Weighing food - oz vs g

08_GreenEyedMomma
08_GreenEyedMomma Posts: 62 Member
edited November 20 in Getting Started
I've been using the oz setting on my food scale, but I just wondered if there was a recommendation between either oz or grams. I don't have a preference, just wondering if one was recommended over the other, or if they're both fine so long as you're weighing & logging.
«1

Replies

  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
    Grams!
  • drakedeborah3384
    drakedeborah3384 Posts: 7 Member
    Grams!
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    Grams get you down to smaller increments, so they're more accurate.
  • chelllsea124
    chelllsea124 Posts: 336 Member
    grams
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Grams is more accurate
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    My scale goes to the hundredth of an ounce. Therefore, ounces are actually more a more sensitive measure for me, since a hundredth of an ounce is less than a gram.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    I like that grams are in smaller unit increments but the main attraction of grams is that grams are what are listed in the Nutrition Facts for all solids and many liquids in the US so there's no conversion necessary.

    My scale has ounces but I've never used that setting.
  • bigbutt49
    bigbutt49 Posts: 2 Member
    My scale weighs ounces so I have to convert to grams when I list my protein, the question is there any way to change my grams to ounces on the food chart?
  • need2belean
    need2belean Posts: 358 Member
    GRAMS!!! It's more precise. 28 grams = 1oz but if your scale is only in oz, you could really be weighing anything from 29grams to 30 something.
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    need2belean wrote: »
    GRAMS!!! It's more precise. 28 grams = 1oz but if your scale is only in oz, you could really be weighing anything from 29grams to 30 something.

    Not my scale. 100% of the time when it says "1.00" ounces, when I then switch to grams is says "28".
  • Rosie3660
    Rosie3660 Posts: 4 Member
    @RobD520 - A bit off topic - but I'm thinking about buying a scale. What brand/model are you using? Is this ok to ask? I'm new here.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    Rob, your scales are the exception. I do all my recipes for children's birthday, and Christmas cakes and things in ounces, I have most of them down to memory.

    Which is bigger 14g or half an ounce. To me half an ounce seems small, even stingy, where as I could kid myself 14g is greater.

    Most scales are more accurate than the balance ones I grew up with. It came down to judging the pans as level not one side right down. Best wishes to someone using balances, your eyes must be better than mine.

    (actually, I think my scales would to, if I did not have to turn it upside down to change the values, no that the ones in the bathroom, (giggle at thought of food everywhere) still think grams give me a helpful elusion)
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    edited August 2017
    heatherrt06 wrote: »
    I've been using the oz setting on my food scale, but I just wondered if there was a recommendation between either oz or grams. I don't have a preference, just wondering if one was recommended over the other, or if they're both fine so long as you're weighing & logging.

    For ease, whatever the entries for that item tend to be in (harder to find liquor entries in grams versus ounces for instance), BUT do make sure you are using 2 decimal points on ounces (0.1 oz is almost 3 grams, which makes a big difference on calorie-dense stuff like oils).

    ETA: but do check the accuracy, resolution, and minimum accurate measurement on your particular scale for the 2.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    Nutrition labels in the US give the equivalents to volumetric measure in grams. For example, a serving of Fiber One cereal is listed as "1/2 cup (30g)." I don't bother to dirty a measuring cup for cereal. I just put the bowl on the scale, tare to zero, and pour in 30 grams worth. If I want 1/4 a cup of milk on that cereal, and milk is mostly water, 56 (or 2 x 28) grams of milk is about a quarter cup. Again, no need to get out a measuring cup. I switch back and forth depending on what is easier.

    When I add a handful of raisins to my bowl of cereal, I try to come close to 1 ounce but my handfuls aren't that reliable. I let the scale tell me how many grams of raisins I've thrown in and then use a fraction of the 100 gram raisins listing as the number of servings. So, if I grabbed 34 grams of raisins, I just list my servings number as .34 of the 100 gram listing.

