Trying the Japanese Measurements?

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rhymeswithfox
rhymeswithfox Posts: 63 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So in Japan a cup is 200 mL while in America is it 240mL. There is also a Gō cup used for measuring grains which is 180mL. I became aware of this when I bought a rice cooker and the cup it came with was about half the size of my kitchen cup. Ever since I got it I started measuring my cereal with it and many other things too. Of course if I have a boxed cake or something it doesn't work but when I make my own scratch recipes it works out just fine. I also notice that I definitely don't feel cheated or like I've eaten only half a meal. Has anyone tried switching over like this as a way to control portions?

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  • DeTaart
    DeTaart Posts: 93 Member
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    It's a great idea. Kind of like setting your watch 5 mins fast so that you're never late.

    ...the only thing is I look at my watch and go "it's fast, I'm cool"...
  • peuglow
    peuglow Posts: 684 Member
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    Remember, a cup of liquid is a different size than that of a solid. Maybe that is what you are confusing.

    My liquid measuring cup (Pyrex glass) would overflow my solids measuring cup (typical scoop-type)
  • rhymeswithfox
    rhymeswithfox Posts: 63 Member
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    Peuglow I'm confused by your post, but in case you miss understood me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_(unit)
  • peuglow
    peuglow Posts: 684 Member
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    I see what you're saying now.


    Why don't you just stick to the calories you're actually allowed? Rather than trying to fool yourself.
  • rhymeswithfox
    rhymeswithfox Posts: 63 Member
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    I do stick to the calories allowed. It's just that, for example, the oatmeal may say I can have 1 cup of oatmeal as a "normal" serving size. So instead I use my japanese cup. I feel just as full from that but when I see an American cup half full for some reason my brain feels like I need or deserve more because the box said I could. Now since I ate less oatmeal in the morning I can have more small meals throughout the day because in reality I really didn't NEED a big breakfast. It's just a way to have control over yourself, that's all. Most of eating is often a psychological game and learning to control hunger and portions with other senses and logic.

    Like if I smell my food and eat more slowly I am full sooner, which makes sense since most of what we taste is because of our nose.
  • torrmairi
    torrmairi Posts: 64 Member
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    I do the same! I have a Swedish measuring cup set and one cup is 200ml, whereas a Commonwealth cup is 250ml. I never feel like I'm missing out, and more things are packaged in hundreds of grams than quarter-kilos so I get that 'only half a portion left in the bag' problem less often. :)

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