Pasta

safetyqueen25
safetyqueen25 Posts: 38 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I'm sorry everyone I know this topic has been posted a million times but I'm still confused and can't find an answer to my specific area of confusion!

UK based looking at Sainsbury's Penne calories (not fresh Pasta)

I totally understand the logic of weighing Pasta dry as during cooking the only weight added is by water which has no calories. Based on this logic the pack says 100g pasta - 160 calories.

This leads me to believe that regardless of the end weight after cooking I am eating 160 calories of pasta.

However why does the pack also say that per serving the calories are 319?

It's 1KG pack and it is advised as containing approx 9 servings. That works out to just over 100g per serving.

So how can 100g be 160 calories and a serving (approx 110g) by 319 calories?

Am I missing something painfully obvious?

P.S Thank you! :)

Replies

  • KarenSmith2018
    KarenSmith2018 Posts: 302 Member
    I think the 100g of pasta is 160 calories must be cooked weight because 100g of uncooked pasta from any packet I've seen is around 200-300 calories. I normally eat a 50g serving of dried pasta and thats around 170 calories.
  • Wendyanneroberts
    Wendyanneroberts Posts: 270 Member
    The 100g of pasta, as listed is for cooked pasta and is 160 calories, for this type of pasta, WHEN COOKED

    Where as:
    A recommended serving is 100g of dry pasta, which is why they are different amounts and your confusion. You are right cooking it in water does not increase any calories. Once cooked 100g of dry pasta must average 200g. Hence each 100g serving of uncooked pasta, now weighs 200g cooked. So has 319 calories per portion.

    If cooking just 1 portion, weigh out 100g and your pasta, will have 319 calories.

    But if you want to cook additional servings, in the same pot (ie. family meals). For example; 4 portions.
    Then weigh out 400g of dry pasta and cook. Re weigh pot of pasta, once cooked, then divide by 4. If cooked pasta now weighs 800g, take 200g per serving at 319 calories.

    Hopefully this helps you see the difference, it is a common misunderstanding.
  • safetyqueen25
    safetyqueen25 Posts: 38 Member
    Thank you for this, it does make sense now :)
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 10,017 Member
    I'm really annoyed by the cooked calories on many UK products. If a product does so I don't buy it and chose a different one instead.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    This is yet another reason I don't pasta- it's practically designed to eff you up on your logging.

    Sneaky devil.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    110g dry = 319 cals
This discussion has been closed.

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