Weighing food with various densities?
RecognitionT
Posts: 120 Member
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?
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
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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.3
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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.4
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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.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.
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RecognitionT 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.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?0 -
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?1 -
I have one.
Breyers Maple Nutty twist ice cream.
All I can find is this.
http://www.breyers.ca/product/detail/139644/maple-nutty-twist2 -
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.
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A ml & a gram are of equal weight so just weigh it in grams.20
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No, mL and grams are not the same weight, unless you’re weighing water.6
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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.0 -
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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.1 -
I measure liquids in a measuring jug
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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-3496989976500 -
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Tacklewasher wrote: »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.0 -
autumnblade75 wrote: »
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.
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RecognitionT wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »
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.1 -
GOT_Obsessed wrote: »
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?0 -
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.
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Or
https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Graduated-Measuring-Cylinder-Brushes/dp/B0752KQ6WC/ref=sr_1_11_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1520443152&sr=8-11-spons&keywords=mL+beakers&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Corning-1000-600-Graduated-Graduation-Interval/dp/B004DGIII8/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1520443152&sr=8-13&keywords=mL+beakers0 -
I usually ask my American friends to give me the gram measure for things like ice cream lol pain.0
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FYI Ice cream is about half in grams as it is in Ml if you can't get the exact gram measure. I cri
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autumnblade75 wrote: »
This is a gem! Thank you : )0 -
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.
There is an easier way to do oil. There are many USDA database entries in grams for all kinds of oil, but if you can't find your specific kind of oil, most oils have roughly the same calories per gram in the amounts usually used give or take a couple of calories so any entry will do. Canola usually has one of the highest so you could use that entry just to be safe.1 -
RecognitionT wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »
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.
I see you're closer to the molasses problem than the oil problem. We're not avid consumers of jam in my house - we stopped buying it when we realized that all the jelly was 7 years expired and had mold in it. I like it well enough to eat it at restaurants, though. I like those little individual pre-measured packets that you find on the tables. I briefly toyed with the idea of buying a case of them - unopened, they should have an indefinite shelf-life, right? But there is less variety, and like I said, we just don't eat enough to justify the purchase. I don't really like measuring spoons for sticky, clumpy ingredients, either. I would probably just measure by eye. I know - that's not particularly accurate, but I tend to err on the side of scant peanut butter servings (I'm always sure I MUST have 2 TBS. before the scale actually registers a full serving) and I'm ok with shortchanging myself a few calories per slice of toast.
I don't even know if U.S. jams suggest portion sizes by volume only, or also by weight. Sorry.
Edited to add: The calculator I linked earlier has a listing for "jams and preserves" wherein it offers that a Tbs. serving would weigh 20 g. If you assume the density of jam matches water, you're missing out on the other 33% of a serving! Of course, using that method, you're counting more calories than you consume, so unless you're trying to gain, you'll be safe. ...assuming you're trying to lose. Probably, this is still "majoring in the minors" anyway, but I didn't have a better plan for how to spend my morning.
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For foods that have entries in the USDA database -- especially basic foods that are the same across brands -- you will generally find that the column header for a volume amount also notes the weight equivalent.1
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On the up side if your liquid is denser than water and you are weighing it as 1ml=1g you are at least always overestimating the calories. There aren't many liquids that have a lower density the only thing I can think of is alcohol.0
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On the up side if your liquid is denser than water and you are weighing it as 1ml=1g you are at least always overestimating the calories. There aren't many liquids that have a lower density the only thing I can think of is alcohol.
Pretty sure most of this is backwards -- most liquids, including alcohol, are less dense than water. But for any that are more dense, you would be underestimating calories by using 1:1 equivalency (e.g., you're logging 100 ml as 100 g, but if it's actually denser, maybe with a 1.15 specific gravity, it would be 115 g, so you're underestimating calories).
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My food scale has a ml mode2
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