Question About Ounces?

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alyssamaryw
alyssamaryw Posts: 84
in Food and Nutrition
Hi Everyone,

I've seen a few people around MFP saying that you shouldn't use ounces when weighing food because they're not accurate. I'm genuinely confused by this and not trying to be snarky or state my own opinion under the guise of a question, but.... how is weighing in ounces different from weighing in grams? I've been weighing on my food scale in the ounces setting and I'm concerned that I've been doing it wrong. Can anyone clarify for me?

Thanks!

Replies

  • waltcote
    waltcote Posts: 372 Member
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    I've done both depending on mainly the listings on MFP. I figure both work for me. My kitchen scale is not digital so not the most accurate but it works. I think you should do whatever works and is successful for you. For me after a while I think I am getting good at knowing what porportions are for instance telling what a 4oz portion of chicken is. :smile:
  • alyssamaryw
    alyssamaryw Posts: 84
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    Thanks Waltcote! I'm just seeing a lot of "noobs measure using ounces" type stuff around the forums, and I guess I am a noob because I don't get it. :smile:
  • GoldspursX3
    GoldspursX3 Posts: 516 Member
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    I do have a digital scale and I measure some food in ounces. It's a form of measurement so I fail to see how it wouldn't be accurate.
  • alyssamaryw
    alyssamaryw Posts: 84
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    Yeah, I don't see why either. Just hoping for some clarification.
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    A lot of people want to make it more complicated than it has to be. Grams are not more accurate, especially not if you use a digital scale and you log 3.25 if that's what it says. I think some of them think everyone who use ounces to log food is using methods like 'if it's the size of your palm is 3oz'. That estimate is very inaccurate, there are 4 people in my house, with 4 different size palms, lol. Just keep doing what you're doing, you're fine.
  • junlex123
    junlex123 Posts: 81 Member
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    There's no reason that ounces would be less accurate than grams if you use enough significant figures. Problem is if you round excessively. e.g. 3.5 oz is 99 grams, 4.49 oz is 127 grams, but some people might round both those figures to 4 oz when there's obviously a fairly large difference. If you're measuring to at least 2 significant figures there shouldn't be much discrepancy.
  • alyssamaryw
    alyssamaryw Posts: 84
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    Thanks! I'm hoping this is the case.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,953 Member
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    An oz is bigger than a gram so there is a larger margin of error and rounding errors. If you happen to always be eating say... 10.4 oz but logging it as 10 oz, it's a bit easier for that to add up. It's a little harder to weigh very light foods as well. But honestly... weighing is probably better than not weighing (I still use measuring cups and spoons and it's working... I'm hoping I'll get a scale as a gift... lol)
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
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    Yeah, most of the angry posts I've seen about it have been people who are guessing what 3oz or what have you looks like, instead of using a scale to measure.
    I fall in the category of people that they hate, I guess. It's not worth it to me at this point to buy a scale, or get a gym membership etc. It's all about your own priorities, and what you can afford to do.
    But if you're using a scale, ounces, grams doesn't matter.
  • alyssamaryw
    alyssamaryw Posts: 84
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    Thanks VeryKatie! This explains a lot. I do not round up or down when I add a food to my journal, so I'm thinking I didn't record too many extra calories this way. Though it sounds like grams might be easier, so I might give it a try.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
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    grams are just a smaller unit of measurement, therefore would be more accurate. Your scale probably won't say 1.056 ounces but it'll say 30 grams. As long as you are weighing and logging, I'm sure you're fine!

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