    Let's say I'm hungry for yogurt at the end of the day and I have 89 calories left. I can use my calculator online to figure out how much yogurt will stay under that 89 calories. My favorite yogurt is 280 calories for 227 grams. I divide 89 by 280 -- that gives me what portion of a serving is 89 calories. I then multiply that by how much a serving weighs and I find that 89/280 x 227 = approx. 72 grams. So, I can measure a 72 gram serving of yogurt into a bowl on the scale and BINGO, I have 89 calories of yogurt.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    I like to do my meat in ounces and most other things in grams. (My meat servings per meal are usually 8+ oz, so I just can't be bothered dealing with grams there).
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    @rosie3660 I purchased mine on Amazon. The brand name is "Ozeri". I don't remember the exact price; but it was under 10 dollars. There are many god ones to chose from.
  • erockem
    erockem Posts: 278 Member
    rebeccachobat wrote: »
    I go by the unit of measurement on the serving size. If it tells me a serving is 4 oz, I weigh out 4 oz, if it says a serving is 28 grams, I weigh 28 grams

    Same.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You could do either...I've personally not found it necessary to weigh everything to the gram...while it is more precise, that level of precision isn't really necessary IMO. I typically weigh in grams when grams is what is listed on the label as a serving...otherwise I just use ounces and I'm no worse for it...
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    You could do either...I've personally not found it necessary to weigh everything to the gram...while it is more precise, that level of precision isn't really necessary IMO. I typically weigh in grams when grams is what is listed on the label as a serving...otherwise I just use ounces and I'm no worse for it...

    pretty much what I do too
  • Rerun4733
    Rerun4733 Posts: 26 Member
    rebeccachobat wrote: »
    I go by the unit of measurement on the serving size. If it tells me a serving is 4 oz, I weigh out 4 oz, if it says a serving is 28 grams, I weigh 28 grams

    This

  • 08_GreenEyedMomma
    08_GreenEyedMomma Posts: 62 Member
    seska422 wrote: »
    grams are what are listed in the Nutrition Facts

    I hadn't thought of it that way. Now that you've pointed it out, it seems obvious.
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    rebeccachobat wrote: »
    I go by the unit of measurement on the serving size. If it tells me a serving is 4 oz, I weigh out 4 oz, if it says a serving is 28 grams, I weigh 28 grams

    That part
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    I use whatever the nutrition info on the package uses (95% of the time that's grams), or grams for unmarked stuff.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    but the people shouting "you're not losing weight because you're not weighing in grams" always has me scratching my head.

    I don't think anyone is saying that. I only see it as people saying someone isn't losing weight because they aren't using a scale AT ALL. The people eyeballing or using measuring cups are going to be the ones with the biggest issues. Onces/grams - whatever - you're a lot closer to reality than any other methods.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited August 2017
    I use grams because most of the nutrition info is in grams. Easy peasy. If it's in ounces, I just switch over, and then switch back.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    RobD520 wrote: »
    @rosie3660 I purchased mine on Amazon. The brand name is "Ozeri". I don't remember the exact price; but it was under 10 dollars. There are many god ones to chose from.

    This is the one I have as well. Nice little scale and great battery life, too.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    You could do either...I've personally not found it necessary to weigh everything to the gram...while it is more precise, that level of precision isn't really necessary IMO. I typically weigh in grams when grams is what is listed on the label as a serving...otherwise I just use ounces and I'm no worse for it...

    I agree with this. But if you're on a small calorie budget, like 1200 or so day, then you might need to be ultra-precise. I'm very active and don't put too much effort into it because I have a decent calorie allotment for the day. And I'm a little lazy at times. LOL

    At the end of the day it's whatever works best for you to stick to your goals.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I prefer grams, because I don't really like/see the point of oz as a measurement. Plus, the standard USDA entries which I use whenever possible tend to have 100 g options, so I can just weigh and input .86 (for 86 grams) or the like.

    Ounces are just as nuanced if the scale does decimals for them, but it's such a clunky measurement and after weighing and using grams regularly I think in grams for small amounts. Also, I think using oz encourages relying on a label that says 5 oz or some such, and of course that's often off by a decent amount (but you don't have to weigh to be successful anyway, I just like being exact when I bother doing it).

    On the other hand, I have to do the math for kilos (I mean converting to lbs, divide by 2.2, obviously I can convert from grams to kilograms easily) and for a human weight probably will never be able to move away from lbs, so I am not consistent!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories