Calories in Micorwaved Potato Chips

AMRROL
AMRROL Posts: 168 Member
edited November 15 in Food and Nutrition
Could this be right. I bought one of those microwave potato chip makers. I used 4 small white potatoes that weighed 250 grams pre slicing and cooking. When cooked, the weight was 55 grams. To determine calories I went to the USDA site and found the entry

"Potatoes, microwaved, cooked in skin, flesh and skin, without salt. 105 calories for 100 grams"

So are my calories 262 based on 250 grams or 57 calories based on the 55 grams cooked. I am assuming that it is based on the cooked weight, and if so, a really terrific way to satisfy that fast food craving without too much damage calorie wise. Can my little potatoes really make 2 servings at 29 calories each? If so, yay. But I will have to experiment with some seasonings as they do taste bland, to say the least.

Replies

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    No, that was moisture that was cooked out. Use the raw weight value and the 262 calories. Do you add any oil at all in the process?
  • AMRROL
    AMRROL Posts: 168 Member
    edited April 2015
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    No, that was moisture that was cooked out. Use the raw weight value and the 262 calories. Do you add any oil at all in the process?

    No I don't use any oil, but I am confused. The USDA website clearly stated Microwaved, cooked in skin. That would imply their calculations are based on the cooked product and not the raw. They have other entries that clearly say raw with lower calorie counts. For example the same 100 grams for raw indicates only 69 calories while the microwaved entry indicates 105 for the same 100 grams. You are right about the water. That 250 grams microwaved down to 55 grams.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    AMRROL wrote: »
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    No, that was moisture that was cooked out. Use the raw weight value and the 262 calories. Do you add any oil at all in the process?

    No I don't use any oil, but I am confused. The USDA website clearly stated Microwaved, cooked in skin. That would imply their calculations are based on the cooked product and not the raw. They have other entries that clearly say raw with lower calorie counts. For example the same 100 grams for raw indicates only 69 calories while the microwaved entry indicates 105 for the same 100 grams. You are right about the water. That 250 grams microwaved down to 55 grams.

    100g of the cooked potatoes would mean using more potatoes, since the raw will weigh more for the same amount of potatoes. I would just make it into a recipe on the website, enter in 250g for the potatoes, and enter in however many servings you desire.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    edited April 2015
    I'd go with the raw weight of the potatoes. The USDA listing for microwaved potatoes likely specifies that they were cooked in their skins because that would tend to keep in the moisture. What about a listing in the USDA database for dehydrated potatoes?
  • MaryCS62
    MaryCS62 Posts: 266 Member
    I always go with raw, if possible. For example, last night, I made oven fries, starting with 12 oz potatoes for 3 servings (after scrubbing). When they came out of the oven, they only weighed about 6 oz, & that value included the oil & seasonings I added to cook them.. If I took 4 oz cooked as my serving, , that would have been equivalent to 8 oz of raw potato, not 4 oz of raw potato. How they are cooked definitely affects the cooked weight, so start with the raw data if you can.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    AMRROL wrote: »
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    No, that was moisture that was cooked out. Use the raw weight value and the 262 calories. Do you add any oil at all in the process?

    No I don't use any oil, but I am confused. The USDA website clearly stated Microwaved, cooked in skin. That would imply their calculations are based on the cooked product and not the raw. They have other entries that clearly say raw with lower calorie counts. For example the same 100 grams for raw indicates only 69 calories while the microwaved entry indicates 105 for the same 100 grams. You are right about the water. That 250 grams microwaved down to 55 grams.

    You started with a food with a certain weight, that had a certain amount of calories. Those calories did not cook out of the food.

    The specification for the cooked entry on the USDA site called for a potato cooked in its skin, which as another poster said, would have retained some of its moisture, but it still would have started from a larger potato.

    That is still besides the point I'd like to make.

    Using cooked entries is often unreliable because the amount of moisture that cooks out varies. Of course, the amount of moisture in raw produce can vary as well depending on how fresh the produce is, but it's going to be the best way to stay consistent for you.



  • AMRROL
    AMRROL Posts: 168 Member
    Thanks everyone. I will used the raw calorie counts.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Weigh the raw ingredients before cooking, including any oils, butter, salt, seasoning, whatever you might add.
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