Tracking Burgers, Bacon, and other uncooked food

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pattyproulx
pattyproulx Posts: 603 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys,

I was just wondering how you guys tracked your frozen burgers, bacon, and other 'fatty' foods whose nutritional information is from raw.

If you look at the packaging, on a package of bacon, it provides the information for uncooked bacon. However, when you cook it, a ton of the fat comes off. Same with frozen burgers - I lose a lot of the fat in the BBQ.

I sometimes try to find a 'cooked' category of bacon, but based on those numbers I think they cook it for much longer than I, so sometimes, I add a bit of bacon grease to my diary since I figure mine were more fatty than the ones I picked from the list.

Just wondering if people have tricks for this - I also don't really want to just say 0.8 or something, because even though the calories might be more accurate, it skews my macros.

Thanks!
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Replies

  • pattyproulx
    pattyproulx Posts: 603 Member
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    Bump... :ohwell:
  • hottiebikerchick
    hottiebikerchick Posts: 187 Member
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    I count everything raw regardless so I over compensate to make sure I am as close as possible....
  • caroline_g
    caroline_g Posts: 201 Member
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    To be honest, it really isn't going to make that much of a difference so I just log it as it is. Yes it might lose some fat but it's not really that much is it? Too much hassle to worry otherwise and as I can't measure how much fat it's lost, I'd rather overestimate than underestimate.
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
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    To be honest, it really isn't going to make that much of a difference so I just log it as it is. Yes it might lose some fat but it's not really that much is it? Too much hassle to worry otherwise and as I can't measure how much fat it's lost, I'd rather overestimate than underestimate.

    ^This!

    For things like hamburger, they are often in the database as "yeild from 1/4 pound raw." This is how "Quarter Pounders" are made at McD's. They aren't a quarter pound AFTER they've been cooked, they are a quarter pound BEFORE.

    The calories that would be lost from cooking bacon are negligible. Some bacon packages (like Kunzler Lower Sodium) give the calorie content of microwaved cooked. Microwaving it probably doesn't eliminate as much fat as frying it, but it is so negligible that it isn't worth the brain energy trying to figure out how many fewer calories it is.
  • pattyproulx
    pattyproulx Posts: 603 Member
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    Thanks for the feedback!
    Ya, I've decided to start tracking burgers as ground beef, cooked (yield from x raw). Might do the same with bacon and add a bit of bacon grease to the diary to compensate for the fact that I eat mine a little less cooked.


    I'll disagree with those that say there is little difference though.
    Bacon actually does make a huge difference (maybe it's because I eat a lot of it too). But 1 tbsp of bacon grease is ~120 calories. When I cook up 3-4 strips of bacon, there's easily more than 1 tbsp in there (I'd bet there's more than 2 a lot of the time).
  • caroline_g
    caroline_g Posts: 201 Member
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    Well maybe you should think about buying bacon with less fat in it because I don't get nearly as much as that from mine and quite frankly, the thought of that much being in the pan while it's cooking would put me right off!
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Well maybe you should think about buying bacon with less fat in it because I don't get nearly as much as that from mine and quite frankly, the thought of that much being in the pan while it's cooking would put me right off!

    Agreed.... BLECH!
  • KirstyRoseUK
    KirstyRoseUK Posts: 8
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    Thanks for the feedback!
    Ya, I've decided to start tracking burgers as ground beef, cooked (yield from x raw). Might do the same with bacon and add a bit of bacon grease to the diary to compensate for the fact that I eat mine a little less cooked.


    I'll disagree with those that say there is little difference though.
    Bacon actually does make a huge difference (maybe it's because I eat a lot of it too). But 1 tbsp of bacon grease is ~120 calories. When I cook up 3-4 strips of bacon, there's easily more than 1 tbsp in there (I'd bet there's more than 2 a lot of the time).

    Ya it's good to track it this way and I totally agree with you: it's important to remember that there is a difference. I recently had the same issue with cooked white rice - turns out uncooked rice has far more calories than cooked rice.

    for example:

    130 calories in 3½ or 100g when steamed or boiled
    356 calories in 3½ or 100g when raw.

    For people like me - who use this counter as a tool to maintain a healthy weight - 226 cals is a massive difference! Ultimately, it could lead to a large weekly undereat - which is unhealthy.
  • SweetestLibby
    SweetestLibby Posts: 607 Member
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    Thanks for the feedback!
    Ya, I've decided to start tracking burgers as ground beef, cooked (yield from x raw). Might do the same with bacon and add a bit of bacon grease to the diary to compensate for the fact that I eat mine a little less cooked.


