If we're supposed to weigh everything...

jakichan
jakichan Posts: 109 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
...then why are so many foods only listed by volume in the database?

For example, let's say I'm building a salad for lunch, as I did today. I hit the salad bar with a measuring cup in hand. My salad had, among other things, 1/4 cup garbanzo beans. Searching for garbanzo beans in the database I find plenty of things based on volume, but none of the entries are by weight.

If you're using MFP and if you're weighing everything then how does that work? Many simple foods are only listed by volume.

Replies

  • lolly715
    lolly715 Posts: 106
    I keep searching for a listing until I find one that uses weight. If it doesn't exist, I create one using the nutrition label. Luckily here (in the UK) there is very little volume measuring so almost all of our labels are by weight.
  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
    When you search type in raw by grams after the word you are searching. (such as garbanzo beans raw by gram) it will give you more options. In doing this I see that Natural Directions garbanzo beans are 120 calories for 130 grams. (which equals .92 calories per 1 gram) using this you can multiply your gram weight (depending on your serving size by .92 and find out the calorie content of what you had)
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Whenever you are having something generic, like garbanzo beans, keep scrolling until you get to a record that doesn't start with an asterisk (*). No asterisk is an USDA entry, not user added, and in my experience always has a grams option in the drop down box.

    Edited to correct typos
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Because the food database is mostly populated by users who usually use volume. The primary unit on food packages is also often volume and not food. It's not a perfect system. You've just got to do the best with what you got.
  • sisterlilbunny
    sisterlilbunny Posts: 686 Member
    If you search by USDA, you can generally find in terms of grams/ounces. Makes things easier.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Keep scrolling til you find it, my food list definitely has 1/4 c. for garbanzo's because I use it often. As a general rule try not to use generic.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Because America.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Whenever you are having something generic, like garbanzo beans, keep scrolling until you get to a record that doesn't start with an asterisk (*). No asterisk is an USDA entry, not user added, and in my experience always has a grams option in the drop down box.
    This. The entries without an asterisk will usually have a bunch of different ways to measure. The bottom is almost always "100 grams". Use the option and divide the number of grams in your food item by 100. So the 145 grams of cucumber I had yesterday was entered as 1.45 servings of 100 grams of cucumber.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    Some foods are meant to be weighed - meat, dry pasta, etc. Others are meant to be measured - beans, veggies, etc. Don't let someone who says "weigh everything" get you confused about weights and measures. Those of us who live in America are used to our food serving size being in measurements instead of weight.

    Congrats on the weight loss!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Because America.

    That sums it up.

    I find the volume entries sorta useful when I have to eyeball something, but otherwise I just look for an entry with grams.

    I use a bunch of volume entries but I know how many grams is a serving, I'm just too lazy to do another entry for everything I eat (like frozen veggies).
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    ...then why are so many foods only listed by volume in the database?
    The database is comprised of contributions by MFP members. They are all over the map in terms of units of measurement and for that matter, accuracy.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Because that's how users enter them in. I just solve this by dividing my serving by the serving size on the package. For raw products I'll try to use the MFP-entered data.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Because America.

    That sums it up.

    I find the volume entries sorta useful when I have to eyeball something, but otherwise I just look for an entry with grams.

    I use a bunch of volume entries but I know how many grams is a serving, I'm just too lazy to do another entry for everything I eat (like frozen veggies).

    Yes yes, imagine my surprise when moving to Europe and EVERYTHING *only* has nutritional info in 100g/100ml. No "portion size about 13 chips" or "two tablespoon".

    It just makes so much more sense. :(
  • KristinaB83
    KristinaB83 Posts: 440 Member
    Because America.

    ^ ha ha ha

    That.
  • LeonCX
    LeonCX Posts: 862 Member
    Hello? Look at the nutrition label on the food, then enter it as you want under "My Foods".
  • Drevious
    Drevious Posts: 69 Member
    I keep searching for a listing until I find one that uses weight. If it doesn't exist, I create one using the nutrition label. Luckily here (in the UK) there is very little volume measuring so almost all of our labels are by weight.

    Thank you! People that weigh and measure accurately please add to the database and make it better. Two things I went and bought when I joined: scale and measuring cups, spoons, etc. Now I try to weigh and measure everything.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    This is good. Have you read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
  • lilmisfit1987
    lilmisfit1987 Posts: 183 Member
    Like someone else mentioned, I usually use the usda entries. They always have a grams option.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    You just have to search for the correct item. Add USDA, raw or use the plural form and you'll usually get there pretty easily.
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
    Look for the USDA one or the generic one. It's generally in 100 gram units. There can be a big difference in actual weight and what fits in a measuring cup.
  • LessHeavyVeggie
    LessHeavyVeggie Posts: 208 Member
    It might help you to use non-american names for foods where possible - I'm in the UK so pretty much everything is done by weight anyway, and I find it so much easier when logging things that have different names in the US as none of the cup options come up. So try searching for chickpeas instead of garbanzo beans, aubergine instead of eggplant, courgette instead of zucchini etc.

    Or as some others have suggested, try adding g or grams after whatever you're searching for so something with grams will come up.
    + again, as others have said, the USDA ones always have a gram option.
  • Trignon
    Trignon Posts: 21 Member
    I went out and purchased the American Weigh SC-2KG scale just in case anyone ever posts an entry in troy ounces or pennyweight.

    - Plus it's accurate enough to trust for your espresso grind. 0.1 gram/0.01 ounce increments.-
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I weigh the stuff. If the first accurate nutritional info I find is in tsp or ounces or whatever, I convert the grams to ounces or teaspoons or whatever using the serving size.

    It really would be nice if more people entered things by grams, but whatever.

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