PB2 nutrition confusion.

planetfatty
planetfatty Posts: 28 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I bought some PB2 from Amazon and I love it but I'm confused about the calories.

The label says 2 tbsp (12g) is 45 calories, right? So I've been using a couple of loosely packed tablespoon measurements whenever I make it. But this afternoon, when I was prepping my overnight oats, I decided to weigh out the 12g. And instead of loosely filling the spoon, I packed it in, tipped it into the bowl and... 12g exactly. For one spoonful. So I grabbed a clean bowl, measured out two loosely packed tablespoons and... 15g. Ugh!

Now, I realise a loose vs packed volume measurement will always weigh differently and therefore have different calorie contents but I decided to Google "1 packed tablespoon PB2" to see if what came up and (this is where my confusion starts) I found a few comments that the nutritional label is wrong and 12g/2 tbsp should read 12g/1 tbsp. Does that mean it's 45 calories for 1 tbsp of the powder? Or does it mean that 2 x12g (24g total) tablespoon servings is 45 calories? Am I just over thinking this and confusing myself?!

Really I just want to know if 12g is 45 calories for certain, because after reading that the nutrition info/serving size is incorrect, I'm just like, huh?!

(And yes, I know all solids should be weighed to be the most accurate but still, sometimes it's easier to just use a spoon)

Replies

  • ziggy2006
    ziggy2006 Posts: 255 Member
    This is why it is important to measure foods other than liquids using grams, not measuring spoons.

    The nutrition facts say that 1 serving is 2 tablespoons (12g). There are 15 servings per container. 15 X 12 = 180. The entire container contains 184g.

    12g of PB2 is 1serving and contains 45 calories. If your measurement is perfect, you should have 4g of extra PB2 left in the jar after consuming all 15 servings.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I would ignore the tablespoon and go by weight. When they calculate the nutritional information, they're going by weight.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Am I correct that if you were going to make a pb sandwich, you would take 1 tbsp of the powder and reconstitute it with 1 tbsp of water giving yourself 2 tbsp of spread? If that's the case, there's still 45 cals in 2 reconstituted tablespoons of PB2. I don't use it so I am not sure, but that's what I would assume from the instructions.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    There is variance in tablespoons. There is variance in packed and loosely filled tablespoons. There is variance in "packed" and "loosely packed". There is no variance in 12 grams. Weigh it. 12gms =45 calories
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Always weigh
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    2 Tablespoons just happens to be the standard volume measurement closest to what sorta fits 12g of the powder. As others have said this is why it's important to weigh. That said I'm sure those extra 3 grams aren't going to break the calorie bank. Hopefully.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    MelissaPhippsFeagins wrote: »
    Am I correct that if you were going to make a pb sandwich, you would take 1 tbsp of the powder and reconstitute it with 1 tbsp of water giving yourself 2 tbsp of spread? If that's the case, there's still 45 cals in 2 reconstituted tablespoons of PB2. I don't use it so I am not sure, but that's what I would assume from the instructions.

    I think the recipe is 2 tbs of powder to 1 tbs of water.
  • ziggy2006
    ziggy2006 Posts: 255 Member
    MelissaPhippsFeagins wrote: »
    Am I correct that if you were going to make a pb sandwich, you would take 1 tbsp of the powder and reconstitute it with 1 tbsp of water giving yourself 2 tbsp of spread? If that's the case, there's still 45 cals in 2 reconstituted tablespoons of PB2. I don't use it so I am not sure, but that's what I would assume from the instructions.

    No, that is not correct.

    There are 45 calories in 12 grams of PB2. The directions say to mix 12 grams of powder with 1 tablespoon of water.

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I've never understood it either. 1TBS = 15g, so 2TBS =30g. I've never seen 2tbs= 12g on any product other than PB2.
  • kirstenb13
    kirstenb13 Posts: 181 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    1TBS = 15g, so 2TBS =30g. I've never seen 2tbs= 12g on any product other than PB2.

    Not really true, 1 tablespoon of flour is about 8 g and I believe that pb2 is slightly less dense. 1 TBS=15 g only applies to water since it is a volumetric measurement.

  • planetfatty
    planetfatty Posts: 28 Member
    Ok, so as long as it's definitely 12g = 45 cal, I'm good. I was just confused in case I'd been eating twice the calorie amount without realising or something. I dunno. Anyway, I've changed the food entry I've been using from 2 tbsp to 12g and I'll weigh it from now on!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    kirstenb13 wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    1TBS = 15g, so 2TBS =30g. I've never seen 2tbs= 12g on any product other than PB2.

    Not really true, 1 tablespoon of flour is about 8 g and I believe that pb2 is slightly less dense. 1 TBS=15 g only applies to water since it is a volumetric measurement.

    When i use a tbs to weigh out protein powder, flaxseed, psyllium husk powder or whatever, A flat TBS is always around 15g. But like you said density comes into play with some items. When i use the same spoon to weigh out gelatin, it takes 2 1/2 to get to 15g.

    Manufacturers should just put the gram weight on their labels and do away with confusing cups and spoon measurements.

  • ziggy2006
    ziggy2006 Posts: 255 Member
    kirstenb13 wrote: »
    Not really true, 1 tablespoon of flour is about 8 g and I believe that pb2 is slightly less dense. 1 TBS=15 g only applies to water since it is a volumetric measurement.

    Exactly, grams measure weight while tablespoons measure volume. So the conversion will vary depending on the ingredient that you are measuring.

  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
    Wow...I didn't know this. I recently bought my first jar and have been putting 2 tbls in my smoothie.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited July 2016
    mmsilvia wrote: »
    Wow...I didn't know this. I recently bought my first jar and have been putting 2 tbls in my smoothie.

    I reckon you'd be adding closer to 30-40g. Next time you use pb2 make sure and weigh it using the same spoons you've previously been using. I'd be curious to how many grams you've been having.

  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,332 Member
    The grams are what was used to determine the calories in the lab, the tablespoons is an estimate of how much will likely make that 12 grams. How they came up with that, I have no idea, but it is likely not with the product shaken down by shipping. It is far more likely it was estimated based on the powder after production when it is far looser. This is a prime example of why weighing ALL solids, including those that are ground and grated, is important.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    I always just figured it meant 12 g dry made about 2 tbsp when reconstituted. Though that's not clear on the label when I add water to the 12 g dry it does look closer to 2 tbsp than 1.

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