Confusion on calories in shrimp

KeysKat
KeysKat Posts: 5 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I bought a bag of frozen jumbo shrimp at Walmart. The bag says 6 shrimp= 4 ounces = 140 calories.
When I look on the MFP database that is waaay more than what any other resource says for shrimp/oz.

How do you know what is correct? Do you just assume that what is on the package you purchased is correct? Or the USDA?

A lot of times when I run into this, the difference is pretty small, but for shrimp...it is a huge difference.
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Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    Most MFP entries are user-entered so they need to be double-checked by comparing them to the package or USDA. Always go with what the package or USDA says.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    You should follow the nutritional facts listed on the package. I use the USDA database mostly for fruits and vegetables or anything that doesn't have nutritional facts on the package.
  • MommaGem2017
    MommaGem2017 Posts: 405 Member
    KeysKat wrote: »
    I bought a bag of frozen jumbo shrimp at Walmart. The bag says 6 shrimp= 4 ounces = 140 calories.
    When I look on the MFP database that is waaay more than what any other resource says for shrimp/oz.

    How do you know what is correct? Do you just assume that what is on the package you purchased is correct? Or the USDA?

    A lot of times when I run into this, the difference is pretty small, but for shrimp...it is a huge difference.

    First, go with the package info. After the shrimp thaw, weigh 6 of them and see if they weigh 4 oz. Then eat that many after it's cooked.

    Also - Were your shrimp raw or cooked? (Like shrimp cocktail ready?)

    The raw weight of food tends to be less than the same weight of cooked food. So if your shrimp were raw, then 4 oz. of cooked shrimp were likely to be higher than 4 oz. of cooked shrimp. Along with including usda in your search you should also look for an indicator of raw or cooked.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Go with the package.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    edited August 2017
    I promise you no company ever has put way more calories thn was true on their packaging. They dont want high high calories in this diet age....Why wouldnt you listen to the package -Atleast not for higher calories...i often find they under estimate their portions in packaged food...never over
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    KeysKat wrote: »
    I bought a bag of frozen jumbo shrimp at Walmart. The bag says 6 shrimp= 4 ounces = 140 calories.
    When I look on the MFP database that is waaay more than what any other resource says for shrimp/oz.

    How do you know what is correct? Do you just assume that what is on the package you purchased is correct? Or the USDA?

    A lot of times when I run into this, the difference is pretty small, but for shrimp...it is a huge difference.

    go by the packaging if at all possible

    weigh out 4oz of shrimp (it could be 6 or less/more) - eat shrimp - calorie wise 4oz shrimp is about 23g protein/1g fat - approx. 101 cal (but if there are any additional seasonings etc that could change the calorie count)
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    I promise you no company ever has put way more calories thn was true on their packaging. They dont want high high calories in this diet age....Why wouldnt you listen to the package -Atleast not for higher calories...i often find they under estimate their portions in packaged food...never over

    huh...packing can be up to 20% deviation in serving size - so packaging could easily be wrong - those 6 shrimp could be 3oz, 4oz or 5oz - that is why weighing is sooo important

    The number of shrimp per serving size could be high or low, but I tend to agree that they are unlikely to have overestimated the calories in the serving size. I would weight out the serving and use the calories on the packaging.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    edited August 2017
    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    I promise you no company ever has put way more calories thn was true on their packaging. They dont want high high calories in this diet age....Why wouldnt you listen to the package -Atleast not for higher calories...i often find they under estimate their portions in packaged food...never over

    huh...packing can be up to 20% deviation in serving size - so packaging could easily be wrong - those 6 shrimp could be 3oz, 4oz or 5oz - that is why weighing is sooo important

    yes but the OP says the website says the calories are way lower...the company isnt simply being like HAH lets just put the calories as double! Packaging is right. I never said anything about not weighing to get the right weight, OP asked which to listen to for what calories are right not what serving size.
  • VeronicaA76
    VeronicaA76 Posts: 1,116 Member
    Weigh the peeled shrimp. Then look up the calories per gram/ounce. Shrimp can vary in size and density. Enter your own numbers and note it for future reference.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    edited August 2017
    HarlemNY17 wrote: »
    HarlemNY17 wrote: »
    Because it's a Processed food

    See, that's where you went wrong, OP, you should have stuck your face directly in a rock pool, caught them with your teeth and eaten them alive and wriggling. No pesky confusing packaging that way.

