Logging Spices/Oil/Marinades in your food diary

Imperfect_Angel
Imperfect_Angel Posts: 220 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So basically, is it necessary to log the spices you've used in your food? If so, how many of you do it and how? Do U measure, for example, the amount of cumin and all purpose seasoning you've used? What do you use to measure it? I've seen quite a few of my friends logging paprika, cooking oil & salt! A bit confused...

Replies

  • marshaxsimoni
    marshaxsimoni Posts: 8 Member
    I usually log cooking oil, but not spices.
  • Hippie_Soul
    Hippie_Soul Posts: 190 Member
    Bump to check out replies!!!
  • TheBaileyHunter
    TheBaileyHunter Posts: 641 Member
    I log it all. You'd be shocked at what has 5 cals in your spices. Granted it's only 5 little calories, but if you've got 3 of them at that rate, that's an extra 15 cals you didn't account for. Do that for three meals and all of a sudden you've got a tasty fruit snack's worth of calories you didn't expect.
  • forthehungergames
    forthehungergames Posts: 34
    I do add oils and stuff but with spices, only if I use a larger amount. I figure most spices speed up your metabolism a little which probably burns off their small amount of calories anyways! Afterall, spices are usually VERY low calorie.
  • Adrianachiarato
    Adrianachiarato Posts: 362 Member
    I log everything... specially cooking oil, it has a lot of calories.
  • fitmusiclifeviola
    fitmusiclifeviola Posts: 99
    Most spices are negligible to zero calories. If you monitor salt, ie. if your blood pressure is salt sensitive, then definitely you'd want to do that. Oil has a boat load of calories, so even a tablespoon here or there is >100 calories so you'll want to track that. Marinades will vary depending on the amount of oil and sugar added, but I often don't find the exact thing and am a bit lazy on that front. I try to overestimate when I'm unsure, and then eventually add it to the MFP database if I use it regularly.

    *EDIT* Also, I note that it really depends how accurately you're doing everything. I find exercise calorie estimation ridiculous, so whether I burn 200 or 250 calories doing something (remember gym machines are not accurate, and if anything overestimate!) easily accounts for any spices, or small inaccuracies in measurements, etc. To me, the time it takes to add more individual items past a certain point is silly.

    Good luck!
  • bcmallwalker
    bcmallwalker Posts: 63
    I tend to log everything. But if you aren't keeping track of sodium, I guess you don't have to include spices & seasonings.
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    Spices/mustards/hot sauces? No. They don't register for calories. Of course there are exceptions, such as honey mustard which does have calories and should be logged.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Definitely log oils and marinades. Spices it really depends on what/how much you use. I tend to use curry pastes, which have the calorie count for the whole paste, and I definitely log that, it's quite calorie dense.
  • Sarahloulalou
    Sarahloulalou Posts: 60 Member
    I log oils. They are calorific

    I don't log spices in their natural form like cumin or coriander but if I were using a BBQ seasoning I would as that holds things like sugars which means calories
  • dizzysmile
    dizzysmile Posts: 71 Member
    I log oils, don't use marinades, and log spices if it's more than a dash. I use measuring spoons.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    Oil yes. Marinades yes. Spices not often but sometime. Condiments yes.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I'm obsessive about logging everything, so I generally log spices just because. They typically have no calories, however. As for oils and marinades, absolutely log those.
  • ElizabethSami
    ElizabethSami Posts: 67
    Oil yes because it has calories and fats; I don't log certain spices because they say it has 0 everything so why bother. I would say if something has a calorie or fat just log it in and if not than don't.
  • wildheart_cowgirl
    wildheart_cowgirl Posts: 16
    I log everything. The calories in spices should not be ignored. If a dish is heavy on a number of spices, you may be adding a small, but significant amount of calories to the dish.
  • boatsie77
    boatsie77 Posts: 480 Member
    One of the reasons I stuck with 1300-1350 calories a day was so I didn't have to get all OCD over every tsp of olive oil; scant amount of marinade on meat; sprinkle to spice or every individual raisin over 10grams. I logged my meals consistantly including major uses of oils (dressings, etc) and sodium-laden seasonings (soy sauce), but because I kept my calorie goal on the low side, and I was steadily dropping weight, I continued with that system.
  • KelleyGirl74
    KelleyGirl74 Posts: 182 Member
    I create recipes and I put my spices in there. If I use mustard on a sandwich, yes. If I put ketsup on my fries (if I have them) yes. I account for salad dressing so mustard and ketsup and honey and hot sauce all apply. I don't normally measure my seasonings/spices as I'm a *by the eye* cook. But I know 'about' how much I put in of what. I don't use salt in anything, ever. I use lots of other stuff though, All Spice, Garlic, Ginger, Cracked Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Cumin, Thyme, Rosemary, etc. But I don't use any of this on like my salads. Only usually in my dinner recipes.

    Namaste,
    Nika
  • remimarie
    remimarie Posts: 80
    I use olive oil cooking spray for everything and i log that. not so much on the dry spices.
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
    People logging oils and marinades aren't confusing at all. People logging vitamins, spices, diet sodas, water, a leaf of lettuce and other negligible items are sort of confusing. But, IDC what other people log or don't log it makes no difference whatsoever in my food diary or my weight loss goals.
  • Imperfect_Angel
    Imperfect_Angel Posts: 220 Member
    Thank U guys for the advice. I was logging oil here and there, in recipes though. I'll try to log my marinades & dressings for a week and see how that affects my diary. Good luck everyone :-)
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    I try to log everything. When I make something I log the spices and oils. Marinating is a bit more complicated. If I was going to cook the food in the marinade I'd count it all. If I was just using it to flavor the food I'd probably pour the remainder off and measure the before amount vs. the after amount.
  • LeviLeDoux
    LeviLeDoux Posts: 151 Member
    I log all ingredients when cooking. I'm not into cheating myself.

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