Why do they make calories so confusing? Help!

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  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
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    So the serving size is 2tbsp unpopped & there are 3 servings per bag (about). So go with the 2tbsp unpopped serving size & multiply by 3.

    540 calories
    36g fat
    45g carbs
    6g protein

    This.
  • whippetwomen
    whippetwomen Posts: 35 Member
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    Sorry, didn't realise you bought it unpopped. Ours comes already popped, usually coated in sugar.
  • MissBlunts420
    MissBlunts420 Posts: 63 Member
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    NVM
  • allie_00p
    allie_00p Posts: 280 Member
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    The label itself doesn't even make sense, it says 2 tbsp unpopped = 4 cups popped. It lists 1 cup popped at 35 calories, but 2tbsp unpopped at 180 calories... 180 / 4 = 45 ???

    Is it saying that by popping it, 20% of the calories magically disappear?

    ETA: personally I'd just go with the unpopped number. 540
  • meridianova
    meridianova Posts: 438 Member
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    I tried to do the math and i got 420 calories for a bag. Is that right? So far nobody has actually answered lol

    I always figure based on the popped calories. So 1 bag contains about 3 cups popped popcorn and that equals 105 calories.

    no, it doesn't.

    1 bag contains 6 tablespoons of unpopped popcorn, and can make 12 cups of popped popcorn. so do the math based on the 3 servings per bag of 2 tablespoons unpopped popcorn. you'll get 540 calories total.

    seriously, pop a bag and then measure out in cups how much popped corn you get. it'll be a lot more than 3.
  • laurenjill
    laurenjill Posts: 94 Member
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    If the entire bag makes around three cups popped, the entire bag post-popping is around 105 calories.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    This is a good idea. But... Wouldn't the weight of the cooked kernel be less than the weight of an uncooked kernel? I'm thinking some of the moisture in it would be cooked out. Dried fruit/etc. tends to be less in weight than the original.

    Not like we need anything further to complicate things.

    I do think the entire bag would be ~420. The little bag of the 'low fat' variety is 100 so the big bag of any variety must be more?

    (This assumes all kernels pop... but honestly, you're hardly going to be left with that many that don't pop. Really what you should do is start with 540, then weigh the unpopped kernels at the end. Say you have 11g unpopped kernels at the end... that means that 60cals worth of kernels did not pop, so the total amount in the bag was 540-60 = 480 calories.)
  • bgelliott
    bgelliott Posts: 610 Member
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    I tried to do the math and i got 420 calories for a bag. Is that right? So far nobody has actually answered lol

    Depending on what kind, yes it could totally be right. We make pop secret home-style or something like that and it's 360 per bag popped. When I'm watching calories, I use the 100 calorie bags to make it easier on my brain. Popcorn is the worst at just giving the info without having to do math.
  • Tiernan1212
    Tiernan1212 Posts: 797 Member
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    The front of the box should say how many grams of kernels there are per bag.

    From a quick google, it looks like one bag contains 99g of kernels. (Double-check your box!)

    So one bag contains 3 "servings" (lol) of popcorn.

    33g of unpopped kernels has 180 calories.

    Therefore each bag has 180x3 = 540 calories.

    (This assumes all kernels pop... but honestly, you're hardly going to be left with that many that don't pop. Really what you should do is start with 540, then weigh the unpopped kernels at the end. Say you have 11g unpopped kernels at the end... that means that 60cals worth of kernels did not pop, so the total amount in the bag was 540-60 = 480 calories.)

    Seriously, go with this.

    And next time, buy the 100 cal bags, they're easier to log!

    Or, I think the ValuTime brand actually breaks the calories down by bag.
  • lolly715
    lolly715 Posts: 106
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    There are three servings per bag. Each serving is 2tbs kernels, which makes 4 cups popped. So there are 12 cups popped per bag.