    Actually you should do you're research on why processed foods are high in calories and sodium . They don't just take shrimp throw them in the bag and put them in freezers.

    So nearly all meat that is frozen is frozen with brine, which is salt water.

    I have never heard of adding calories though. That would be something other than brine.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    HarlemNY17 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    HarlemNY17 wrote: »
    Because it's a Processed food

    What in the world does that have to do with OP's question?

    Processed Foods are always higher in calories and sodium!! Clearly she wanted to know why her shrimps were so high in calories and that's why .

    Weird. I eat frozen fruit and vegetables, and their calories are not higher and they don't have added sodium.

    Pretty sure the same is true with plenty of frozen shrimp too. Whether OP's have added ingredients we do not know, but if they do not there is no basis to claim the processing increased their calories or added sodium. Could be something about the frozen weight, could be the kind of shrimp. Seeing the packaging would, of course, help.

    It's true that some frozen foods have added salt solution and it looks to me like the Walmart brands might (or some of them do), but that doesn't mean they all do.

    Also, where do you live that you can get never frozen shrimp, because I am pretty sure that where I am (Chicago) the stuff unfrozen in the store was once frozen. You need to be aware of stuff like that before going on about frozen foods being processed and therefore bad, oh no!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I've also been known to add salt when cooking foods. I'm pretty sure that's common practice. Not everyone is scared of sodium.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    If there are any added ingredients in the shrimp it will be listed on the packaging. If none, it is just shrimp.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    It never occurred to me that the OP wouldn't be able to ascertain if there are "other" ingredients in her shrimp package.

    And it doesn't surprise me that we can argue even about this.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited August 2017
    HarlemNY17 wrote: »
    HarlemNY17 wrote: »
    Because it's a Processed food

    See, that's where you went wrong, OP, you should have stuck your face directly in a rock pool, caught them with your teeth and eaten them alive and wriggling. No pesky confusing packaging that way.

    Actually you should do you're research on why processed foods are high in calories and sodium . They don't just take shrimp throw them in the bag and put them in freezers.

    Added sodium is not going to add calories.

    I'm not sure where you live, but here frozen prawns (shrimp) are just prawns placed in a bag and then frozen, no sneaky calorific ingredients added.

    ETA: Are you talking about crumbed/battered shrimp, this will obviously bump up the calories...
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    edited August 2017
    HarlemNY17 wrote: »
    HarlemNY17 wrote: »
    Because it's a Processed food

    See, that's where you went wrong, OP, you should have stuck your face directly in a rock pool, caught them with your teeth and eaten them alive and wriggling. No pesky confusing packaging that way.

    Actually you should do you're research on why processed foods are high in calories and sodium . They don't just take shrimp throw them in the bag and put them in freezers.
    Oh really, and what else is done to frozen shrimp?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    If there are any added ingredients in the shrimp it will be listed on the packaging. If none, it is just shrimp.

    Yes, exactly.

    Processed foods don't have mysterious non listed calorie-adding ingredients.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited August 2017
    It never occurred to me that the OP wouldn't be able to ascertain if there are "other" ingredients in her shrimp package.

    And it doesn't surprise me that we can argue even about this.

    If this is aimed at me, I've seen weirder, but I wouldn't assume it was the case, I'd just ask to make sure (if OP is still around, of course). Anyway, I think I identified the particular brand with 140 cal for 4 oz and it has no calorie-adding extra ingredients.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    It never occurred to me that the OP wouldn't be able to ascertain if there are "other" ingredients in her shrimp package.

    And it doesn't surprise me that we can argue even about this.

    If this is aimed at me, I've seen weirder, but I wouldn't assume it was the case, I'd just ask to make sure (if OP is still around, of course). Anyway, I think I identified the particular brand with 140 cal for 4 oz and it has no calorie-adding extra ingredients.

    Why would you think it was aimed at you? I was following @CattOfTheGarage and her statement.

This discussion has been closed.