Does it really matter if you weigh your meat before cooking?

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KeeleySue
KeeleySue Posts: 158
in Food and Nutrition
I've read and read on this topic here on the forums. Does it really matter? Does it really make a difference? Why?

Replies

  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    I'm interested in this answer too, we're BBQing T-bones tonight.
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
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    It doesn't matter if you weigh before or after ... just so that you weigh and count it the right way ... so you know how much your're eating.

    I just find it MUCH easier to weight before cooking than after.
  • Helen1715
    Helen1715 Posts: 8
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    When I started weighing my food it was a real wake-up call for me. 4oz of meat is a lot less than I thought it was! I bought an inexpensive digital kitchen scale on amazon.com.
  • KeeleySue
    KeeleySue Posts: 158
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    It doesn't matter if you weigh before or after ... just so that you weigh and count it the right way ... so you know how much your're eating.

    I just find it MUCH easier to weight before cooking than after.


    But cooked meat weighs less than uncooked, right? Shouldn't you weigh after cooking because that's what you are actually ingesting?
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
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    It doesn't matter if you weigh before or after ... just so that you weigh and count it the right way ... so you know how much your're eating.

    I just find it MUCH easier to weight before cooking than after.


    But cooked meat weighs less than uncooked, right? Shouldn't you weigh after cooking because that's what you are actually ingesting?

    My thoughts exactly.
  • blazergrad
    blazergrad Posts: 603 Member
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    I'm curious about this too. Personally, I always weigh after cooking because, as you stated, that's what I'm actually consuming.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    There are database entries for the cooked foods and diary entries for raw foods. As long as you're logging your cooked food as cooked and raw as raw, it should make very little difference.
  • auntie_missy
    auntie_missy Posts: 113 Member
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    Nutritional info is given for raw meat, and cooked meat is approximately 75% the weight of raw meat. If you weigh your chicken after you cook it, you'll record that you ate 4 ounces... but in reality, you've eaten 6 ounces or more. That could be a 60 calorie difference.
  • kimberly130
    kimberly130 Posts: 166
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    I found this website that may help answer your question, I found it interesting that if you weigh before or after the calorie count is still the same!

    http://www.skinny-bits.com/2010/04/weighing-your-food-raw-vs-cooked.html

    Hope this helps!
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
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    Depends on how you log it. If you log it as "8oz beef, raw" it would be the same as if you logged it as "7oz beef, cooked".

    I figured if there is much of a difference (and I don't believe there is), then I'd actually be ingesting LESS calories ... and I'll always take a bit of a bonus.
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
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    There are database entries for the cooked foods and diary entries for raw foods. As long as you're logging your cooked food as cooked and raw as raw, it should make very little difference.

    This. You said it better than I.
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
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    You can do either, if you weigh it cooked make sure you are selecting cooked, grilled, broiled from the database...
  • pambaldwin
    pambaldwin Posts: 18
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    I always weigh my meat after I have cooked it and try to cut off any fat that there might be since I would not eat it anyway. Depending on the fat content and type of meat, you would be cheating yourself by weighing it before hand. I have had 4.5 oz of burgers turn into 4 oz. after cooking and the fat has run out of it. Try reading this article http://m.self.com/fooddiet/blogs/nutritiondata-dieting-weight-loss/2008/01/analyze-your-re.html and you will see what I mean.
  • Panda_Jack
    Panda_Jack Posts: 829 Member
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    I save myself the hassle and just eat all my meat raw like the cavemen used to do...

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