How Much of the Marinade Am I REALLY Eating?

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chelleymae1105
chelleymae1105 Posts: 36 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, the reason this question comes up is because I usually do a dry rub on my chicken, steak, whatever, to marinate it so I don't add extra cals. But my son really loves chicken breast when it's marinated in Ken's Steak House Italian Dressing. So my question is, how much of the marinade is actually on a piece of chicken breast when I eat it? You know, for calorie counting purposes.

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  • JodiS75
    JodiS75 Posts: 284
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    I really have no clue, but I would say you could measure what you put in to start with, then measure what is left over when you take the chicken out...the difference will be what's on the chicken. Then divide that by how many pieces of chicken....but that's a lot of work. I just estimate mine as around a tablespoon (a tiny bit high I know, but I like to overestimate).
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
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    I wonder this too. Typically, you marinade it in a LOT- but then only some stays on the chicken breast when you cook it and even less when you put it on your plate once it is cooked. Typically, I say about 1 tablespoon, unless I take extra to put over the chicken, and then I say about two (or whatever that extra bit looks like- I don't measure it). But I'm not sure that this is necessary the best way, so I'm interested to see what the other responses are.
  • Aimee_PD
    Aimee_PD Posts: 177 Member
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    good question..i usually just count it as a serving. a Tbs or something. not sure!
  • watkinsc
    watkinsc Posts: 177 Member
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    You know, I've thought about this before. I decided I would count all of it. That way I am covered. It's most likely less, but I found it seems to be those "sneaky calories" that I didn't used to think about that really did make a difference.
  • nicolepope11
    nicolepope11 Posts: 56
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    Great question! I'd like to know too. I usually count about a tablespoon. I figure that some of it burns off if I am grilling, but it would probably be about a tablespoon to cover the whole breast. But I am just guessing!
  • BlutAura
    BlutAura Posts: 97
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    You know, I've thought about this before. I decided I would count all of it. That way I am covered. It's most likely less, but I found it seems to be those "sneaky calories" that I didn't used to think about that really did make a difference.

    This.

    Put worse case scenario, I always over count/value to ensure these sneaky kcals don't effect my weight loss.
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    How you cook it makes a difference. If you are grilling over open flame quite a bit of the oil burns off. If you are baking, broiling, or using a Foreman grill the oil does not burn off. Most of the calories in the marinade is in the oil used. I like using the packaged marinades, but will alter my oil/water content depending on how I am cooking it. If I am cooking indoors I will cut the oil and use about 1/3 the amount of olive oil and use more water or vinegar in the mix, and then just soak it a bit longer. If I am cooking outside on the grill I will use canola or vegetable oil as directed in the mix.

    Either way, I usually enter a tablespoon in my diary. The other big offender in the marinades is the sodium. Lots and lots of water after eatting it.
  • chelleymae1105
    chelleymae1105 Posts: 36 Member
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    Hey thanks everyone! I am going to go with the standard here and say about 1 tbs.

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