why is weight in grams?

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  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
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    You're talking about two different things. Grams are a measurement of weight. Tablespoons and cups are a measure of volume.

    FFS... THANK YOU!!!!!!!

    im sitting here smashing my face into my desk....

    Also it's worth noting some foods list both. For instance the serving size on peanut butter is 2 tablespoons but the label almost always includes the amount in grams (36g if memory serves me right). Same for things like cereal. Not everyone's tablespoon and cup measurements are the same. That's why you go with the weight not the volume on solids. I give a liberal spotting when pouring Cocoa Puffs.
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
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    I used to think of measurements mostly by volume (ie:cups, tblsp, etc) and ounces but now I am used to grams and irritated when I the first things in the data base show up in ounces :ohwell:

    Lol, same here. Sometimes I am in a hurry and just rely on the database to enter things. I will be thinking, " why on earth would someone enter 3 cloves of garlic or a cup of broccoli into the public database and not include the weight? This makes no sense! Grrrr." They are small things, of course, but this thought still goes through my mind.

    ditto! there is no way to know how much a cup is. I prefer weighing, I am fine with grams or oz.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    I have to opposite problem. When anything is expressed in cups my brain goes into meltdown. I just have no idea how anything is measured that way.

    It isnt. It's ridiculous, even to me, an American born and raised. I don't understand cups. A cup of broccoli? Are you kidding? Am I supposed to liquefy it or something?

    I have been born and raised in the UK so when I first encountered the idea of cups I was like 'huh?'. I didnt realise you guys have a set size for what a cup is. I just thought you grab a random cup out the cupboard and fill them with ingredients.

    I did relent and bought myself some measuring cups so I can make some recipes I find online that use cups but I dont like using them. It just feels wrong lol

    ^^^^ yeah.... also a UK person and also thought this about cups.... I figured the USA must have a standard cup, but I had no idea what size cup a standard cup would be.... all my cups were different sizes....
  • agidavis
    agidavis Posts: 36 Member
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    There is so many people out there who are not. International sites should not be made easier to use just because you are lazy to calculate. I am not American but live in the US, and had to learn the `cup` system. I am not Irish but lived in Ireland had to become used to the `lbs and stone` system. You can use a scale, use goggle, or choose another description of food that has oz or cups.

    Sometimes we just have to remember that not everything can be made convenient, although many things have already changed to help people do less thinking…

    Good for the people that can think for themselves:)
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
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    Cool, country fight.

    But anyway, grams are just easier to divide, that's all.

    I made a pot of soup and I needed to measure out the portions. Dividing 2900 grams by 8 is easier than dividing ~6.39 lbs by 8.
  • Slacker16
    Slacker16 Posts: 1,184 Member
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    I have the opposite problem: used to the metric system but currently living in the US.

    Google has a built-in unit converter. Since you're reading the recipe online anyway, you can use it easily. Just open a new tab, search "____ to _____" and it'll open up the converter before the search results.

    Btw, cups and fluid ounces aren't too bad. 1 fl.oz ~ 30 mL, 1 cup ~ 240 mL, easy to remember and convert.
    Pounds are pretty terrible though, and the least said about Fahrenheits the better...
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    I would like to add a recipe to MFP. However, everything is in grams or kilorgrams and for those in the United States it would be easier to add ingredients that we use like pound, tbsp, cups. Am I able to adjust the measurements in MFP

    Cup and tbs are not weight sorry.
  • robinerikson
    robinerikson Posts: 60
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    I'm more comfortable with grams. Other than that, sometimes I find it really confusing and it ruins whatever I am cooking.
  • TinamarZDF
    TinamarZDF Posts: 58 Member
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    bump
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
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    I'm British and have bought a set of cups to make it easier when following recipes from the US; a cup of one substance is not the same for another. Why you'd work in volume instead of weight is baffling for a start, let alone imperial measures.

    And quite a lot of the popular foods have cups/tbs etc listed as an option....
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member
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    I came here expecting to hate humanity even more but I've gotten hope for society...


    I.C.E. Cream Official Tester
    IKEA Professional Put Together-er
    Kickboxing Class Attender
    Been in fitness for about 2 years and have studied kitty-gif-ology, nutrition and Dinosaurs
  • sheepysaccount
    sheepysaccount Posts: 608 Member
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    Well, the metric system is the easiest and it's used pretty much all over the world. Except for a few countries ;)

    Also, it's very accurate.


    As for the cups/tablespoon. It's difficult. That's why I also use a food scale when I cook with American measurements.
  • NumbrsNerd
    NumbrsNerd Posts: 202 Member
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    I'm on team "irritated that everything is not listed in grams or ounces." I hate "cups," and the more you weigh your food, the more you realize that portion size estimates in dry/liquid measure can be pretty far off of actual weights.

    For example: hubby measures too and eats croutons on his salad. I think the serving was something like 5 grams or 2 tbsp. Have fun fitting those croutons into that tablespoon!!

    That was kind of a ridiculous example (we're not that crazy about measuring EVERYTHING down to counting croutons), but it does really matter with more calorie dense foods such as nuts...

    Edited because I can't spell.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    grams rule.
  • tomomatic
    tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
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    Imperial system you say???
    jedimind.jpg
    "These aren't the [units] you're looking for..."

    Down with the Impire!
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    Well, not to be pedantic, but it's a valid question. Grams are a unit of mass, not a unit of weight. Until they start listing things in newtons, we'll never be accurate in our logging. Someone at the Dead Sea will be measuring out far less oatmeal than someone at the top of Mt. Everest for the same weight. Won't someone please think of the sherpas?! :cry:

    /duckingandrunning
  • 1stday13
    1stday13 Posts: 433 Member
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    Metric measurements are great when you get used to them because that system actually makes logical sense. And I think every packaged ingredient I've ever used here in the US is labeled in grams as well as ounces. I don't think there is anywhere on MFP to do the conversions, but some items give different options for how to log it. Just remember that 1 oz=28g. If you don't want to do the math, there are conversion sites online. I generally use that at work when I weigh my apple in ounces on the postage meter after i cut it up. And also remember that cups and tablespoons are not accurate for measuring anything but liquids.
    I am trying to figure out metric measurements ( old dog new tricks ) I'm like the OP.
    Here is one site I use often http://www.food.com/library/calc.zsp
    I was Taught Cups & Tablespoons can be used for dry measurement as well. You level off both. That was many years ago. We didn't have easy access to metrics or scales :noway:

    Postage meter hack FTW!

    I can't believe I've never thought of that. You are my hero today :)

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