How to properly measure rice, couscous, lentils, etc

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rh091
rh091 Posts: 100 Member
in Food and Nutrition
When measuring the amount of rice, couscous, lentils or any food that increases in volume after cooking, at what stage should it be measued at? Before its cooked or after? One cup measured of dry rice almost doubles when cooked. Are the calories and nutritional info on the package generllly for cooked or dry? I know that adding water, which is what happens when its cooked doesn't add extra calories, but the quantity changes so Im confused about that.
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Replies

  • thadeous
    thadeous Posts: 7
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    Pre-cooking, and by weight instead of volume.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    Measure these foods before cooking.
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
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    I measure EVERYTHING in raw form.
  • CarynMacD
    CarynMacD Posts: 230
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    I'm so glad you posted about this?

    Does the same apply to popcorn? Weigh it before popping?
  • Phildog47
    Phildog47 Posts: 255 Member
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    dry, and in grams... not cups. Problem happens when you cook for multiple people. If you measure what you're putting in the pot, then measure your cooked amount, realizing that it is 1/4 of the total... then do the math. In other words, it's not rocket science, but guesstimating.
  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
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    I measure EVERYTHING in raw form.

    flirty.gif
  • Phildog47
    Phildog47 Posts: 255 Member
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    I'm so glad you posted about this?

    Does the same apply to popcorn? Weigh it before popping?

    What a nice photo, Caryn. I just popped a kernel. :embarassed:
  • PowerfulHunt
    PowerfulHunt Posts: 281 Member
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    And what about chicken? Opposite problem, it weighs LESS after cooking... so weigh before or after?
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
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    I measure EVERYTHING in raw form.

    flirty.gif

    :flowerforyou: :blushing:
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
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    And what about chicken? Opposite problem, it weighs LESS after cooking... so weigh before or after?

    For meats, I always use the heavier weight of the pre-cooked item.
  • CarynMacD
    CarynMacD Posts: 230
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    So does that mean that the database values on MFP for say, 1 cup popcorn = x amount of calories is that 1 cup of dry popcorn?
  • CarynMacD
    CarynMacD Posts: 230
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    I'm so glad you posted about this?

    Does the same apply to popcorn? Weigh it before popping?

    What a nice photo, Caryn. I just popped a kernel. :embarassed:

    Any friend of Kari's is a friend of mine :-)
  • rh091
    rh091 Posts: 100 Member
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    Thank-you! Very helpful! I just bought a kitchen scale so will be able to have confidence in accurately tracking my lentils now!
  • Phildog47
    Phildog47 Posts: 255 Member
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    one cup of dry popcorn would fill a room! :laugh:
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
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    Alot of times, on things like pasta and rice, the measurement on the box states serving size for both raw and cooked.
  • CarynMacD
    CarynMacD Posts: 230
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    one cup of dry popcorn would fill a room! :laugh:

    Best I go and fix my food diary then.... for saturday (I think it was) I put down that I had 5 x cups of popcorn! :bigsmile:
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    So does that mean that the database values on MFP for say, 1 cup popcorn = x amount of calories is that 1 cup of dry popcorn?

    I'd go with what the label on the popcorn says if possible, the database can be confusing and is plain wrong once in a while.
  • Linovitz
    Linovitz Posts: 79 Member
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    It would be great if popcorn was measured BEFORE popping, but I can't believe that is correct. One cup of unpopped popcorn would produce a huge amount of end product. I would appreciate clarifiction on this matter.

    Also, had same question on chicken/meat - weigh before cooking or after?

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