Calories: Does the sum of the parts equal the whole?

2Chaotic
2Chaotic Posts: 23 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This is going to be a dumb question but I'm new to the whole idea of counting calories so have a lot to learn.

My dilemma, and resulting question, are best described by the example below:

- This morning, as part of my breakfast, I fried some Swiss Brown mushrooms in a small amount of olive oil.
- When checking the calorie database, I found several entries for fried mushrooms all with different calorie counts for the same quantity; some with wildly different counts.
- I have decided that I will record each ingredient seperately and hence the individual calorie counts will be included in the daily total.

So my questions is: Is that an accurate way of recording the calories in a cooked meal? Does the cooking process, in any way, increase or decrease the calorific content of the sum of the individual ingredients? By recording my calories in this way, ie, ingredient by ingredient, am I underestimating, overestimating or is the difference so negligable that it does not matter.

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I count the calories in each ingredient. I don't know if the chemical reactions involved in cooking change the calories (never thought about it) but that works for me. I don't worry about how much oil or broth or dressing evaporates or is left versus what I ended up ingesting. If it goes in the pan or bowl or on the plate, I count it.
  • phil6707
    phil6707 Posts: 541 Member
    The chemical reaction during cooking does affect the calories. But as it is impossible de calculate the difference, I also add everything.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
    Since calorie content of a food is determined by burning it and measuring the heat it gives off, I figure the difference in cooking is pretty negligible. I add up my ingredients too.
  • 2Chaotic
    2Chaotic Posts: 23 Member
    Thanks for your replies. We seem to have a consensus. That, then, will be the approach that I take.

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