    I'll disagree with those that say there is little difference though.
    Bacon actually does make a huge difference (maybe it's because I eat a lot of it too). But 1 tbsp of bacon grease is ~120 calories. When I cook up 3-4 strips of bacon, there's easily more than 1 tbsp in there (I'd bet there's more than 2 a lot of the time).

    Ya it's good to track it this way and I totally agree with you: it's important to remember that there is a difference. I recently had the same issue with cooked white rice - turns out uncooked rice has far more calories than cooked rice.

    for example:

    130 calories in 3½ or 100g when steamed or boiled
    356 calories in 3½ or 100g when raw.

    For people like me - who use this counter as a tool to maintain a healthy weight - 226 cals is a massive difference! Ultimately, it could lead to a large weekly undereat - which is unhealthy.

    ...I'm pretty sure that if you take dry rice and boil/steam it in water (assuming no added oil, butter, etc) the calories at the beginning and at the end are the same.

    Are you sure that thae 226 cal difference isn't added oil, butter, etc.?
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
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    Depending upon the pack of bacon as some give cals per rasher cooked or per cooked weight.

    Bacon tends to loose a lot of water when grilled and 200g of raw bacon can go down to around 140 g cooked which can make quite a bit difference
  • Cole114a
    Cole114a Posts: 24 Member
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    Difference in rice is due to volume. When you cook it you add water to the grain which causes the grain to swell and in turn increases the volume when measuring by cups etc. When measuring by weight, grams, you are measuring the water weight as well so yes, uncooked rice will be much more concentrated than cooked becuase the water hasn't been added yet.
  • CupcakesAndRazorblades
    CupcakesAndRazorblades Posts: 227 Member
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    Ya it's good to track it this way and I totally agree with you: it's important to remember that there is a difference. I recently had the same issue with cooked white rice - turns out uncooked rice has far more calories than cooked rice.

    for example:

    130 calories in 3½ or 100g when steamed or boiled
    356 calories in 3½ or 100g when raw.

    For people like me - who use this counter as a tool to maintain a healthy weight - 226 cals is a massive difference! Ultimately, it could lead to a large weekly undereat - which is unhealthy.

    It's only because the rice absorbs water and takes up more space when cooked so effectively there is less in the cup when cooked
  • vaman
    vaman Posts: 253 Member
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    A digital food scale will give you a MUCH clearer indication of what you are eating. Weighing the food after it is cooked tells you the actual amount of food you're putting into your body. There is a huge difference (percentage wise) between raw and cooked ground beef.

    The nutritional info on the back of most bacon packages that I've seen state values for COOKED bacon, so the loss from cooking is already factored in.
  • KirstyRoseUK
    KirstyRoseUK Posts: 8
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    Thanks for the feedback!
    Ya, I've decided to start tracking burgers as ground beef, cooked (yield from x raw). Might do the same with bacon and add a bit of bacon grease to the diary to compensate for the fact that I eat mine a little less cooked.


    I'll disagree with those that say there is little difference though.
    Bacon actually does make a huge difference (maybe it's because I eat a lot of it too). But 1 tbsp of bacon grease is ~120 calories. When I cook up 3-4 strips of bacon, there's easily more than 1 tbsp in there (I'd bet there's more than 2 a lot of the time).

    Ya it's good to track it this way and I totally agree with you: it's important to remember that there is a difference. I recently had the same issue with cooked white rice - turns out uncooked rice has far more calories than cooked rice.

    for example:

    130 calories in 3½ or 100g when steamed or boiled
    356 calories in 3½ or 100g when raw.

    For people like me - who use this counter as a tool to maintain a healthy weight - 226 cals is a massive difference! Ultimately, it could lead to a large weekly undereat - which is unhealthy.

    ...I'm pretty sure that if you take dry rice and boil/steam it in water (assuming no added oil, butter, etc) the calories at the beginning and at the end are the same.

    Are you sure that thae 226 cal difference isn't added oil, butter, etc.?

    Oh dear god I'm an idiot.

    It's all good fun :laugh:
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the feedback!
    Ya, I've decided to start tracking burgers as ground beef, cooked (yield from x raw). Might do the same with bacon and add a bit of bacon grease to the diary to compensate for the fact that I eat mine a little less cooked.


    I'll disagree with those that say there is little difference though.
    Bacon actually does make a huge difference (maybe it's because I eat a lot of it too). But 1 tbsp of bacon grease is ~120 calories. When I cook up 3-4 strips of bacon, there's easily more than 1 tbsp in there (I'd bet there's more than 2 a lot of the time).

    try buying a better quality bacon or going with canadian bacon. same with ground beef try buying 96% lean and not frozen burgers. it will help with the fat.
  • orapronobis
    orapronobis Posts: 460 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the feedback!
    Ya, I've decided to start tracking burgers as ground beef, cooked (yield from x raw). Might do the same with bacon and add a bit of bacon grease to the diary to compensate for the fact that I eat mine a little less cooked.


