How should I weigh my food?

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CarolF11
CarolF11 Posts: 67 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just purchased a digital scale but I'm not sure if I should weigh my food raw or cooked. Does it even matter?

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  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
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    It matters which entry you use. If the entry is for raw then weigh it raw, if for cooked weigh it cooked. I personally think raw will be more accurate.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Yes it does.

    It usually states which is used on nutritional info if you are utilizing the bar scanner to enter your food.

    Most meats are cooked weight and are probably the biggest difference in raw/cooked therefore throwing off your macros as well as calories.
  • Annamarie3404
    Annamarie3404 Posts: 319 Member
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    I've never weighed food. I just keep track with a measuring cup or spoon and log from there.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Things like rice will say on the box if it cooked or dry, lean meats for me is always raw, to cumbersome to worry about fat, water and what not that is cooked out before consumption, the protein value will not change.

  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
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    I always weigh things raw (and pick raw entries) because you never know how much water something will absorb and that would throw off the weight. And remember that when you weigh things like fruit, only weigh what you eat. I used to weigh bananas in the peel for some reason lol
  • kristysaurus
    kristysaurus Posts: 91 Member
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    I measure most things raw because when you cook them they can lose/gain water. For example, 50 grams of cooked rice will be significantly less than 50 grams of uncooked rice.

    This process also makes it easier when you cook meals with multiple ingredients in one pan (at least for me), such as a soup or stir-fry. I just measure each thing before tossing it in. Then I know what is in there without having to worry about it.

    Just make sure you pick the raw or uncooked entries in the database!
  • CarolF11
    CarolF11 Posts: 67 Member
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    Thanks everyone!! I'll try to weigh it raw from on...and peel bananas before weighing them lol
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    CarolF11 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone!! I'll try to weigh it raw from on...and peel bananas before weighing them lol

    When it comes to bananas I weigh it with the peel and then weigh the peel and subtract that weight when I'm done. It's less messy that way.
  • suzyjane1972
    suzyjane1972 Posts: 612 Member
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    Annamarie3404 wrote: »
    I've never weighed food. I just keep track with a measuring cup or spoon and log from there.

    Many will find after a while this stops being a viable option. A scale is the only way you know exactly how much you are eating.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
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    Annamarie3404 wrote: »
    I've never weighed food. I just keep track with a measuring cup or spoon and log from there.

    This method leads to errors and weight loss stalls. It will work for most for a while, but once you get down to your last leg you will find your weight loss slow or stop and it will be because you're not weighing your food. Do your thing of course but I have a feeling we will see a post from you in a few weeks asking why you're not losing ;)

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