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Oatmeal! What is really a serving?

olores
olores Posts: 257 Member
edited January 15 in Food and Nutrition
So I measure 1/2 cup and add 1 cup of water....is it now a cup of oatmeal?

Replies

  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    no. it's a 1/2 cup of oatmeal and 1 cup of water.
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
    I believe a half cup dry is a serving so even with the water it's still 1 serving.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    1/2 cup would be your oatmeal serving... I would suggest using a kitchen scale to measure as my 1/2 cup of oatmeal is more grams than the serving size that is listed for 1/2 cup.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    1/2 cup of oatmeal is 1/2 cup of oatmeal no matter what. It will 'become' more because of the water it absorbs, but it's still 1/2 cup regardless.
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
    From an oatmeal guru...

    http://lighterside.complianceofficer.com/oatmeal-serving-size.html
  • oldernotwiser
    oldernotwiser Posts: 175 Member
    Check the directions. Most say 1/4 cup dry is one serving.
  • fitness1rmp
    fitness1rmp Posts: 8
    1/2 cup dry and 1 cup water is 150 cal
  • Bownzi
    Bownzi Posts: 423 Member
    Ohhhh, I was wondering about that..
  • askyermom
    askyermom Posts: 1 Member
    Yup!! It's still a half cup, even though it'll expand with cooking.
  • Yeller_Sensation
    Yeller_Sensation Posts: 373 Member
    I go with how the label defines a serving. Nothing more, nothing less.

    :flowerforyou:
  • BlackKat75
    BlackKat75 Posts: 210 Member
    Also - weigh your dry oats rather than rely on dry volume to figure out calorie count. According to the label, 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats is 40 grams for 150 calories. However, when I fill a 1/2 cup with oats it weighs 51 grams for 191 calories. If you want your diary to be accurate, you should rely on the weight measurement, and not the volume.
  • olores
    olores Posts: 257 Member
    awesome...glad to see I'm not alone! thank you everyone!
  • olores
    olores Posts: 257 Member
    From an oatmeal guru...

    http://lighterside.complianceofficer.com/oatmeal-serving-size.html


    Thank you!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If you are looking for the "official" serving size, in Ameirca it is ½ cup cooked, 1 packet instant, 1 ounce (1/3 cup) dry (regular or quick)

    This is what the USDA considers a serving.
  • olores
    olores Posts: 257 Member
    If you are looking for the "official" serving size, in Ameirca it is ½ cup cooked, 1 packet instant, 1 ounce (1/3 cup) dry (regular or quick)

    This is what the USDA considers a serving.

    confused again...1/2 cup cooked...huh?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If you are looking for the "official" serving size, in Ameirca it is ½ cup cooked, 1 packet instant, 1 ounce (1/3 cup) dry (regular or quick)

    This is what the USDA considers a serving.

    confused again...1/2 cup cooked...huh?

    If you have a pot of cooked oatmeal, 1/2 cup of it would be a serving of grains according to the USDA.
  • Gramps251
    Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
    Check the directions. Most say 1/4 cup dry is one serving.

    ^ This. ^^^^^
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    My oatmeal box says that 1/2 cup dry is 150 calories. Cooking in water doesn't add any calories.
  • jacalennejax
    jacalennejax Posts: 97 Member
    Also - weigh your dry oats rather than rely on dry volume to figure out calorie count. According to the label, 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats is 40 grams for 150 calories. However, when I fill a 1/2 cup with oats it weighs 51 grams for 191 calories. If you want your diary to be accurate, you should rely on the weight measurement, and not the volume.

    Thats a great Idea. I was tinkering with my liquid measuring cups and my dry cups. Next time I'll weight it out. My dry 1/3 c was looking at liquid 1/4th a cup. Good To Know.
  • zeta30
    zeta30 Posts: 40
    Check the directions. Most say 1/4 cup dry is one serving.

    ^ This. ^^^^^

    Exactly, why is this even a debate? Different oats are going to have different serving sizes

    For example,

    Bob's Steel Cut oats, one serving is 1/4 cup of dry oats.

    http://www.bobsredmill.com/steel-cut-oats.html

    Quaker oats Old Fashioned oatmeal a serving is 1/2 cup

    http://www.quakeroats.com/products/hot-cereals/old-fashioned-oats.aspx

    So just read and follow the labels as different kind of oats will have different serving sizes.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    My oatmeal box says that 1/2 cup dry is 150 calories. Cooking in water doesn't add any calories.

    Don't go by the 1/2 cup that the box says. Use the weight listing if you want to be accurate in your tracking. Get a kitchen scale and weigh out what the serving size is as 1/2 cup measured is most likely more than the grams listed as a serving size.

    Ultimately, go by the weight of what your package says.
  • zeta30
    zeta30 Posts: 40
    My oatmeal box says that 1/2 cup dry is 150 calories. Cooking in water doesn't add any calories.

    Don't go by the 1/2 cup that the box says. Use the weight listing if you want to be accurate in your tracking. Get a kitchen scale and weigh out what the serving size is as 1/2 cup measured is most likely more than the grams listed as a serving size.

    Ultimately, go by the weight of what your package says.

    You are confusing two different forms of measurements as it is not always clear if a gram is referring to a measurement of weight or volume. However when a label is comparing a cup to a gram it is referring to measurements of volume not weight. So if you are weighing 40 grams of oats, it obviously won't be close to the volume measurement of 1/2 cup as they are two unrelated forms of measurements.
This discussion has been closed.

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