Weighing liquids to count calories

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guppyphant
guppyphant Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I have found that it's easier to track liquid calories (like milk in my morning coffee) by weight on a scale rather than using measuring cups but I'm having a heard time finding the conversion online.

The nutrition label indicates calories per mL -- how would I convert that to calories per gram?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
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    I know the official (with the green check mark) entry for milk has an option for 100g
  • Cliftoncarl
    Cliftoncarl Posts: 2 Member
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    I think that you can. First by weighting 100ml, then check how much calories are in 100ml, so now you can divide the weight by calories. So if 100ml weighs 100grams, and 100ml has 200 calories, then 1 gram has 2 calories.
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
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    Milliliters (mL) are a volume measurement. Grams (g) are a weight measurement. The conversion would be specific to each food. 100 mL of water does not weigh the same as 100 mL of milk (and 2% milk will weigh different from whole milk). It depends on how dense the liquid is.
  • Vegplotter
    Vegplotter Posts: 265 Member
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    In fact 100ml of milk (skimmed or full) does weigh 100gms. So it's easy to convert.
  • guppyphant
    guppyphant Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks everyone :blush:
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I weigh liquids too, calories per 100 grams is on the food label. Or at least it should be. One milliliter of water weighs one gram, but grams is weight and milliliter is volume and they aren't interchangeable. Milk, and other watery liquids, has almost, but not quite, the same density as water, because it consists of mainly water, and the difference is negligible in this context.
  • kirstenb13
    kirstenb13 Posts: 181 Member
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    Yep, water based liquids I convert 1:1 (g to ml), small density differences from water are negligible here. For oils it's more like 0.8*ml to get the correct grams ( so 1 tablespoon weighs 12 grams). I never use cups, way to lazy to wash them.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    2% milk - https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/153?fgcd=&manu=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=35&offset=&sort=fd_s&qlookup=Milk+2%

    Whole milk - https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/180?fgcd=&manu=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=35&offset=35&sort=fd_s&qlookup=Milk+whole

    1% milk - https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/154?fgcd=&manu=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=35&offset=&sort=&qlookup=Milk+1%

    Fat free milk - https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/134?fgcd=&manu=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=35&offset=&sort=&qlookup=Milk+skim
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.

    I like weighing because it's less dishes, lol. Plus a lot of liquids, like oil, get 'stuck' to the measuring spoon so you don't get the full amount...

    What I'd do is put your measuring cup on a scale, then fill it, to see how much it weighs, and write it down somewhere, that way you can just use the weight next time.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.

    You said "agreed", but you don't agree with Christine?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.

    You said "agreed", but you don't agree with Christine?

    No. Christine said just use a measuring cup. I agreed. Using the appropriate tool to measure a liquid is more exact than using the inappropriate tool and a swag figure of 1 mL of watery liquids = 1 gram and declaring all milks to be watery.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.

    You said "agreed", but you don't agree with Christine?

    No. Christine said just use a measuring cup. I agreed. Using the appropriate tool to measure a liquid is more exact than using the inappropriate tool and a swag figure of 1 mL of watery liquids = 1 gram and declaring all milks to be watery.

    OK, but aren't scales appropriate? Even more accurate than measuring spoons/cups?
  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.

    Weighing is probably more accurate, given that the graduations on a scale are smaller. I.e. with my measuring cups I think the smallest graduation is ~50 mL or thereabouts (been a while since I looked) whereas I can weigh liquids to the nearest gram. As long as you know the density and have a calculator (i.e. phone), you get a much more accurate number by weighing.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    sarahthes wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.

    Weighing is probably more accurate, given that the graduations on a scale are smaller. I.e. with my measuring cups I think the smallest graduation is ~50 mL or thereabouts (been a while since I looked) whereas I can weigh liquids to the nearest gram. As long as you know the density and have a calculator (i.e. phone), you get a much more accurate number by weighing.

    But why do you need to know the density and use a calculator? Is this what you are talking about, jemhh?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    sarahthes wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.

    Weighing is probably more accurate, given that the graduations on a scale are smaller. I.e. with my measuring cups I think the smallest graduation is ~50 mL or thereabouts (been a while since I looked) whereas I can weigh liquids to the nearest gram. As long as you know the density and have a calculator (i.e. phone), you get a much more accurate number by weighing.

    But why do you need to know the density and use a calculator? Is this what you are talking about, jemhh?

    Yes.

    Liquids are most commonly measured by volume, which means using ounces, mL, etc. Digital scales measure weight. If you do not know the person gram weight of a liquid, using a digital scale for it means you are using the wrong tool. Look at the milk links above and you'll see that different milks have different calorie counts per gram. In the US, at least, most liquids are labeled with servings showing volume, not weight measurements. So unless you find verifiable weight-based nutrition information for them, you should measure by volume.
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
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    I generally agree to just stick to measuring cups or tablespoons for liquids, but for milk, I tend to just weigh the stuff. I only really use cow's milk for recipes and would rather avoid more bowls.

    We have a cup from Starbucks that has an 8 ounce water fill line. Pretty when I want something else to drink.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    sarahthes wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    OMG just use a measuring cup lol Sounds mathematical and time consuming weighing milk.

    Agreed.

    I don't understand why people will go crazy about weighing solids accurately and then purposely choose not to be exact on liquids.

    Weighing is probably more accurate, given that the graduations on a scale are smaller. I.e. with my measuring cups I think the smallest graduation is ~50 mL or thereabouts (been a while since I looked) whereas I can weigh liquids to the nearest gram. As long as you know the density and have a calculator (i.e. phone), you get a much more accurate number by weighing.

    But why do you need to know the density and use a calculator? Is this what you are talking about, jemhh?

    Yes.

    Liquids are most commonly measured by volume, which means using ounces, mL, etc. Digital scales measure weight. If you do not know the person gram weight of a liquid, using a digital scale for it means you are using the wrong tool. Look at the milk links above and you'll see that different milks have different calorie counts per gram. In the US, at least, most liquids are labeled with servings showing volume, not weight measurements. So unless you find verifiable weight-based nutrition information for them, you should measure by volume.

    Ah, I see - I think. I'm used to grams for everything. For instance, foods I have now - kefir and whole milk have 61 calories per 100 grams, oil has 900, mayo has 730, ketchup, honey, all have calories per 100 grams. The soy sauce is per 100 milliliters. I don't understand using both at the same time. I weigh the food, get the amount in grams, log that, and the calories are added, it's no difference whether it's solid of liquid. Or I use a measuring spoon, and log the volume, and the calories are added. If you have the calories and the grams, and the calories per gram, you have the information you need, and you don't confuse yourself with volume.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I drink 550ml of milk every day. When I get up in the morning i fill up my little measuring jug with milk, and that is my milk receptacle for the day. I add this milk to my cups of tea. I really do not want to weigh each and every time i have a cuppa through out the day.

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