Does nutrition info change depending on cooking method?

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cecsav1
cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
in Food and Nutrition
If I use butter to fry an egg, I add the butter separately to include the calories, but I just ate a grilled zucchini (propane grill, only added salt, pepper, and garlic powder). When I searched for grilled zucchini in the database, I get a lot of what appears to be packaged/processed foods with the calories varying wildly. Does the nutrition of my food change based on how it's cooked, or can I add a raw zucchini in this case?

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  • Can_Do_Gal
    Can_Do_Gal Posts: 1,142 Member
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    Weigh the zucchini raw, before you cook it. Enter it into MFP. Cook however you want. If you use butter or oil, like when you fry your eggs, also enter that into MFP.

    Entries like "grilled zucchini" often have inaccuracies. It's most accurate to weigh all foods before cooking in general, so yes, use the raw entry. Then the MFP database has tons of entries with inaccurate data, and it's helpful to know how to find the ones most likely to be correct. Green checks means it's been verified. Failing that, I look for entries that also say "USDA." Choose an entry in the middle of the pack calorie wise & it's more likely to be correct. For foods I eat a lot, or if I'm having trouble finding a decent seeming entry in the database, I check the USDA myself.
    https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list

    One last note: you have to weigh a food when it's raw to use the raw entry. Food loses weight during cooking because it loses water. So if you weigh something cooked & use a raw entry, you will be eating a bunch more calories than you're entering in your diary.
  • bellabonbons
    bellabonbons Posts: 705 Member
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    You asked if nutrition information changes during cooking. Yes it does. Heat destroys vitamins and minerals. It is best to steam vegetables and sauté lightly. I eat as many Raw vegetables and raw fruits as much as possible as most of the enzymes are still there depending on when they were harvested. Fresh from the garden is best.
  • bellabonbons
    bellabonbons Posts: 705 Member
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    If you're referring to calories there are no additional calories when you steam vegetables. Of course when you add butter olive oil or condiments that will change. You were asking about nutrition and not calories in your post. Look up the supermodel Carol alt. She has an advocate of the raw diet.
  • cecsav1
    cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
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    Sorry. I used the term nutrition info to mean calories, protein, carbs, and fats. I'll try to be more accurate next time. Thanks!
  • ChristopherLimoges
    ChristopherLimoges Posts: 298 Member
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    Unless you turn your food inedible, the changes from methods of cooking are insignificant. Ingredients may change, but nutritional data is respectively the same.
  • suzyjane1972
    suzyjane1972 Posts: 612 Member
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    Tomatoes are actually better for you cooked. Not everything is degraded by cooking.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    Yes, it does. As does ripeness, etc. Don't worry about - control what you can and consistent tracking will get you there.

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