    I'll disagree with those that say there is little difference though.
    Bacon actually does make a huge difference (maybe it's because I eat a lot of it too). But 1 tbsp of bacon grease is ~120 calories. When I cook up 3-4 strips of bacon, there's easily more than 1 tbsp in there (I'd bet there's more than 2 a lot of the time).

    Ya it's good to track it this way and I totally agree with you: it's important to remember that there is a difference. I recently had the same issue with cooked white rice - turns out uncooked rice has far more calories than cooked rice.

    for example:

    130 calories in 3½ or 100g when steamed or boiled
    356 calories in 3½ or 100g when raw.

    For people like me - who use this counter as a tool to maintain a healthy weight - 226 cals is a massive difference! Ultimately, it could lead to a large weekly undereat - which is unhealthy.

    ...I'm pretty sure that if you take dry rice and boil/steam it in water (assuming no added oil, butter, etc) the calories at the beginning and at the end are the same.

    Are you sure that thae 226 cal difference isn't added oil, butter, etc.?

    Oh dear god I'm an idiot.

    It's all good fun :laugh:
    No, you're not. You are comparing calories by weight and it is valid. If you cook 100 grams of raw rice and eat it ALL, you're calories will be 356. But if you weigh out a portion of the cooked rice equal to 100 grams, you won't be eating all of the rice you cooked. That's because the cooked weight will be (by your numbers above) about 1/3 rice and 2/3 water.
  • siqiniq
    siqiniq Posts: 237 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the feedback!
    Ya, I've decided to start tracking burgers as ground beef, cooked (yield from x raw). Might do the same with bacon and add a bit of bacon grease to the diary to compensate for the fact that I eat mine a little less cooked.


    I'll disagree with those that say there is little difference though.
    Bacon actually does make a huge difference (maybe it's because I eat a lot of it too). But 1 tbsp of bacon grease is ~120 calories. When I cook up 3-4 strips of bacon, there's easily more than 1 tbsp in there (I'd bet there's more than 2 a lot of the time).

    Ya it's good to track it this way and I totally agree with you: it's important to remember that there is a difference. I recently had the same issue with cooked white rice - turns out uncooked rice has far more calories than cooked rice.

    for example:

    130 calories in 3½ or 100g when steamed or boiled
    356 calories in 3½ or 100g when raw.

    For people like me - who use this counter as a tool to maintain a healthy weight - 226 cals is a massive difference! Ultimately, it could lead to a large weekly undereat - which is unhealthy.

    Well think about it: 100 grams of raw rice is how many servings? And of course the food is less calorie dense when it absorbs all that water!
  • climbamnt
    climbamnt Posts: 190 Member
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    Thanks for the feedback!
    Ya, I've decided to start tracking burgers as ground beef, cooked (yield from x raw). Might do the same with bacon and add a bit of bacon grease to the diary to compensate for the fact that I eat mine a little less cooked.


    I'll disagree with those that say there is little difference though.
    Bacon actually does make a huge difference (maybe it's because I eat a lot of it too). But 1 tbsp of bacon grease is ~120 calories. When I cook up 3-4 strips of bacon, there's easily more than 1 tbsp in there (I'd bet there's more than 2 a lot of the time).

    You are buying the right kind of thick cut bacon!!! Nom nom nom
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    There are some entries for cooked bacon in the database. Bacon will have less calories the more crispy it is. I like my bacon floppy and my body needs lots of fat so I don't care. I use the "bacon, baked" entry and then it's by weight which will be quite accurate since crispy bacon weighs less than floppy bacon.

    However, I do enter my burgers in the raw form and it doesn't bother me. Perhaps it will offset something else that I underestimated.

    And don't listen to the advice to get "low fat" options. The low fat nonsense needs to stop. Now.
  • SlinkySpencer
    SlinkySpencer Posts: 139 Member
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    Try checking out the USDA website http://www.nal.usda.gov/ They tend to tell cooked vs. uncooked on their search engine.

    Here's some info on how many calories/fat you're reducing by when you blot and rinse ground beef. http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/foodwise/news/reduce-fat-by-rinsing-cooked-ground-beef In the case of ground beef, I know it certainly can make a big difference, especially if you've had to buy a pack that has more than 5% fat.

    Hope that's helpful.

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