Weighing food with various densities?

How do you deal with weighing foods whose caloric measurements are given in per x mL? I don't trust my tablespoons, so Ive been weighing them out, then googling the average densities of these foods to figure out approximately how many mL I just consumed.

It would be pretty foolish to assume that same density as water (1 g/mL) for everything I consume.

Ideas?
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Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    I assume you're Canadian? I'd see if you can find a picture of the nutrition information for a similar product in the US.
  • Rose18l
    Rose18l Posts: 147 Member
    Look for the product entries based on grams instead of ml. For most liquids the difference between ml/gr. is minimal so you can still use that.
  • RecognitionT
    RecognitionT Posts: 120 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    I assume you're Canadian? I'd see if you can find a picture of the nutrition information for a similar product in the US.

    Yes I'm Canadian.
    Rose18l wrote: »
    Look for the product entries based on grams instead of ml. For most liquids the difference between ml/gr. is minimal so you can still use that.

    That's why I'm asking - there are certain products whose entries are strictly in mL.

  • JMcGee2018
    JMcGee2018 Posts: 275 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    I assume you're Canadian? I'd see if you can find a picture of the nutrition information for a similar product in the US.

    Yes I'm Canadian.
    Rose18l wrote: »
    Look for the product entries based on grams instead of ml. For most liquids the difference between ml/gr. is minimal so you can still use that.

    That's why I'm asking - there are certain products whose entries are strictly in mL.

    I'd love the answer to this, too. Like, I'm sure a mL of Almond milk weighs approximately as much as a mL of water, so the mL=gram would be 1:1, but that close approximation probably doesn't apply to all liquids. Is looking up the densities the best bet, or is there an easier way?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    What I meant is that a lot of products are the same in the US, but the label has grams here. So you can google the nutrition information (pictures), check their website, or ask here.

    What product were you thinking of?
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    I have one.
    Breyers Maple Nutty twist ice cream.

    All I can find is this.
    http://www.breyers.ca/product/detail/139644/maple-nutty-twist
  • ejg1010
    ejg1010 Posts: 48 Member
    For liquids which can be poured I use a measuring jug.

    If it's something like ice cream I weigh the whole tub and then just divide it up into servings based on weight.
    For example if the tub weighs 500g and there are 1000 calories in the tub (regardless of ml), then 100g will be 200 cals, etc.

    That won't be totally accurate as the tub itself will weigh something, but if it's just me eating the whole tub over a period of time I figure it'll work itself out eventually. You could always weigh an empty tub and subtract that from that total weight.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    ejg1010 wrote: »
    For liquids which can be poured I use a measuring jug.

    If it's something like ice cream I weigh the whole tub and then just divide it up into servings based on weight.
    For example if the tub weighs 500g and there are 1000 calories in the tub (regardless of ml), then 100g will be 200 cals, etc.

    That won't be totally accurate as the tub itself will weigh something, but if it's just me eating the whole tub over a period of time I figure it'll work itself out eventually. You could always weigh an empty tub and subtract that from that total weight.

    Probably the best way, but unfortunately containers never have the right amount of servings either.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,660 Member
    Here in the good ol' USA, I have pondered this regarding my molasses. I have been weighing in grams and assuming that the density difference will be minor, especially considering that I use it essentially as a condiment.

    What food item have you found, OP, that gives the greatest discrepancy? How many calories difference were your calculations based on weight alone vs. the density of the food in question? My digital scale is unworthy of the task, because it doesn't measure any finer than single grams.

    The most calorie dense liquid I can think to measure is Oil, and this website https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-volume-to-weight claims that a cup full weighs 217.6 grams - less than the expected 240 grams by nearly 10%! Again, though, we're talking about something that ought to be treated more like a condiment than a main food source. I generally don't use more than about 1 Tablespoon, and the difference between the 180 calories stated on the bottle and the 196 or so I might actually dispense is not worth doing so much extra work to calculate. If I were expecting to drink a full cup of oil, I might feel differently.
  • tess5036
    tess5036 Posts: 942 Member
    I measure liquids in a measuring jug :)
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,660 Member
    Ah - the same website from above claims that my Tbs. of molasses should weigh 21 g. I've been shortchanging myself by weighing out 15 g, expecting it to be "close enough" to the same density as water.

    In regards to the ice cream problem - I suppose if I were to buy ice cream that were measured only by volume, I would rely more heavily on this gadget: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018EHLPO/ref=asc_df_B0018EHLPO5395149/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B0018EHLPO&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216532839499&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1131151217920740796&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021508&hvtargid=pla-349698997650
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
    MissyCHF wrote: »
    A ml & a gram are of equal weight so just weigh it in grams.

    I had read this elsewhere and have been counting them the same. Oooops.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I have one.
    Breyers Maple Nutty twist ice cream.

    All I can find is this.
    http://www.breyers.ca/product/detail/139644/maple-nutty-twist

    From the calories and looking at similar entries for the brand, these look like 65-68 grams per half cup kind of deal.
  • RecognitionT
    RecognitionT Posts: 120 Member

    What food item have you found, OP, that gives the greatest discrepancy? How many calories difference were your calculations based on weight alone vs. the density of the food in question?

    Jam. Mostly because of the little berry bits that are mixed in along with it.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member

    What food item have you found, OP, that gives the greatest discrepancy? How many calories difference were your calculations based on weight alone vs. the density of the food in question?

    Jam. Mostly because of the little berry bits that are mixed in along with it.

    Most jams have about 1 1/3 grams per ml.
  • newheavensearth
    newheavensearth Posts: 870 Member
    MissyCHF wrote: »
    A ml & a gram are of equal weight so just weigh it in grams.

    I had read this elsewhere and have been counting them the same. Oooops.

    Good to know. I have a salad dressing where one bottle was listed in servings per gram, then it was relabled and the servings are now listed in mL. Same 30 units per serving and same amount of calories. I'm in the US. How'd they pull that off?
  • goatg
    goatg Posts: 1,399 Member
    edited March 2018
    I've tried googling mL to g for oil, but it was reasonably close in weight to water (given how little I consume) so I just decided to round to 1:1.

    I technically have a mL beaker for cocktail play, but I'd drive myself crazy trying to measure (and clean) that. If you really wanted to be scientific, you could:

    Take a measuring cup of a designated size (let's say 1/4c) and fill it to the brim with water.
    Then take the total mL water measured, divide by 60 (since this is how many mL are actually in 1/4cup).
    You'll know how much your measuring cup holds. Use the same multiple for oil, or whatever else you're measuring.