    You need to multiply the unpopped calories by 3, or popped by 12. This will give you the range of calories per bag which is somewhere between 420-540. I'm assuming their popped calories already takes into consideration average amount unpopped, bag residue (etc) which is why it is lower. 420 is the minimum I would log, or the 540 to be on the safe side.
    The front of the box should say how many grams of kernels there are per bag.

    From a quick google, it looks like one bag contains 99g of kernels. (Double-check your box!)

    So one bag contains 3 "servings" (lol) of popcorn.

    33g of unpopped kernels has 180 calories.

    Therefore each bag has 180x3 = 540 calories.

    (This assumes all kernels pop... but honestly, you're hardly going to be left with that many that don't pop. Really what you should do is start with 540, then weigh the unpopped kernels at the end. Say you have 11g unpopped kernels at the end... that means that 60cals worth of kernels did not pop, so the total amount in the bag was 540-60 = 480 calories.)

    This would be the most accurate method.
  • Tiernan1212
    Tiernan1212 Posts: 797 Member
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    If the entire bag makes around three cups popped, the entire bag post-popping is around 105 calories.

    No, the entire bag makes 12 cups popped.
  • fabulousmomma
    fabulousmomma Posts: 172 Member
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    Hey if you want a bowl of popcorn, (5 cups to be exact) and only want to use up 100 calories.....make your own on the stove. You know the old fashioned way. Heat up oil on the bottom of the pot, add kernals and well next thing you know you have popcorn!

    It's only 100 calories with no butter....still it's very very very good even with some salt!
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
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    "Unpopped" includes everything in the bag, including the tablespoon or two of oil.

    "Popped" includes what comes out of the bag, which would exclude a few dud kernels and a lot of grease left all over the inside the bag and the microwave. (So that's why my microwave smells like popcorn even when I'm just warming up some tea...)

    The stuff I've been getting says # calories per serving, 3 servings per bag, and 9 servings per box. With the kettle corn flavor, I can inhale a whole bag for 120 calories and not care, but it still sucks that nobody provides weighted measurements for popcorn.
  • MyF1tMe
    MyF1tMe Posts: 3 Member
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    So me and my girlfriend are trying to figure out how many calories are in a bag of popcorn and we...yeah. We had a hard time for a second there lol why the heck doesn't it just simply say how many calories popped per bag? Craziness! How many calories is it for just a bag? I think stuff like this is easily responsible for people miscounting cals and confused about lack of weight loss


    http://i.imgur.com/IRHyzo1.jpg

    Posting the pic made it too big so here's just a link

    |||||||||||||||||to answer the riddle lol|||||||||||||||||||||||

    I would focus my attention on the unpopped states because they seem more reliable....

    2tbs per serving
    3 servings per bag
    180calories per serving

    2x3x180 = 1080 calories for 1 bag
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
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    If the entire bag makes around three cups popped, the entire bag post-popping is around 105 calories.

    No, the entire bag makes 12 cups popped.
    I've never seen a bag of microwave popcorn make more than 5-6 cups, max.
  • laurenjill
    laurenjill Posts: 94 Member
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    The servings per bag listed on the panel says about three, which means three cups popped.
  • laurenjill
    laurenjill Posts: 94 Member
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    If the entire bag makes around three cups popped, the entire bag post-popping is around 105 calories.

    No, the entire bag makes 12 cups popped.
    I've never seen a bag of microwave popcorn make more than 5-6 cups, max.

    That'd be a massive bag of microwave popcorn.
  • ASH2038602
    ASH2038602 Posts: 215 Member
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    Jesus Christ just buy some pretzels!
  • Tiernan1212
    Tiernan1212 Posts: 797 Member
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    If the entire bag makes around three cups popped, the entire bag post-popping is around 105 calories.

    No, the entire bag makes 12 cups popped.
    I've never seen a bag of microwave popcorn make more than 5-6 cups, max.

    According to the labeling, this one does :laugh:

    Serving size = 2tbsp unpopped (4 cups popped), servings per bag = 3

    4 x 3 = 12 cups popped

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